# 2026-01517: US Foreign Aid Now Bans 'Discriminatory Equity Ideology' Abroad 2026-01517, Combating Discriminatory Equity Ideology in Foreign Assistance Rules, is a Federal Register rule from State Department published 2026-01-27, effective 2026-02-26; deemed significant under Executive Order 12866 (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01517 - As of: 2026-11-04 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-01517 - Title: Combating Discriminatory Equity Ideology in Foreign Assistance Rules - Type: Rule - Agencies: State Department - Citation: 91 FR 3345 - Published: 2026-01-27 - Effective: 2026-02-26 - Comments close: not stated - Significant: yes (OIRA_API) - Touches household money: no - Regulation identifier numbers: 1400-AG26 - Last updated: 2026-11-04 ## In one line US Foreign Aid Now Bans 'Discriminatory Equity Ideology' Abroad ## Summary Starting February 26, 2026, the U.S. will require groups getting foreign aid to reject certain ideas about equity and gender that the government calls discriminatory. This affects foreign and U.S. NGOs, international groups, and foreign governments receiving money. The new rules make sure aid supports U.S. policies and could change how funds are given out worldwide. ## Abstract To implement the foreign policy objective of the United States not to support the promotion of discriminatory equity ideology overseas directly or indirectly, the U.S. Department of State (Department) is adding a new award term for grants, cooperative agreements, and voluntary contributions entitled "Combating Discriminatory Equity Ideology in Foreign Assistance." The award term imposes certain requirements relating to discriminatory equity ideology on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals. The award term is issued consistent with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA) and other foreign assistance authorities such as the FREEDOM Support Act, the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, and the SEED Act of 1989, which authorize the Department to provide foreign assistance on such terms and conditions as the President, and by delegation, the Secretary of State, may determine. ## Effects PRIA read - Foreign NGOs Must Reject Certain Equity Ideas: cost, high. If you are a foreign nongovernmental organization or international organization that receives U.S. Department of State foreign assistance, you must agree that during the award period you will not, outside the United States, promote discriminatory equity ideology, engage in unlawful DEI-related disc… - U.S. NGOs Face Program Limits and Separation Rules: cost, high. U.S. non-governmental organizations that receive Department of State foreign assistance must not, outside the United States, engage in unlawful DEI-related discrimination, and they must not promote discriminatory equity ideology within the scope of any program, project, or activity funded by foreig… - Foreign Governments May Need Segregated Accounts: cost, medium. A foreign government or parastatal that receives Department of State foreign assistance may be required to agree not to use award funds to promote discriminatory equity ideology or to engage in unlawful DEI-related discrimination. If applied, the foreign government or parastatal may be required to… - Rule Covers Non-Military Foreign Assistance: cost, medium. The award term applies to non-military foreign assistance administered by the Department under title III and specified appropriations headings and includes Global Health Programs, humanitarian assistance, economic and development assistance, stabilization assistance, civil society and democracy pro… - Award Terms Must Flow Down to Subrecipients: cost, medium. Foreign and U.S. NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals that receive foreign assistance must flow down applicable award terms to subrecipients. The rule also covers grants made under contracts; the Administration is developing a corresponding clause for contracts to… - Secretary Can Waive Award Term for Security Reasons: mixed, low. The Department may grant a waiver of this award term or its elements if, in the Secretary of State's judgment, a waiver is necessary for national security or foreign policy purposes. The Department will issue guidance on the waiver process. - Estimated Compliance Costs and Burden Hours: cost, high. The Department estimates 2,500 recipients and grantees will be impacted. It estimates one-time familiarization costs of $16,035,000, annual training and monitoring costs totaling $114,052,700, an average of 261 hours per response, and total estimated burden hours of 652,500; the rule is effective F… - What Counts as Prohibited 'Discriminatory Equity Ideology': cost, medium. The rule defines 'discriminatory equity ideology' with eight explicit examples (e.g., claims that members of one race or sex are inherently superior; assigning guilt to individuals for past actions of others; preferring adverse treatment to achieve diversity), and says 'promote' includes using or t… ## Related documents - [2026-20079](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20079): International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR): Review of the U.S. Munitions List and Related Definitions and License Exemptions, 2026-10-01 - [2026-17655](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17655): Passports: Expanding Online Passport Renewal Overseas, 2026-08-28 - [2026-04931](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-04931): Schedule of Fees for Consular Services-Fee for Administrative Processing of Request for Certificate of Loss of Nationality of the United St…, 2026-03-13 - [2025-17851](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-17851): Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Department of State and Overseas Embassies and Consulates-Visa Services Fee Changes, 2025-09-16 - [2025-14826](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-14826): Visas: Visa Bond Pilot Program, 2025-08-05 - [2026-22248](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22248): Notice of Department of State Sanctions Actions, 2026-11-02 ## Sources - [2026-01517 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/27/2026-01517/combating-discriminatory-equity-ideology-in-foreign-assistance-rules) - [2026-01517 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-27/pdf/2026-01517.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-01516, Combating Gender Ideology in Foreign Assistance](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01516) - [Next: 2026-01519, Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01519) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01517 (as of 2026-11-04).