US foreign aid suspension threatens global conservation efforts

(Washington, DC – January 30, 2025)—This week, the new US administration announced a series of actions temporarily halting obligations and disbursements of foreign aid funding, an action that has immediate and steep consequences for IFAW and its partner organizations.  

While stoppages for some federal programs have been rolled back, the directive to cease foreign aid funding appears to remain. This uncertainty and interruptions at this scale will risk dismantling years of progress for the very communities and ecosystems these programs were designed to protect.  

The current pause on federal foreign assistance jeopardizes essential conservation and wildlife rescue initiatives. Without this funding, programs like anti-poaching patrols in Africa and law enforcement training to handle live animals seized in trade risk being stalled or abandoned. Programs such as these support local livelihoods and advance global biodiversity goals, while also combatting wildlife trafficking, creating natural buffers to prevent zoonotic disease spread, and ensuring a legacy of coexistence between humans and wildlife. 

IFAW strongly urges the administration to resume the flow of federal financial assistance during its review period. Every day funding is paused, the ripple effects on staff, conservation efforts, local economies, and wildlife are magnified. Through our recent survey of US voters, the American people demonstrated their firm commitment to wildlife and conservation, with 80% supporting funding for global conservation programs at or above current levels. We hope that this will continue to be reflected by their government. 

As careful stewards of US taxpayer money, IFAW has consistently delivered measurable, impactful outcomes. Our projects prove that every federal dollar spent on conservation and wildlife rescue yields remarkable results for wildlife, communities, and economies worldwide. 

Press contact  

Stacey Hedman 
Senior Director of Communications, Global Programs 
shedman@ifaw.org 
+1 508.737.2558