ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the possible affects of their domestic environment upon the behavior of those private voluntary organization (PVO) registered with the US Agency for International Development (AID) and involved in some manner in development assistance projects overseas. While more money for development projects is probably the major benefit PVOs anticipate deriving out of a formal association with the foreign aid arm of the US government, AID quite naturally also expects its "partnership" with PVOs to be advantageous. AID-registered PVOs, predictably, share their partner's concern about the issue of independence. Short of rupturing their formal links with the US government, it appears that PVOs rely upon an interactive process with AID to maximize their freedom from constrictive and complex administrative regulations and procedures. The philanthropic sector does help to sustain PVOs, but the amount of donations any single PVO can usually expect to attract is relatively limited and competition for contributions is sharp.
