The humanitarian sector’s staffing crisis is deepening, with a growing number of aid organizations slashing jobs following the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) and sweeping cuts to official development assistance (ODA).
According to the USAID stop-work tracker, at least 233,818 jobs worldwide had already been lost across 159 humanitarian agencies as of May 2025, including 19,519 in the United States.
However, the impact goes far beyond U.S.-funded groups. A survey by the International Council of Voluntary Agencies found that 55% of NGOs have laid off staff and 67% report disrupted programming, highlighting the strain being felt across the entire humanitarian sector.
These disruptions are taking place against a backdrop of shrinking donor commitments. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) warns that global ODA could further decline by up to 17% or US$35 billion in 2025.
Washington’s “America First” priorities triggered the trend by the dismantling of USAID, but other donors have since followed suit:
- The United Kingdom plans to reduce its aid commitment from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2027
- France cut its development aid by about €2.3 billion in its 2025 budget
- Germany has trimmed €1.7 billion
- Belgium intends to slash 25% from its development cooperation budget.
This updated tracker builds on our earlier reporting, capturing the mounting toll across the development sector. It will continue to be refreshed as more organizations announce staff cuts.
Below is a roundup of more organizations that have announced layoffs and program cuts.
United Nations agencies
Some of the largest losses are being recorded within the UN system, where agencies face sweeping budget cuts and program closures:
- The UN Secretariat will reduce its US$3.7 billion budget by one-fifth, affecting approximately 6,900 staff positions.
- Food and Agriculture Organization has terminated the employment of around 600 employees after the U.S. ended US$384 million in programs.
- UNAIDS staffing will shrink from 600 to roughly 280 to 300, with the Geneva headquarters alone losing about 85% of its employees.
- World Health Organization has predicted that staffing will fall from 9,463 in December 2024 to about 7,525 by 2027, representing a 20% cut. Geneva alone will lose 600 positions after a 21% budget reduction to US$4.2 billion for 2026–2027.
- UN Population Fund has had US$377 million in U.S. grants cut, and will therefore only manage to employ 47% of the 3,521 midwives originally planned for 2025. In Afghanistan, more than 1,700 female health workers have been laid off.
- United Nations Conference on Trade and Development will cut 70 of its 500 posts, representing 17% of its workforce.
International NGOs
Beyond the UN, international NGOs are also struggling as donor funding dries up:
- Democracy International has furloughed all 95 U.S. staff and put 92% of its international personnel on leave.
- IMPACT has dismissed at least 27% of its 400 employees, including 40 at its headquarters and nearly 70 in field offices.
- RTI International has cut 35% of its global workforce, including 736 U.S. staff, after losing over 30% of its operating revenue from more than 80 canceled federal projects.
- Management Sciences for Health (MSH) has eliminated about 70% of its workforce, cutting U.S. staff from 242 to 46 and terminating the employment of over 700 employees abroad. About 88% of MSH funding came from USAID.
- Plan International US has laid off 10% of its U.S. workforce and is expected to further cut personnel.
- John Snow, Inc. has laid off about 1,100 staff, nearly half its workforce, after losing 63% of its USAID funding.
- Save the Children UK has cut nearly 200 staff, citing the USAID funding freeze.
- Population Services International has announced a cut in working hours for 558 employees and laid off another 292.
- HIAS has terminated the employment of more than 500 staff, closed several country offices, and postponed payments. HIAS relied on USAID for roughly of 58% its total funding.
- AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition has cut one-third of its staff, letting 15 of its 45 employees go.
- The National Democratic Institute has released 66% of its Washington staff, cut the salaries of the remainder, and reduced its global offices from 60 to 14.
- Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation has cut 82 staff and reduced the hours of 75 others, affecting about 9% of its workforce.
- The International Republican Institute has laid off 246 people in Washington, D.C. The organization had 569 employees as of 2023.
- Alight has cut 50% of its 2,300 global staff after USAID losses forced the suspension of key programs in five countries.
Key private development partners
Major private development partners have not been spared either, with universities, contractors, and alliances announcing drastic cuts tied to USAID’s shutdown and wider funding shortfalls.
- Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has cut 155 jobs, about 24% of its staff, as vaccine distribution programs face financial shortfalls after the U.S. withdrew US$880 million in funding.
- Johns Hopkins University has cut more than 2,000 jobs tied to global health funding as USAID-supported research in Nigeria, DRC, Afghanistan, and Tanzania winds down.
- DAI Global has laid off 500 staff, around 70% of its workforce, after an 88% revenue loss as a result of the USAID shutdown.
- Chemonics International has furloughed more than 750 workers after losing 92 contracts and 14 indefinite delivery contracts, as well as facing US$103 million in unpaid invoices from USAID. About 88% of the organization’s funding came from USAID.
- EnCompass has implemented significant staff cuts, affecting 194 staff in the US.
Regional impact
Smaller and mid-sized organizations, particularly those focused on regional or specialized programs, have been hit the hardest, in some cases leaving only a handful of staff remaining or closing down entirely.
- Resonance has downsized from 100 staff to about 14 after rural development programs ended.
- Creative Associates International has confirmed 116 layoffs.
Experts note that what emerges from this upheaval could redefine the meaning of global aid. Will it be a more regionally driven system striving to survive, or is it the beginning of a fragmentation that will leave millions without a safety net?
Last updated: September 8, 2025
