Tides Center

The U.S. foreign policy community includes a variety of actors: policymakers navigating a complex, interconnected foreign policy landscape; NGOs competing for the policymakers’ time and attention; and foundations supporting projects to advance their vision of a better world. Since 2003, the Hewlett Foundation has supported the Connect U.S. Fund, a project of the Tides Foundation that builds relationships among these diverse players. The Fund has become increasingly recognized as a key convener and driver of high-level policy advocacy in five important issue areas: nonproliferation, climate change, reform of international financial institutions, support for U.S. civilian agencies engaged in development, and human rights. Not only do NGOs turn to the Fund for assistance, but policymakers ask it to facilitate conversations with NGOs on major policy issues. The Fund is among the few organizations that can respond to requests for rapid funding and therefore react nimbly to unforeseen events, thus multiplying its impact. In addition, the Fund provides grants to organizations that facilitate collaboration across issue areas. This renewal grant is a collaboration between the Global Development and Special Projects programs, in recognition of the fact that the Fund has broadened its issue areas far beyond those solely of interest to Global Development.