OIG Oversight: Inter-American Foundation Overview

The USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG) was established on December 16, 1980, and was bought under the purview of the Inspector General Act of 1978 on December 29, 1981. On November 29, 1999, the President signed into law the Admiral James W. Nance and Meg Donovan Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Public Law 106-113, mandating that USAID OIG provide inspector general services to the Inter-American Foundation (IAF). This mandate authorizes USAID OIG to supervise, direct, and control audit and investigative activities relating to all aspects of IAF programs and operations worldwide. Under the Inspector General Act of 1978, USAID OIG operates independently of the agencies for which it has oversight authority.

The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) is an independent agency that delivers development assistance directly to grassroots organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Created through the Foreign Assistance Act of 1969, IAF was designed to channel development assistance directly to the organized poor in Latin America and the Caribbean. IAF provides grants to grassroots groups and nongovernmental organizations to support creative ideas for self-help. Grant recipients carry out activities to, for example, promote more profitable agriculture, micro businesses and community enterprises; provide skills training vital to well-paid employment; offer access to water, basic utilities and adequate housing; and enable people to channel their energy into productive work.

IAF also encourages partnerships among community organizations, business, and local governments with the aim of improving the quality of life for poor people and strengthening democratic practices. In its grants, IAF works to assure the participation of indigenous peoples, African descendants, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups, and encourages their inclusion in political and social processes.

For more information, visit the official IAF Website.