Welcome to The Connect U.S. Fund. Promoting a network in support of responsible U.S. global engagement through grantmaking, policy advocacy and community-building.
Current Priority Issues
U.S. Global Engagement
In today’s interdependent world, the U.S. confronts extraordinary international challenges, requiring cooperative, principled and farsighted leadership and a recognition of the strong connections between global issues.
Human Rights
We support efforts to restore American credibility in human rights by rejecting torture, honoring our own and international laws on detainees, and rejoining the world in support of key human rights treaties and principles.
Non-Proliferation
The United States can and must do more to prevent the spread and use of deadly nuclear weapons, but this requires that we work in partnership with other countries.
Climate Change & Development
Climate change is affecting our planet and the lives of people around the world – particularly the world’s poorest and most disenfranchised.
Effective Foreign Assistance
The U.S. military recently has taken on a greatly expanded role in humanitarian missions, recovery and development, as civilian institutions and agencies have failed to meet new challenges.
Advocacy Best Practices
Connect U.S. works to ensure that the whole of advocacy is greater than the sum of its parts and that advocates have the tools and skills they need to be most effective.
Events
Opening Markets for the Poorest Countries: Making Trade Preferences Work
Sep 07, 2010, 04pm EDT
TBD
The discussion will focus on the special market access currently given to developing countries, and how we can improve development outcomes by expanding and improving that access. There will be brief presentations from the speakers, and then ther...
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Nuclear Dangers: A Strange Turn of History
Sep 09, 2010, 01pm EDT
University of Maryland
Joan Rohlfing, President and Chief Operationg Officer, Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), will discuss the topic.
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Election Related Activities for Nonprofits Web Workshop
Sep 09, 2010, 03pm EDT
Online
This one-hour online session will begin at 2:00 p.m. Eastern/11:00 a.m. Pacific and covers the federal tax rules regarding electoral activities for 501(c)3s, including voter registration drives, candidate questionnaires, candidate forums and legi...
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Deterring a Nuclear Iran: Can It Be Done?
Sep 14, 2010, 01pm EDT
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
A panel will discuss the topic, "Deterring a Nuclear Iran: Can it be Done?" Please register online; also available via webcast.
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The United States at the United Nations and Beyond: A World of Transnational Challenges
Sep 15, 2010, 01pm EDT
SAIS
Esther Brimmer, assistant secretary of State for International Organization Affairs and former SAIS faculty member, will discuss this topic. For more information and to RSVP, contact developmentroundtable@jhu.edu or 201.739.7425.
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Social Media Decision Making
Sep 21, 2010, 03pm EDT
Online
This webinar is ideal for nonprofits and libraries who are struggling to understand social media and if it's worth the time invested in implementing, training and sustaining. Register online.
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A New START: The Ratification Process
Sep 23, 2010, 01pm EDT
University of Maryland
J. Peter Scoblic, Senior Professional Staff, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will discuss the topic.
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Lobbying Rules for Nonprofits Web Workshop
Sep 30, 2010, 03pm EDT
Online
This one-hour online session begins will explain the federal laws governing 501(c)3 lobbying, including how to calculate your lobbying limits under the insubstantial part test and the 501(h) expenditure test, definitions for direct and grassroots ...
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Upcoming Events
Blogs
Connect U.S. Fund Job Announcement: Executive Director
Joanna Hecht Aug 30, 2010, 04pm EDT
The Connect U.S. Fund is seeking an Executive Director committed to our vision of responsible U.S. global engagement and the belief that the whole of NGO advocacy in support of this goal must be greater than the sum of its parts.
The current Executive Director, Heather Hamilton, is leaving DC to fulfill her dream of sailing around the world. We expect to fill this position by mid-October.
The Connect U.S. Fund is a foundation/NGO initiative that promotes responsible U.S. global engagement in an increasingly interdepende...
A Unified Security Budget for the United States, FY 2011
Miriam Pemberton Aug 12, 2010, 02pm EDT
In 2010 for the first time, the Secretaries of Defense and State and the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have all expressed support for a unified national security budget (USB). This endorses the recommendations of the Task Force on a Unified Security Budget, which just released its report, A Unified S...
DAS-D Rosa Brooks Meets with Community Members
Heather Hamilton Aug 03, 2010, 11am EDT
On Wednesday, July 28, we hosted a meeting between Rosa Brooks, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Rule of Law and International Humanitarian Policy and representatives from advocacy organizations, think tanks and academia. This new office and position in DoD, announced May 28, 2010, will consolidate most existing Office of the Secretary of Defense activities relating to human rights, international humanitarian policy, democratic accountability, development and rule of law, and will work with all DoD components and interagenc...
Climate and Energy Bill Delayed, but Support Grows for Innovative Climate Financing
Francesco Femia Jul 29, 2010, 04pm EDT
A comprehensive climate and energy bill will not be voted on this year. That's disappointing, to say the least.
But does this setback represent an opportunity for moving forward on an international climate agreement - or more specifically, for making good on our commitme...
Countdown to Zero DC Premier
Alexandra Toma Jul 29, 2010, 03pm EDT
On July 23, the Connect U.S. Fund and the Prague Project co-sponsored the Washington DC premier of the film Countdown to Zero.
The movie traces the history of the atomic bomb from its origins to the present state of global affairs: n...
Member Spotlight
Suzanne Metlay
Secure World FoundationResources
Polling Summary: Global Warming Public Opinion Trends From 2007-2010
This is a slide presentation from Cara Pike at the Social Capital Project, which includes a detailed summary of public opinion trends on global warming from 2007-2010.
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The Impact of Fear on American Public Life: Managing Fear Through Faith
This presentation was given at the U.S. in the World "Third Thursday" briefing in April 2010.
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2010 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study from M+R Strategic Services and NTEN
Does your online presence measure up? Learn about best practices and successes in online fundraising, messaging, and advocacy in this 2010 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study from ...
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Climate Communications and Behavior Change
Drawing on extensive global warming, behavior change, and communications research and practitioner expertise, the Climate Communications and Behavior Change guide distills ...
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Atrocities Prevention Mapping Report
On April 6, 2010, the Connect U.S. Fund and Humanity United convened a meeting of U.S. government policymakers and non-governmental experts in atrocities prevention and res...
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Presidential Message to NGO Nuclear Security Summit
On April 8, 2010, President Obama issued a message to the attendees of the NGO Nuclear Security Summit, thanking them for their dedication and contributions to stopping t...
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Defense Budget Resources 2011
Does America really need to spend $700 billion on defense? Defense Budget Resources 2011 - a new resource compila...
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Latest Resources