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February 1, 2023

USAID, HU Collaboration Powers Peaceful Action to Solve Worldwide Problems

USAID and Humanity United announce partnership to strengthen peaceful collective action on a worldwide scale through Powered by the People.

USAID, HU Collaboration Powers Peaceful Action to Solve Worldwide Problems

Washington, D.C. – February 1, 2023 – Today, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Humanity United (HU), a philanthropic organization, announced their partnership aimed at strengthening peaceful collective action on a worldwide scale through the Powered by the People initiative.

Powered by the People (PxP) was launched in December of 2021 as part of the Biden Administration’s Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal. It aims to strengthen regional and global ecosystems and networks that enable peaceful collective action in tackling the world’s most intractable problems.

HU and USAID’s collaboration will support deeply networked democrats, activists, and human rights organizations that are a part of broad-based and inclusive movements, and create a donor collaborative in which foundations can support movement ecosystems in non-traditional ways.

Authoritarian actors deliberately seize on increasingly sophisticated tactics to maintain an un- democratic status quo or to erode democratic institutions, laws and norms, USAID believes. For example, authoritarian actors are learning from and cooperating with each other to effectively use disinformation, surveillance and infiltration to undermine civic actors. Historical currents such as the rise of social media and prevalence of technology create opportunities for quick action, but also pose incidental challenges to sustained civic engagement and strategic planning.

“We know that people give up power when they believe they don’t have it,” said Humanity United’s Dr. Bryan Sims. “And having recognized that, we’re driven by ensuring resources are used to provide frontline defenders, activists, democrats, and idealists with the space, tools, and confidence-building measures needed to build relationships, skills, and trust to shift power to those who are marginalized, to those that are seeking to build inclusive, responsive, and peaceful societies.”

Through this new partnership with USAID, HU believes it can leverage its unique philanthropic advantage to assist partners to think, plan, and respond over the medium and long term. Simultaneously, HU can ensure partners respond to immediate opportunities and threats that are so often embedded in authoritarian and violence-prone environments.

Throughout, Powered by the People will weave cross-cutting objectives, which include climate justice, the re-envisioning of civil society, transnational corruption, promoting youth participation and leadership and the inclusion of intergenerational allies, and promoting gender and social inclusion in movement building and collective civic action.

About USAID

USAID is an international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity, demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience.

About Humanity United

Humanity United is a philanthropic organization dedicated to cultivating the conditions for enduring peace and freedom by supporting partners who are working to advance human dignity and change the systems that enable violent conflict and human exploitation around the world. Together, we strive to foster a more inclusive, free, and peaceful world where all people have an opportunity to flourish.


Contact: Bryan Sims, Ph.D.
Director, Peacebuilding Partnerships, Humanity United
bsims@hum-migration.test

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