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
Upcoming Events
Blogs
Program Director Alexandra Toma on the Jeff Farias Show
Joanna Hecht Feb 05, 2010, 11am EST
Alexandra Toma joined Jeff Farias to discuss nuclear weapons in the FY2011 budget, progress on the Srategic Arms Reduction Treaty, why the nuclear "status quo" is unsustainable, vulnerable fissile materials, nuclear terrorism, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the nonproliferation agenda in the Senate.
The show was recorded live on Thursday, Feb. 4.
Alex is the Program Director of the Connect U.S. Fund, and co-chairs the Fissile Materials Working Group.
Click below to listen to the webcast program.
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Reflections on The Jihadist Next Door
Priscilla Lewis Feb 05, 2010, 11am EST
Priscilla Lewis and Sue Veres Royal, US in the World
The feature article in last weekend's New York Times magazine was The Jihadist Next Door (http://www.nytimes.com/pages/magazine/index.html). It's a lengthy portrait of Omar Hammami, "a popular kid from a small town in Alabama" who "became a key figure in one of the world's most ruthless Islamist insurgencies," the Somalia-based Shabab. For US in the World, this article offered some important lessons abo...
How to Talk About Climate Change: A Laundry List of Resources
Francesco Femia Jan 28, 2010, 02pm EST
The Copenhagen conference came and went, and the consensus amongst civil society leaders working on climate change is that there is whole lot to be done, and it needs to happen soon. However, the mixed reactions to the Copenhagen Accord, ranging from very disappointed to cautiously optimistic, and concerns about the prospects of comprehensive climate and energy legislation in the U.S., has prompted advocat...
Budget, QDR to go to Congress Monday - What's your organization saying?
Heather Hamilton Jan 28, 2010, 02pm EST
On Monday, February 1, the Administration will transmit to Congress two important documents that will affect the work of the Connect U.S. community: the 2011 budget and the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The Pentagon plans an 11:00 am briefing on the two, which should be streamed live on http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/. Comptroller Robert Hale for DoD will speak for budget, and QDR will be presented by Michelle Flornoy, the Under-Secretary of Defense for Policy.
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Change for America competition
Alexandra Toma Jan 25, 2010, 04pm EST
The Connect U.S. community has a real opportunity to highlight the issues that are most important to us: climate change and its impact on developing countries; human rights; nonproliferation; and striking a balance between State/USAID and the Defense Department.
The mission of Ideas for Change in America is to identify and advance concrete solutions to the major challenges confronting our country. It is a "crowd-sourcing" competition that empowers citizens to identify and build momentum aroun...
Social Media and Haiti
Lonnee Hamilton Jan 21, 2010, 08pm EST
A widget I created for Crisis Camp activists to share updates from victims of the Haitian earthquake and aid agencies on the ground. Crisis Camps were set up nationwide to develop tech and social media tools for Haitian relief efforts.
People in Haiti were directed to text their location and medical needs. Those texts were entered into a database where voluntee...
Nancy Soderberg to speak at launch of American Engagement Caucus
Joanna Hecht Jan 19, 2010, 05pm EST
Representative Ahn "Joseph" Cao (R-LA) and Representative Russ Carnahan (D-MO) will launch the American Engagement Caucus on Thursday. The new bipartisan group will focus on working effectively with other countries to address global issues, and we're excited for the potential of this group to promote more responsible U.S. global engagement.
The Representatives' Dear Colleague letter encouraging other Members to attend describes the caucus as "a forum where Members can discuss U.S. engagement to address the world's most pressing problem...
Listen to highlights from the Connect U.S. Fund December Community Meeting
Joanna Hecht Jan 06, 2010, 04pm EST
160 members of the Connect U.S. and Peace and Security Initiative community gathered this December for a full day of panels, workshops, speakers, and networking in Washington D.C. More details, plus audio of the panels, below!
The meeting kicked off with a special briefing on the progress of the issue campaigns that Peace and Security Initiative community members identified as areas...
Member Spotlight
Blair Glencorse
Institute for State EffectivenessResources
Advocating for Human Rights and Civil Liberties in Fearful Times - A Messaging Presentation from U.S. in the World
In a briefing on January 21, 2010, Sue Veres Royal, co-director of U.S. in the World, presented recent findings about effective messaging for advocates working on human rig...
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Secretary Clinton Speech on The Human Rights Agenda for the 21st Century
AS PREPARED
SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
THE HUMAN RIGHTS AGENDA FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
WASH...
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Talking Treaties: A Messaging Presentation from U.S. in the World
Treaties are a tough sell for many groups promoting responsible U.S. global engagement. With their scattered domestic constituencies and small but vocal opposition, multila...
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Letter to President Obama on Fossil Fuel Subsidies and Climate Finance
A joint letter to President Obama from the Connect U.S. Fund, InterAction, USCAN and 1Sky. The letter calls on the President to build on his initiative at the G20 to end fo...
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Messaging 101 from U.S. in the World
This presentation from the U.S. in the World Initiative discusses the basics of how to talk to Americans about foreign affairs.
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Letter to the President on the Nuclear Posture Review
Organizations across the country joined together to send a letter to President Obama thanking him for his leadership on nuclear weapons issues and making recommendations fo...
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Latest Resources