Sponsors (4)
The bill aims to mobilize and scale U.S. agricultural and food‑security assistance by channeling predictable funding through a new foundation and stronger performance systems—leveraging private capital and improving accountability—while creating fiscal risk, added compliance costs, potential transparency and oversight gaps, and barriers for smaller local partners.
Nonprofit implementers and U.S. foreign assistance programs gain predictable, dedicated annual U.S. funding and a vehicle to receive and deploy those funds for agricultural and food-security projects.
Farmers and rural communities in partner countries receive increased financing, technical assistance, training, and project support that can raise agricultural productivity and farmer incomes.
Federal funds will be leveraged with private and non‑federal capital through cost‑sharing and public‑private partnerships, stretching federal appropriations and attracting additional resources for development projects.
U.S. taxpayers face greater federal spending and fiscal risk because Federal funds channeled through a new foundation can be lost or require ongoing appropriations, raising potential cost exposure.
Smaller, newer, or resource‑constrained local organizations are likely to be excluded or disadvantaged by cost‑sharing/match requirements, emphasis on 'proven' partners, and rigorous evaluation capacity expectations.
Channeling substantial U.S. assistance through a tax‑exempt private foundation and unclear congressional notification language risks reduced direct congressional oversight and lower transparency into how U.S.‑funded resources are used.
Based on analysis of 18 sections of legislative text.
Creates a nonprofit foundation to receive federal and private funds to finance, evaluate, and scale agricultural projects abroad that increase food security and support U.S. interests.
Introduced May 22, 2025 by Lindsey O. Graham · Last progress May 22, 2025
Creates a private, nonprofit United States Foundation for International Food Security to receive federal grants and private funds to finance, evaluate, and scale agricultural projects abroad that increase production, incomes, and sustained food security while advancing U.S. foreign policy and national security interests. The measure sets up the Foundation’s corporate structure, governance rules, eligible activities and financing tools, accountability and evaluation requirements, country and partner eligibility criteria, and prohibitions on support to certain foreign governments or sanctioned persons. The legislation requires consultation with specified entities, cost‑sharing from nonfederal sources to the maximum extent practicable, strong conflict‑of‑interest and anti‑political activity rules, outcome‑based funding and independent evaluations, annual Board‑approved reporting to Congress, and limits on federal liability and investment of federal funds to U.S. obligations. It also establishes timelines for the Board’s initial meeting and hiring of an Executive Director and directs how unspent funds and private contributions are handled if the Foundation winds down.