Foreign Assistance Usaid S Reengineering At Overseas Missions Report To The Chairman Committee On International Relations House Of Representatives

The U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Cuba Program provides assistance to support human rights and promote nonviolent democratic change in Cuba. From 1996 through 2008, the program awarded $83 million in grants to nongovernmental organizations and universities. In 2006, GAO found weaknesses in program oversight that increased the risk of grantees' improperly using grant funds and failing to comply with U.S. laws. In 2008, misuse of grant funds at organizations with the program's two largest grants was detected. GAO was asked to examine (1) actions that USAID has taken since 2006, or plans to take, to improve its award and oversight of the Cuba Program's grants and (2) actions that USAID has taken in response to the recently detected misuses of grant funds. GAO analyzed USAID and grantee records, conducted limited reviews at five grantees, and interviewed agency and grantee officials. GAO recommends that USAID (1) ensure that the Cuba Program is staffed at the level needed to fully implement planned monitoring activities and (2) periodically assess the program's overall efforts to reduce grantee risks.