Former USAID Staff Launch $110M “Lifeboat” Rescue Project

Former USAID Staff Launch $110M “Lifeboat” Rescue Project
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A group of former USAID staff, laid off after the Trump administration cut US overseas aid, launched a successful rescue effort to save crucial global health projects, The Guardian reported. Dubbing themselves the “lifeboat crew,” the team created Project Resource Optimization (Pro) to secure alternative funding for canceled programs.

Led by former USAID economist Rob Rosenbaum, Pro has successfully found $110 million in new funding from foundations and private donors, saving 79 projects in over 30 countries. The initiative focuses on “delivering the most life-saving aid per dollar,” particularly services like maternity care and childhood vaccines, aiming to benefit an estimated 40 million people. The goal is to “buy time” for these essential services to find a long-term solution.