In early 2025, the US administration announced a sweeping freeze on foreign aid, ultimately terminating more than 7,000 awards and contracts—over 80% of USAID programs and a significant share of State Department grants. The impact has rippled across sectors and countries, with democracy, rights, and governance (DRG) programming among the hardest hit. Democracy assistance groups and independent media—especially those operating in or in exile from repressive or fragile contexts—have been especially hard hit by the cuts with their programs supporting elections, civil society, human rights, media freedom, inclusive participation, and anti-corruption cancelled worldwide. In countries like Ukraine, Myanmar, and Belarus, the loss of US support has created major gaps in critical democratic infrastructure. Compounding the crisis, many other donors have also cut their aid budgets, leaving few alternatives to fill the void. In response, the Global Democracy Coalition and International IDEA have undertaken a global impact study to assess the consequences of these funding cuts on the DRG ecosystem. Through a survey of more than 150 organizations worldwide, interviews, and focus groups, the research captures both quantitative data and human stories from organizations directly affected by the cuts. These slides show key highlights and preliminary survey findings ahead of the final report release in September 2025.
