Information on USAID Award Terminations
To date, USAID award terminations have impacted 12 projects involving Tufts University, with 8 of those projects involving direct awards to the university, focusing on consequential research such as:
- Preventing the spillover of infectious diseases from animals to humans, thereby mitigating the risk of pandemics and emerging diseases such as Ebola, Zika, and avian influenza.
- Creating early warning systems and humanitarian responses in parts of Africa, with implications for potential U.S. peacekeeping, counterterrorism or conflict management interventions.
- Developing ways to provide more accurate, timely and targeted humanitarian assistance to equip decision-makers with better information that could help manage hotspots of humanitarian crises and potential resulting instability.
- Helping efforts to combat food insecurity, improve nutrition, and build sustainable food systems, especially in developing countries, with implications for regional security that could require U.S. intervention.
USAID had committed $64.2 million for the projects, of which $54.8 million was spent, leaving $9.4 million in unspent funds having been terminated by USAID. Through the 12 USAID-funded programs, 43 individuals were sponsored to work in various roles, including faculty, research staff, postdoctoral scholars, and students.
The university is working with the researchers and their schools to assess and address the impact of these and any additional award terminations that might be made in the days ahead.