OIG Oversight: U.S. African Development 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 United States African Development Foundation (USADF). This mandate authorizes USAID OIG to supervise, direct, and control audit and investigative activities relating to all aspects of USADF programs and operations worldwide. Under the Inspector General Act of 1978, USAID OIG operates independently of the agencies for which it has oversight authority.

An independent agency, the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) was created in 1980. USADF provides direct development assistance to underserved and marginalized populations in conflict and post-conflict areas in Africa.

USADF assistance takes the form of grants of up to $250,000 to community groups and small enterprises. USADF emphasizes participatory development, in which its programs respond to local project requests by engaging local community groups or enterprises during project design and implementation. USADF measures grant success in terms of jobs, increased incomes levels, and improved social conditions.

For more information, visit the official USADF Website.