U.s. Foreign Assistance To Private Voluntary Organizations

Foreign Aid becomes an important international political and economic phenomenon after World WarⅡ.In the field of foreign aid, there are International Non-Governmental Organizations besides official foreign aid and international organizations aid. America is an initiator which has a long history of foreign aid. It plays an important role as one of the largest aid country in U.S. international relief and development. High proportion of U.S. overseas development funds are channeled through private voluntary organizations (PVOs), but PVOs are usually ignored. Hence, when we study PVOs aid, we not only assess U.S. foreign aid policy, but also understand the essence of PVOs aid.This dissertation is made up of introduction, the body and conclusion. The body includes four chapters. The first chapter deals with the basic concept of private voluntary organizations (PVOs) and foreign aid. First, based on the definition of foreign aid, the chapter analyzes U.S. foreign aid. The chapter holds that U.S. foreign aid not only includes official foreign aid, but also PVOs aid. According to"The Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances 2009", American private philanthropy has surpassed U.S. official foreign aid; Secondly, based on the definition of non-governmental organizations, the chapter analyzes non-governmental development organizations(NGDO) which work in the field of development and foreign aid. non-governmental development organizations owns a specific term—private voluntary Organizations(PVOs) in America; Third, the chapter deals with concept, classifications, revenue and expenditure of U.S.-based PVOs.The second chapter systematically explores the evolution of U.S.-based PVOs foreign aid from history perspectives. According to the characteristics of PVOs in every phase, the author divides PVOs aid into six phases. In early phase(1939-1945), U.S.-based PVOs play an important role in the field of humanitarian aid in World WarⅡ; In original phase (1945-1960),PVOs aid expands from Europe to Asia,Africa and Latin America. Meantime, The aid field expand from relief assistance to food aid,technical aid. PVOs obtain subsidies which are provided by the U.S. federal government. Subsidies includes overseas freight reimbursement,U.S. government surplus property,surplus food and so on; In institutionalization of foreign aid phase (1960-1970), U.S.-based PVOs aid field expands from relief aid to development aid, this is a transition phase; In"New Direction"foreign aid policy phase(1970-1980), U.S.-based PVOs expand in number, the U.S. federal government establish grant mechanism which provide PVOs with funds; in foreign aid privatization phase (1980-1990), in the context of privatization, the federal government strengthens U.S.-based PVOs aid. USAID defines the relations between the U.S. federal government and U.S.-based PVOs as"partnership". In the post cold war phase(1990- ), With the consolidation of foreign aid privatization, More and more aid projects shift to non-governmental organizations. The PVO-State Partnership intensifies.The third chapter makes a study of the reasons why U.S.-based PVOs participate in foreign aid,role of PVOs in foreign aid and the PVO-State partnership from resource dependence theory perspectives. First, the chapter explains the reasons from international system, support of international organizations, support of the U.S. federal government, domestic culture and PVOs'advantages; Second, PVOs play three roles in foreign aid-service provider, partner and advocator. Service provider is a fundamental role. service provider includes projects aid, capacity building aid and humanitarian aid. Advocator is an important role which affects foreign aid policy or foreign policy. PVOs is Partner which is a bridge between PVO-State, international organizations and NGOs; Third, the chapter make uses of resource dependence theory and explains the PVO-State partnership.The fourth chapter is to deal with the effect, challenge and trend of PVOs in foreign aid. With the development of U.S.-based PVOs, PVOs as"the third sector"has owned international effect. U.S.-based PVOs is tools of foreign policy, shape U.S. national image, it is a soft power. Meanwhile, U.S.-based PVOs promote economy of the recipient country, sometime interfere with the government policy of the recipient country, PVOs is both a challenge and a chance for civil society of the recipient country. However, PVOs offers a challenge, because its development has restriction from international system, recipient country policy and the disadvantages of PVOs. In the future, U.S.-based PVOs will continue expand in number, will strengthen its professionalization,its commercialization will appear, the U.S. federal government will continue promote democracy by"aid PVOs".The conclusion is foothold of the dissertation. On one hand, the capacity of U.S. PVOs aid will strengthen with the development of globalization and networkization. The chapter analyzes the dual character of U.S. PVOs which aid China. On the other hand, the chapter gives the advice about Chinese NGOs aid. Government should cultivate efficient NGOs which take active part in foreign aid and strengthen management of NGOs, meantime, NGOs should strengthen cooperation with international organizations such as UN.