Our Origins
What began as a USAID reform effort has grown into something more.
Local leadership in development and humanitarian work is at the heart of Local Works Global.
Where we came from
Local Works was a major reform effort led by 577 global staff members to make America’s foreign assistance more equitable, sustainable, and aligned with local priorities. We managed a cumulative budget of $600 million, with over 250 awards in 64 countries, elevating local leadership and connecting communities with resources to help them solve their own challenges.
What we’re building on
Our work has included:
- Strengthening grassroots mutual aid networks in active conflicts, including Ukraine and Sudan
- Advancing indigenous-led disaster risk management in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest
- Sustaining community-based, cross-sector collective action to address a heroin epidemic in northern Myanmar
- Empowering local humanitarian response systems in Armenia and Syria
- Investing in youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship platforms across Zimbabwe and El Salvador
- Advancing education decentralization in Angola for greater community ownership
The experience we’ve gained
We know how to move money differently. We know how to restructure grantmaking processes so communities lead them. We know how to help donors navigate their internal operations to make locally led development possible.