Innovative Financing Mechanisms for Global Health: Overview & Considerations for U.S. Government Participation

When leaders from the world’s 20 major economies gather for the upcoming G-20 Summit in France, one of their priorities will be finding new ways to maintain and expand the impact of global development programs in the wake of an international financial crisis and mounting efforts to control public spending and debt. The previous decade saw significant increases in support for global health, but there is growing pressure on traditional funding channels. As a result, greater attention is now being paid to what are called “innovative financing mechanisms” – a broad category of proposed approaches to supplement traditional funding for global health.

This report examines some of the most prominent new financing mechanisms for global health across a range of categories, with particular attention to the current level of U.S. government involvement. While these financing mechanisms are not meant to be a substitute for traditional sources of health assistance, they do have the potential to generate additional revenues or extend the impact of existing resources. The report explores the status of U.S. government participation in these financing mechanisms and identifies the potential opportunities and challenges for further engagement by the U.S. as part of its global health effort.

Report (.pdf)