It is March 2025, the new Trump Administration has now completely dismantled USAID, started as a 90-day foreign assistance funding freeze in one of his first Executive Orders. After barely a month, DOGE has worked to terminate 5,800+ (90+%) international development and humanitarian assistance projects, with perhaps only 500 remaining, still subject to further review. Virtually all USAID staff have been dismissed, the building shuttered, offices cleared out last week, and the agency completely folded into the State Department. Most of the implementing partner organizations have shut down and furloughed the majority of their staff (including me). The industry is effectively gone.

I have spent 30 years working in international development—leading, writing, and implementing USAID-funded projects across the globe. Results International Consulting is a company I started LAST TIME I had to get back into consulting. This time the reboot is more a way to keep networked to the amazing people I have met and worked with over the last twenty or so years, and those that without this type of platform we may never get the chance to meet. After just a few weeks, it already feels like connections are starting to drift away. So from my side, I am trying to get a network in place that keeps the amazing experience, skills, and resources together before it all falls apart.

My firm belief is that International Development and Humanitarian Assistance play a crucial role in the world, and what has happened in the past month is neither fair nor just, and I truly hope that the court battles will prevail. But, while I would love to wave a magic wand and see everything back to its pre-Jan 20th status, I think the damage is too far gone.

But there is hope.

Nature abhors a vacuum. There will be something that rises from the ashes to fill the place where USAID projects have made such an impact. (Maybe it’s China and Russia, but that discussion is for another day.) Even in the short term, some firms will survive and get back to some semblance of normal. But everyone will be spooked. Will they automatically return to pre-2025 staffing? Likely not. Will they staff up Business Development and Home Office overhead staff? Technical experts? Will those staff even still be around and available?

I am typically a glass-half-full girl, but I also don’t sit around and wait for things to happen. I see our current tragedy as an opportunity to gather together and rally our skills, power, and experience in a positive way. This is the first step. It’s really just me and a few good friends with the best skills (and intentions) in recruiting, career coaching, business development, legal, contracts, and compliance that this industry has to offer, and more of you as opportunities arise.

I hope you join us. – Stephanie