H. Res. 858 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

November 4, 2009. 

Whereas the IAF was originally created as an independent 

Federal agency to provide a new alternative model to traditional United States foreign assistance that promotes 

greater community-ownership and self-sustainability of 

development initiatives; 

Whereas the IAF has enabled millions of marginalized and 

poor people in Latin America and the Caribbean to improve their lives through nearly 5,000 self-help grants for 

income and employment generation, civic education and 

citizen participation, access to credit and public resources, food security, environmental sustainability, and 

cultural and social development; 

Whereas the IAF has proven that its people-to-people approach to foreign assistance, delivering aid funds directly 

to grassroots groups and local organizations of poor communities, is remarkably cost-effective, targeting aid funds 

to those with the greatest need and those who will use 

them best; 

Whereas each year, hundreds of thousands of IAF grant participants benefit from improved nutrition, medical care, 

access to clean water, agricultural and vocational skills, 

microcredit loans, small business management training, 

increased educational opportunities, and knowledge of 
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sustainable agricultural techniques and environmental 

practices; 

Whereas many grassroots leaders supported by the IAF have 

gone on to leadership roles at the local and national levels; 

Whereas the IAF’s beneficiary-driven, responsive approach 

has fostered trust between Latin American and Caribbean citizens and the United States Government by listening and responding to needs the people have identified, partnering with community-based groups and investing in projects that utilize and validate local knowledge 

and expertise; 

Whereas the IAF’s status as an independent United States 

Government aid agency allows for a streamlined grantmaking process, the flexibility to respond quickly and 

adapt to people’s needs on the ground, and the ability to 

maintain a positive United States presence in the region; 

Whereas the IAF continues to demonstrate the political, diplomatic, and strategic value of an independent United 

States Government aid agency with the ability to reach 

those on the economic, social, and cultural fringes of society in neighboring countries, facilitating greater access to 

the licit economy, markets, and public policy decisionmaking processes; 

Whereas the IAF’s projects complement and strive to maximize the impact of other larger United States aid agencies operating in Latin America and the Caribbean by enabling an important link between poor communities and 

larger-scale development activities; and 

Whereas the IAF was designed with strong bipartisan support and has maintained this balanced support through-
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out the four decades of its operations: Now, therefore, be 

it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) congratulates the Inter-American Foundation 

(IAF) on its 40th anniversary; 

(2) recognizes that the IAF has demonstrated that 

its grassroots model for United States foreign assistance 

is effective; and 

(3) declares that the IAF is a vital component of 

United States foreign policy in the Americas and of the 

United States development agenda. 

Attest: 

Clerk.