New US Foundation for Food Security Links Aid to Results, Cuts Out Terror-Supporting Nations

This legislation establishes the United States Foundation for International Food Security, a brand-new, private, nonprofit corporation dedicated to tackling global hunger. Think of it as a specialized, outcome-focused venture fund for agriculture overseas. Its main goal is to speed up long-lasting, locally-led investments in farming, livestock, and infrastructure—like storage and processing facilities—in developing countries (Sec. 3).

The key takeaway is that this Foundation is designed to be agile, operating outside the standard federal bureaucracy. While it receives U.S. government funding, it is explicitly not a government agency, and its staff are not federal employees (Sec. 3). This structure is meant to cut down on slow government vetting and allow the Foundation to move funds faster, focusing on private sector partnerships and measurable results. It also means the U.S. government is protected: the law makes it clear the Treasury is not responsible for any of the Foundation’s debts or failures (Sec. 5).

The 'Show Me the Data' Approach to Aid

For busy people, the most important change here is how aid is measured. This isn't your grandfather’s foreign aid program. The Foundation is required to use an outcome-based funding model. This means projects get funded based on specific, measurable goals—like increasing crop yields or boosting farmer profits—rather than just showing up and spending money (Sec. 6). Every single funded venture must undergo an impact evaluation that uses a comparison group. In plain English, they have to prove that the changes happened because of the Foundation’s money, not just because of good weather or general economic improvements. If a local partner already does good evaluations, the Foundation can accept those results, which is a smart move to avoid duplicating work (Sec. 6).

This focus on results is great for the taxpayer, as it demands accountability for every dollar spent. It also forces local partners to focus on long-term sustainability, as projects must demonstrate they can keep running after the Foundation’s initial investment ends (Sec. 7).

Who Gets the Money (and Who Absolutely Doesn't)

The Foundation’s funding decisions are explicitly tied to U.S. national security interests (Sec. 7). Crucially, the bill draws a hard line on who they can support. The Foundation is prohibited from funding any government or organization controlled by a government that the Secretary of State has determined repeatedly supports terrorism or consistently engages in major human rights abuses (Sec. 8). They also can’t deal with anyone on the Treasury Department's sanctions list.

However, there is a big caveat: the President has the power to waive these restrictions for a specific government or entity. If the President uses this power, they only need to notify Congress 45 days before the waiver takes effect (Sec. 8). For those concerned about human rights or foreign policy consistency, this 45-day notice window means the executive branch can override these prohibitions with relatively little immediate legislative oversight.

The Boardroom Breakdown

The Foundation will be run by a Board of Directors of up to 15 members, but the law demands a specific mix of expertise: farming, economics, supply chains, and national security knowledge are all required (Sec. 4). To ensure political balance, the directors must be drawn from both major political parties in roughly equal numbers. This sounds fair, but requiring political balance on a technical board could create friction or slow down decision-making if appointments are based more on party affiliation than expertise.

Finally, the Foundation is required to actively seek matching funds from non-U.S. government sources. For every dollar the U.S. government puts in, the Foundation has to try to raise a matching dollar from private groups or other international donors (Sec. 10). This co-financing rule is designed to leverage U.S. funds and ensure broader buy-in for these international development projects.