Ocean Freight Reimbursement Overview

The Ocean Freight Reimbursement (OFR) Program is the oldest ongoing Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) support program, allowing recipients to ship a wide variety of goods overseas for use in privately funded development and humanitarian assistance programs. The Program provides small competitive grants to approximately 50 U.S. PVOs each year. Funds are used to reimburse the PVOs' costs to transport donated commodities, such as medical supplies, agricultural equipment, educational supplies, and building equipment to developing countries.

Shipment of Medical Supplies to Cambodia.

While USAID reimburses the costs of ocean freight, participating PVOs are responsible for associated costs, such as commodity acquisition, warehousing, insurance, local transportation, and distribution. The program leverages resources many times the value of USAID funding. The overall private-public match of these activities averages 50 to 1. The FY2002 budget of $2.7 million mobilized more than $136 million in private resources, mainly donated or purchased goods and supplies and volunteer time.

The program is especially important for small and newly registered PVOs because it allows them to participate in a USAID grant process that is highly competitive, yet not highly complex. Some 10 percent of the 2002 grantees were new to the program.

A two-year version of the program was recently introduced, allowing a single application to cover funding for both FY 2002 and FY 2003.

 OFR FY04 and FY05 RFA Information

Contact Person:
Dana Alzouma, Program Assistant, Commodities Freight Program and Denton Program, Office of Private Voluntary Cooperation - American Schools & Hospitals Abroad (PVC-ASHA), Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, 301.424.6888/202.712.4795 or at USAID E-Mail: dalzouma@usaid.gov

Back to Top ^