NYF Update: Regarding USAID
At NYF, we know our supporters value transparency, and up-front, frank clarity on the issues we, and the Nepali children we serve, are facing. We’re honored by your trust in our organization. It is your trust and support that have helped us transform the lives of over 60,000 children in Nepal—and it is that same trust that will strengthen us through this new period of uncertainty.
USAID
You may have heard that over the last several weeks, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has begun undergoing some dramatic changes.
USAID, established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, is an independent federal agency, responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and developmental assistance. It is one of the largest official aid agencies in the world, and has historically focused on disaster relief, poverty relief, socioeconomic development, and more.
As the Trump administration makes sweeping changes to this agency, including a near-total freeze on all foreign aid, the international nonprofit world is deeply concerned about the future. At NYF, we are also concerned. However, when it comes to our work, we are also full of hope, determination, and stubborn optimism. And when it comes to NYF, we think you should be, too.
Reasons for Confidence
1) NYF does not and has never received funding from the US government, including USAID. (We also do not receive funding from the Nepali government.)
Organizations who do receive USAID funding will soon be working to make up for any changes to come. This may put these organizations in competition with NYF for funding sources. Our team is watching closely to track any changes in our fundraising success. As of today, our organization is maintaining our steady pace forward thanks to our incredible community of loyal supporters.
2) Our on-the-ground team in Nepal has decades of experience providing life-changing programs during unprecedented times. NYF was founded during an incredibly dynamic time in Nepal’s history. Since 1990, Nepal’s system of government has changed from a monarchy to a democracy. Nepal experienced a civil war between 1995 and 2005. We provided critical, immediate rescue and rebuilding resources after the 2015 earthquake. We provided robust, life-saving support during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lessons learned and expertise developed during these crises have made our programs stronger.
3) NYF’s global team is drawing on wisdom shared by our beloved late founder, Olga Murray. Our organization is deeply rooted in Olga’s practical, hard-won optimism—a trait she developed over a 98-year lifetime filled with political turmoil and change.
When she founded NYF in 1990, Olga knew that no matter what changes come, the best way to fuel sustainable transformations is by empowering the rising generation of children. We follow her remarkable example every day at NYF.
4) Our incredible community of supporters and friends has never let us down. Back in 2020, during the first days of the COVID-19 pandemic, our team had no way of knowing what was in store. In partnership with you, our loving donors, we navigated those years of uncertainty together, determined to continue providing world-class care to the children we serve.
We are so grateful to our incredible network of supporters for the ways you circled around us in love and trust during those challenging years—and we are confident that together, we will weather these new changes with strength as well.
Our Commitment
NYF’s team is prepared to share updates with you if we find that our funding is being negatively impacted during the coming years, as well as insight into our responsive strategies. We’ll use the same frank, forthright messaging you’ve come to expect from us.
No matter what, our shared promise to Nepal’s children remains the same.
We are empowering Nepal’s next generation of forward-facing leaders. Generous support from friends all over the world has made this work possible for almost 35 years. At NYF, we have every intention of continuing this transformative journey for decades to come.
Thank you for meeting the moment with us.
With gratitude and determination,
The NYF US Team
Questions?
P.S. Please feel free to reach out to our team with any questions or concerns you may have about the ways NYF is impacted by current events.