On April 29, 2022, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Research Technical Assistance Center (RTAC) hosted the virtual symposium, “Navigating USAID Partnerships and Funding”. The symposium brought together faculty and staff from over 40 minority serving institutions who sought to learn more about USAID and the different ways to partner with the Agency.

The symposium built on the 2020 Current Landscape of Engagement Between USAID and Historically Black Colleges and Universities report, which identified a need to demystify working with USAID and increase the knowledge about navigating funding and partnerships opportunities.

As part of ongoing engagement to address recommendations from the report, the virtual symposium covered an introduction to USAID, discussed ways to find and apply to USAID funding opportunities, and explored USAID linkages to the academic community. The symposium also provided an opportunity for participants to meet and greet USAID staff from across a variety of sectors in breakout rooms, hear from a development diplomat-in-residence, and learn about internationalization and global partnerships from a panel of faculty and staff already engaged in USAID-funded globally focused research.

Resources relevant to institutions wishing to partner with USAID:

• Web: https://www.workwithusaid.org/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/WorkWithUSAID
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/USAIDConnects
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12491152/.
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkwithUSAID
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorkwithUSAID/
• How to Work with USAID Training Series
• Federal HBCU Competitiveness Strategy
• Minority Serving Institutions Distribution List
• Higher Education Learning Network
• USAID Science for Impact Newsletter