In comments filed on Sept. 30, several nonprofit organizations urge the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to re-think its proposed pilot program requiring nonprofits that apply for grants to collect data on their board members and key staff. USAID would use the program, known as the Partner Vetting System (PVS), to check the personal information collected against intelligence databases. Commenters sharing CSN’s concerns about the program, including InterAction, Oxfam America, and the ACLU, argue that PVS would damage the independence of NGOs, put aid workers in danger, and increase administrative red-tape.
“We are concerned that, as proposed, PVS could have a significant negative impact on aid effectiveness,” Oxfam America‘s comments said.
See also: CSN’s PVS Issue Brief (contains background information on PVS)