Memorandum, "Voluntary Groups and Private Organizations in the Point 4 Program"

Technical Cooperation Administration Department of State VOLUNTARY GROUPS AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE POINT 4 PROGRAM Many non-governmental organizations and institutions participate in the Point 4 Program, either in partnership with the Federal Govern- ment or in coordination with it. Sharing American technical knowledge and skills with other peoples began many years before Point 4 became an American policy of aiding in the general development of low-income countries. It began with the work of medical and educational missionaries, of forward-looking business and industrial firms, of private founda- tions and benevolent societies, and of many others who saw both the practical and humanitarian values of helping improve the miserable con- ditions under which millions of people in many countries live. The Point 4 Program is making extensive use of the experience, facilities, and knowledge of these pre-Point 4 technical missionaries. It is also drawing on the "know-how" and "show-how" of still other Amer- ican firms, colleges and universities, research institutions, service agencies, and government bureaus, Federal, State and local. Private participation in the Point 4 Program will continue to grow and expand. In fact, it is a major aim of Point 4 to enable private capital and private institutions to carry the major responsibility of assisting other countries in diversified economic, social, and industrial progress. Far from being a substitute for the humanitarian work and the pro- gressive development that business and voluntary organizations have fostered for many years, Point 4 opens up new fields in which their experience can be used. It provides greater assurance that their goals can be reached. It provides channels through which still other groups and individuals can contribute their abilities. It helps create greater opportunities and more favorable conditions for the constructive employment of private capital. Now that the Point 4 Program has become established in most of the countries where it is needed, the role of private agencies and organiza- tions will increase in importance. The long process of negotiating agreements, working out country-wide development plans, and setting up effective organizations and technical staffs for carrying them out has been largely completed. Point 4 is moving out of the stage of individual projects to deal with individual problems, and into the stage of diversified country development. During the early stage, Point 4 work with private organizations has consisted mainly of contracting with them or granting them funds to carry