How did the USAID funding freeze affect Eastern Partnership civil society? The EaP CSF surveyed its members to assess the impact.
Following the United States (U.S.) administration’s decision to freeze foreign assistance for a 90-day review, 83% of the programmes at the U.S. Agency for International Development were cut in early March 2025. This decision had profound repercussions on ongoing humanitarian and development projects worldwide. In the Eastern Partnership countries, most of the aid had been allocated to strengthening civil society and the rule of law, as well as boosting economic growth. In 2023, the Agency provided $16.8 billion in aid to Eastern Europe, with Ukraine as the primary recipient, followed by Moldova and Georgia.
The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Secretariat designed an anonymous survey for its members with the goal to gather insights on funding challenges experienced by CSOs in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region, and more specifically, the impact of the ongoing USAID funding freeze.
The survey results highlighted that 61% of respondents have been detrimentally impacted by the USAID funding freeze to various degrees. Many organisations are facing immediate disruptions in project implementation, including the suspension of capacity-building programmes, community engagement initiatives, and essential services provided to beneficiaries. Additionally, many organisations highlighted that they are struggling to retain key team members and/or had to let go of personnel and proceed with important layoffs. Most organisations describe a climate of severe financial uncertainty, making it nearly impossible to plan or implement critical activities.
Some of the main takeaways from this survey report include the following:
- Grants from international donors are the main source of funding for 83% of respondents.
- 45% of respondents indicated having no financial reserve and remain highly reliant on continuous financial support from donors to ensure their functioning, even in the short term.
- 37% of respondents indicated that the share of USAID funds in their 2025 annual budget was over 25%.
- Respondents affected by the USAID funding freeze have taken actions to cope with the situation, including but not limited to the termination of ongoing projects for 43% of them, cutting operational costs for 39%, reducing staff salaries for 34% and proceeding layoffs for 26%.
- 45% of respondents agree that the European Union (both via EU institutions and EU Member States) should step in to fill the financial gap created by USAID, and an additional 47% of respondents agree with the condition that other international donors should equally step in to fill the gap.
This report highlights the challenges encountered by CSOs and calls for a strong, coordinated response from both international and regional partners to help stabilise and strengthen civil society in the Eastern Partnership region. It calls for the international community to work together to address the financial challenges that civil society faces in the EaP countries.
We invite you to read the full report below.
