We called ourselves the lifeboat crew': how fired USAID workers launched a rescue project to save as many babies as we can'

"Refusing to wallow in misery, Rob Rosenbaum, a former USAID economist, and a group of like-minded former agency staff began efforts to save some of the vital programmes that faced closure after the cuts. Now, almost 80 projects have been saved by a matchmaking service run by Rosenbaum and other former USAID staff, that has found them $110m (82m) of new funding."

"They created a menu from the list of cancelled projects, identifying those delivering the most life-saving aid per dollar and where a new funder could feasibly step in and keep things going. They soon realised the demand was wider than that initial foundation and started to approach other potential donors. We called ourselves the lifeboat crew at the beginning, says Rosenbaum."

After USAID funding was cut, spending froze, thousands of employees were laid off, and many projects faced imminent closure. Former USAID economist Rob Rosenbaum and colleagues launched Project Resource Optimization (Pro) to match cancelled programmes with new donors. Pro created a prioritized menu of projects delivering the most life-saving aid per dollar and targeted feasible donor interventions. The initiative has secured about $110m (82m) for 79 projects across more than 30 countries and estimates benefits for 40 million people, including many children under five. Pro now operates within the Center for Global Development.

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