A Critical Moment for Global Engagement and Humanitarian Assistance
Dear Global Washington Community,
We are reaching out at a time of unprecedented uncertainty for the global development and humanitarian sectors. Recent executive orders from the U.S. administration have imposed a freeze on foreign aid, halted numerous federal grants, withdrawn from international environmental commitments, and introduced significant restrictions on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives. These actions have immediate and devastating implications for our collective work to improve lives and strengthen communities around the world.
This abrupt policy shift has placed many of our members in crisis. The freeze on USAID funding and other federal grants has triggered stop-work orders across critical programs, jeopardizing food security, global health initiatives, gender equity projects, and climate resilience efforts. From emergency relief operations in conflict zones to long-term development projects that foster sustainable economic growth, these funding cuts are already forcing difficult decisions—shutting down programs, laying off staff, and leaving vulnerable populations without essential services.
Immediate Impact on Our Members
The consequences of these executive orders are and will be deeply felt across Global Washington’s network:
Humanitarian and development programs are grinding to a halt. USAID’s funding freeze, coupled with an opaque review process, has left organizations scrambling to secure alternative funding or suspend operations altogether. This affects everything from maternal and child health programs to anti-poverty initiatives and refugee assistance.
Environmental and climate action efforts are in jeopardy. The U.S. withdrawal from international agreements and funding freezes on environmental programs severely undermine the fight against climate change, disproportionately impacting communities most vulnerable to its effects.
Inclusive development efforts are under threat. Restrictions on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility funding risk rolling back hard-won progress in equity-driven global development, particularly for women, Indigenous communities, and other historically marginalized groups.
For many of our members, this freeze is not just a bureaucratic hurdle—it is an existential crisis. Organizations that have spent years building trust and impact in communities worldwide now face the prospect of shuttering their doors, leaving millions without the support they rely on.
What Comes Next?
This is not a moment for silence. We must act swiftly and decisively to protect the progress we have made and advocate for the restoration of essential funding. We urge those in the development sector to:
Join us for a closed-door CEO discussion. We will be convening a members-only CEO roundtable about the executive orders in the coming weeks. Look out for an invitation to hear from other leaders, share insights, ask questions, and coordinate our collective response.
Attend the next GlobalWA Communications Collective event. Our upcoming members-only learning session will ground attendees in inclusive marketing and communications for chaotic times.
Engage with policymakers. Advocate for the immediate reinstatement of critical foreign aid and development funding. Contact your representatives and make clear the human cost of these decisions. This initiative is documenting the impact of the foreign aid stop work order.
Mobilize alternative funding. We call on philanthropic foundations, private sector leaders, and global donors to fill funding gaps created by this freeze. Increased private sector engagement will be essential in sustaining programs.
Amplify the urgency. Share this message within your networks to ensure that the full impact of these policies is widely understood and that the most affected voices are heard.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
Despite these challenges, we remain steadfast in our mission to support a globally engaged Washington state and to advance solutions that foster equity, sustainability, and human dignity worldwide. We, the global development community, believe in our shared humanity and understand that a retreat from international assistance hurts us all.
As we navigate this uncertain landscape, we will continue to provide resources and opportunities for collective action. We urge you to stay engaged, stand in solidarity with affected organizations and with one another, and advocate for the restoration of U.S. leadership in global development.
Elizabeth Stokely
Executive Director, Global Washington
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Dr. Kingsley Ndoh
Thank you, Dr. Ndoh, for joining us today!
Thank you so much for having me really, really a pleasure and an honor.
It is our pleasure and honor for sure. Please tell us a little bit about your background, and what drove you to work in the field of oncology.
I’m originally from Nigeria. I moved to the US 13 years ago and I remember when I was coming here, I actually thought I was coming to Washington DC, I didn’t know that there were 2 Washingtons (laughter). I went to medical school in Nigeria, and just when I graduated, my very close aunt unfortunately passed on from colorectal cancer. She had had abdominal symptoms that were misdiagnosed for a year before it was caught, and unfortunately it was late stage.
So at that time I started thinking, “how can this be solved?” Because I realized that it was just not her, but it was an example of a bigger problem.
That was one of my motivations of coming to the US – to study more and to train. I ended up at the University of Washington doing a master’s in public health, with a concentration in global health. After that, I joined Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center as a fellow, then I joined the Global Oncology Program there and at the time the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center had recently started the global oncology program. They’re one of the pioneers.
And that’s what set me off in my career trajectory.
