Q:  What is USAID Forward?

A:  In 2010, USAID embarked on an ambitious reform agenda, USAID Forward, to transform the way we work. The reforms strengthen both USAID and our partners to ensure that together we can more efficiently, effectively, and inclusively address the global challenges of today and achieve results that outlast our assistance in the future.

Each reform falls into one of three categories:

1. Deliver results on a meaningful scale through a strengthened USAID.  As the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development explained, the United States “cannot do all things, do them well, and do them everywhere.”  In order to maximize our development dollar, we have to pursue a more strategic, focused, and results-oriented approach.
2. Promote sustainable development through high-impact partnerships.  In order to achieve long-term, sustainable development, we have to collaborate with and support the institutions, private sector partners, and civil society organizations that are engines of growth and progress for their own nations.
3. Identify and scale up innovative, breakthrough solutions to intractable development problems. Some of the greatest successes in development have come from extending the reach of science and technological breakthroughs to those who lacked access.

We measure progress toward meeting these goals through eight topline indicators:

1. Number of country development cooperation strategies (CDCSs) completed;
2. Number of completed high quality evaluations;
3. Number of emerging foreign service officer (FSO) and foreign service national (FSN) leaders participating in formal mentoring programs;
4. Mission program funds per year implemented through local systems;
5. U.S. staff work plans with at least one direct engagement performance measure;
6. Total value of public-private partnerships with a minimum of 1:1 leverage;
7. Percent of program funds dedicated to leveraging commercial private capital through the Development Credit Authority; and
8. Number of missions actively supporting mobile money initiatives.

Q:  What data are being released?

A:  USAID is keeping its promise of transparency by providing FY 2013 and FY 2012 raw data. Data are broken out by each of the eight topline USAID Forward indicators.

Q:  Can I download the dataset?

A:  Yes, you can download the dataset by topline indicator on the USAID Forward website

What are the USAID Forward countries?

A: There are 79 USAID Forward countries for FY2013:

Afghanistan
Albania
Angola
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Benin
Bolivia
Bosnia
Brazil
Burma1¹
Central America and Mexico Regional
Cambodia
Central Asia Regional
Colombia
Dominican Republic
Democratic Republic of Congo
East Africa Regional
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Ethiopia
Georgia
Ghana
Guatemala
Guinea
Haiti
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Jamaica
Jordan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Liberia
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nepal
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Pakistan
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Regional Development Mission Asia (RDMA)
Russia
Rwanda
South America Regional
Senegal
Serbia
South Africa²
South Africa Regional
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Tanzania
Timor-Leste
Uganda
Ukraine
Vietnam
West Africa Regional
West Bank/Gaza
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

¹For FY2012, Burma was included in the Regional Development Mission Asia totals.

²For FY2012, South Africa Regional was included in South Africa data. Given the overlapping staff functions between South Africa Regional and South Africa, South Africa Regional only reports on the three budget-based indicators only (Local Solutions, PPP, and DCA) for FY2013.

Q:  Why are the data different from the Foreign Assistance Dashboard?

A:  The Foreign Assistance Dashboard contains all financial data, obligations, and disbursements. It also includes data related to all vendors whereas the USAID Forward data includes only unilateral obligations and sub-obligations to local vendors. USAID Forward only includes data for the 79 USAID Forward countries (see above FAQ). Furthermore, records are disaggregated by US and non-US in the Foreign Assistance Dashboard. The USAID forward data is a sub-set of the non-US data.

Q: Why are the data different from USAspending.gov

A: USA spending includes all unilateral obligations/bilateral sub-obligations to contracts and grants, a sub-set of which is included in the USAID Forward data. However, USAspending does not include government to government funding that is normally obligated through other mechanisms.

Q:  Why is some information redacted?

A:  USAID redacts sensitive information, on a case-by-case basis, in order to protect against potential harm while maintaining a strong presumption in favor of transparency. Information can be redacted if it contains personally identifiable information, jeopardizes the personal safety of U.S. personnel or partners, or threatens national security interests.

Q:  Why are certain cash transfers and trust funds included only in the footnote in the Local Solutions indicator?

A:  At the time of the publication of the USAID Forward Progress Report 2013, certain cash transfers and qualifying trust funds were still being analyzed to determine if those funds were ultimately processed through local financial and procurement systems as defined in the report in Annex 2. USAID has since determined that some cash transfers and trust funds qualify because the funding went through a partner government entity using their own financial management and procurement systems. To ensure consistency of reporting, USAID publishes the local solutions indicator with and without cash transfers and qualifying trust funds.

Q.  Are all the data sets measured over the same time frame?

A.  In FY 2012 the mobile money and evaluations indicators were measured by calendar not fiscal year. For FY 2013, USAID decided to measure all of the indicators by fiscal year.