International Antipoverty Groups Pleased With Budget

International programs would get a boost if President Obama’s proposed budget is approved by Congress.

The 2010 budget proposal requests roughly $2.73-billion for “development assistance” provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development, compared with $2-billion the previous year.

It also calls for increases for the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a government program that seeks to reduce poverty abroad, and for aid after natural disasters.

Jim McDonald, vice president for policy and programs at the nonprofit group Bread for the World, said those and other increases would result in nearly $2.6-billion in additional money for efforts to fight poverty abroad. Of the total $51.7-billion included in the budget for all non-military efforts abroad, about $20.5-billion would go toward poverty-focused development assistance, he said.

“We’re encouraged,” said Mr. McDonald. He described the budget as a “first cut” at trying to put greater emphasis on development assistance, and less on military efforts.

“There really is, I think, a sincere effort to ramp up the U.S. response to poverty and hunger, both here and domestically, and some of that is reflected in this budget,” he said.

InterAction, the umbrella organization of international charities, also praised the budget proposal. “The administration has followed through on its promise to begin rebuilding much-needed capacity at the U.S. Agency for International Development and reinvesting in our countries poverty-focused development and humanitarian programs,” Samuel A. Worthington, the group’s president, said in a statement.

The United Nations Foundation also praised the administration for its plans to meet the U.S. government’s obligations to the United Nations.

Despite the overall increase, some entities would face cuts.

• The Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange Between East and West, a nonprofit group known as the East-West Center, would receive just shy of $12-million in 2010 compared with $21-million this year.

• The National Endowment for Democracy would receive $100-million, 15 percent less.