An Educational Fund Thought Leadership Post
September 2025
When people think of foreign assistance, the first images that come to mind are often government aid programs donated to communities around the world. But the reality is that solving big, global challenges requires more than just public dollars—it requires the innovation, resources, and reach of the private sector. The question is: how do we unlock that potential at scale?
This is where the nonprofit sector and more specifically, Chambers of Commerce such as the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce among others, can play a pivotal role. As key anchors of many businesses across the country and globally, the Chamber platform brings together an unparalleled network of small businesses, local and regional chambers, and corporate members. That unique mix positions it not only as a voice for American enterprise, but as a bridge between business and global development.
Consider its work with small businesses. These firms, often overlooked in conversations about global development, bring agility, innovation, and community ties that can make a real difference. When supported by corporate resources and local chambers’ networks, these businesses can contribute to development projects that foster global stability and grow their market presence in the U.S. and abroad. Whether it’s helping entrepreneurs in emerging markets access capital, strengthening supply chains, or advancing digital skills training, the Chamber ecosystem makes foreign assistance more inclusive, effective, and sustainable.
For years, global assistance has been seen mainly as a tool of soft power—aid that helps stabilize regions around the world. But what’s often missing from the conversation is how deeply some U.S. companies and small businesses are involved, and how this work fuels economic growth and opportunity here in the United States. By bringing stakeholders together, creating space for dialogue, and aligning business strategies with development goals, the Chamber transforms foreign assistance into a shared economic prosperity agenda—one that strengthens supply chain resilience, develops the future workforce, and fosters strong trade partners with direct benefits for the U.S. economy.
At its best, the Chamber platform and corporate partnership capabilities transform aid into mutually beneficial partnerships utilizing a long term and strategic approach to the work. It shows that when businesses are brought into the conversation, foreign assistance can
become an engine for shared prosperity—building resilient economies abroad while opening new opportunities for American companies at home.
In an era where global challenges grow more complex, the role of the private sector is not optional, it’s essential. The USHCC’s ability to convene its diverse membership shows what’s possible when nonprofits provide the platform for business to step confidently into the foreign assistance arena with an economic lens.
Nonprofit platforms like USHCC provide a way to align these interests and elevate private sector solutions.
- For governments, chambers expand the reach of assistance by mobilizing private investment and innovation.
- For businesses, chambers offer credibility, structure, and partnerships that make it easier to engage in development successfully.
- For communities abroad, chambers connect them with resources and opportunities with pathways toward prosperity.
The future of foreign aid is partnerships. 12 of our top 15 trading partners were once recipients of U.S. foreign assistance. And if the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce continues to leverage its network to mobilize businesses large and small, we will see foreign assistance transform—not as a transfer of resources, but as a catalyst for shared growth and opportunity that starts at home in the U.S. and extends worldwide.