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Assistance Awards: Leveraging USG Funding for Humanitarian Efforts

The United States Government (USG) has implemented various initiatives to support humanitarian efforts worldwide. In addition to providing direct funding, the USG is leveraging assistance awards to partner with organizations that can help deliver critical aid and services.

International Organizations (IO)

  • The USG has authorized all transactions related to the official business of certain international organizations, including:
    • United Nations
    • African Development Bank Group
    • Asian Development Bank
    • European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
    • Inter-American Development Bank Group
    • International Committee of the Red Cross
    • International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
    • Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
    • Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) General Licenses

  • The USG has established NGO general licenses that authorize transactions involving blocked persons for non-commercial activities designed to directly benefit a civilian population.
  • These categories of activity include:
    • Humanitarian projects
    • Democracy-building activities
    • Educational activities
    • Non-commercial development projects
    • Environmental and natural resource protection
    • Disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs
    • Peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and conflict resolution programs

Donations and Fundraising

  • US persons are permitted to donate funds to, and raise funds on behalf of, U.S. and third-country NGOs that provide permissible or authorized humanitarian assistance in Gaza or the West Bank.
  • However, donors are encouraged to conduct appropriate due diligence to ensure their donations are being received by legitimate organizations.

Goods and Services

  • U.S. companies may provide goods and services to NGOs conducting humanitarian activities in Gaza or the West Bank, as long as they do not supply goods or services to blocked persons.

Fuel Imports

  • NGOs are authorized to import fuel or gas for use in support of authorized humanitarian projects.
  • However, caution is advised to ensure that blocked persons are not the ultimate beneficiary.

Funds Transfers

  • The NGO general licenses do not authorize funds transfers made with knowledge or reason to know that the intended beneficiary is a blocked person, except for:
    • Payments related to taxes, fees, or import duties
    • The purchase or receipt of permits, licenses, or public utility services if ordinarily incident and necessary to activities authorized by these authorizations

Leadership Roles

  • When a designated individual has a leadership role in a governing institution, the governing institution itself is not considered blocked.
  • Providers of humanitarian aid are expected to continue taking all reasonable steps to minimize benefits to Hamas or PIJ while providing aid in Gaza.

Additional Information

  • For transactions that are neither exempt nor generally authorized by OFAC, please see OFAC’s License Application Page for information about the specific licensing process.
  • The USG prioritizes specific license applications and requests for guidance related to humanitarian activity.