U.S. Global Leadership Coalition

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) is a nonprofit organization that advocates for sustained and increased U.S. investment in diplomacy, international development, and humanitarian assistance. It brings together American businesses, nongovernmental organizations, faith-based groups, community leaders, national-security specialists, former public officials, and other supporters of international engagement. Rather than representing a single industry or political party, the coalition presents international affairs spending as a form of “smart power” that complements military capabilities and advances security, economic, and humanitarian objectives. The organization was established in 1995, when a group of companies, NGOs, and foreign-policy experts organized in response to congressional reductions in the federal International Affairs Budget. The coalition argued that civilian-led programs could help reduce instability, combat disease and hunger, support democratic institutions, create conditions for private-sector growth, and protect U.S. interests abroad. Its advocacy has focused on the portion of the federal budget that supports activities such as State Department diplomacy, USAID programs, the Peace Corps, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, international development initiatives, assistance to partner countries, and civilian reconstruction and governance efforts. USGLC engages both national policymakers and audiences across the United States. Its activities have included meetings with members of Congress and presidential campaigns, public education, grassroots organizing, state-level events, briefings, and the mobilization of business, veteran, faith, community, and foreign-policy constituencies. A recurring argument in its work is that international affairs programs are relevant not only to humanitarian outcomes but also to American security, exports, jobs, commercial relationships, and the stability of potential markets. The coalition expanded its public profile in the period surrounding the 2008 presidential election. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci became national co-chairs and helped launch a broader national effort at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2007. During the 2008 campaign, the organization held events in states including Iowa, New Hampshire, and Ohio, seeking commitments and policy detail from candidates while explaining how foreign assistance and diplomacy could affect local communities. It also convened salon-style discussions involving senior policy and media figures. In July 2009, the organization changed its name to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and shifted its principal emphasis from direct advocacy toward education, while retaining a comparatively smaller 501(c)(4) advocacy component. After the 2008 election, it launched Putting Smart Power to Work, an initiative aimed at maintaining grassroots and congressional support for the International Affairs Budget during the Obama administration. It also worked with veterans' organizations through Veterans for Smart Power to highlight the ways civilian programs can reinforce military efforts overseas. The USGLC is organized around a network of leadership and advisory bodies. Its policy council includes former members of Congress and Cabinet officials. Its National Security Advisory Council includes retired senior military officers who support diplomatic and development resources as complements to defense spending. A Business Advisory Council connects the coalition's international-engagement message to commercial and economic interests. The organization has also developed field offices and state-based activity, including in South Carolina, Texas, and Colorado. Liz Schrayer has served as president and chief executive officer, while Jason Gross became executive director in 2016. The coalition remains an active voice for a broad, civilian-supported U.S. role in global affairs.

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition originated in 1995, when American businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and foreign-policy specialists formed a coalition in response to congressional cuts affecting the federal International Affairs Budget. The coalition's founding premise was that diplomacy and international development should be treated as strategic tools rather than as secondary or purely charitable activities. Its supporters connected civilian international programs with national security, the creation of stable conditions for trade and investment, and the reduction of humanitarian crises that can contribute to political instability. From its beginning, the organization sought to communicate with several audiences at once. In Washington, it engaged Congress and the executive branch on appropriations and foreign-policy priorities. Outside Washington, it worked with local civic, business, faith, and community leaders to explain how overseas programs could affect American security and economic interests. The coalition's case centered on the International Affairs Budget, which supports a wide range of State Department and USAID activities as well as programs such as the Peace Corps, PEPFAR, international development, assistance to partner countries, and civilian reconstruction and governance efforts. The organization became more visible in the years before the 2008 presidential election. In 2007, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci joined as national co-chairs, and the expanded effort was launched at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Their participation reflected the coalition's attempt to build support across political, business, national-security, and civic constituencies. The coalition described this breadth as a strength: its advocates included people with different ideological and professional backgrounds but a shared belief that civilian capabilities should complement military power. For the 2008 election, the coalition organized Impact '08: Building a Better, Safer World. The initiative held events in Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, and other politically important states. These events brought together local political, business, and community figures to discuss the connection between federal diplomacy and development programs and local economic or security concerns. The organization also met with senior representatives of presidential campaigns, encouraging them to provide more detailed foreign-policy plans and to address the place of development assistance and the International Affairs Budget in a future administration. During the same period, it hosted salon dinners involving policy and media figures, with participants including Colin Powell, Bill Gates, and Tom Daschle. After the election, USGLC introduced Putting Smart Power to Work. The initiative combined grassroots organizing with direct engagement with Congress and the Obama administration. Its goal was to make the case for protecting and expanding international-affairs resources by presenting diplomacy and development as complements to defense. One associated effort was Veterans for Smart Power, through which the coalition partnered with veterans' groups to encourage former service members to support civilian programs that reinforce military objectives abroad. The coalition also produced a Global Plum Book during the transition to the Obama administration. The publication adapted the idea of the federal Plum Book by identifying 100 senior positions likely to influence diplomacy and development policy. The organization used the document and related meetings to educate potential administration officials about its priorities. A public forum on the transition, moderated by PBS NewsHour journalist Jim Lehrer, accompanied the release. In July 2009, the organization changed its name to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. The rebranding reflected a shift from a primarily advocacy-oriented identity toward a broader educational mission. The organization retained some 501(c)(4) advocacy work, but described that activity as a relatively small part of its overall efforts. In subsequent years, the coalition expanded its field presence, including offices in South Carolina, Texas, and Colorado, and continued holding events around the country. The USGLC's leadership structure includes several advisory networks. Its policy council draws on former members of Congress and Cabinet officials. Its National Security Advisory Council includes retired three- and four-star generals and admirals from the U.S. armed forces who support funding diplomacy and development alongside defense. Its Business Advisory Council provides a commercial perspective and has been chaired by Christopher Policinski. Liz Schrayer has remained president and chief executive officer, and Jason Gross became executive director in 2016. The coalition continues to present international engagement as a practical combination of security policy, economic strategy, and humanitarian responsibility.

• 2016

  Jason Gross becomes executive director

  [1]U.S. Global Leadership Coalitionen.wikipedia.org

  Jason Gross assumed the executive director role while Liz Schrayer remained president and chief executive officer.

• 2009

  Current name adopted

  [1]U.S. Global Leadership Coalitionen.wikipedia.org

  The organization became the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and shifted its principal emphasis toward education.

• 2008

  Impact '08 campaign

  [1]U.S. Global Leadership Coalitionen.wikipedia.org

  The coalition conducted nationwide election-year events and campaign outreach concerning diplomacy, development, and the International Affairs Budget.

• 2008

  Global Plum Book released

  [1]U.S. Global Leadership Coalitionen.wikipedia.org

  USGLC published a transition document identifying 100 senior positions expected to influence development and diplomacy policy in the incoming administration.

• 2007

  National co-chairs join expanded effort

  [1]U.S. Global Leadership Coalitionen.wikipedia.org

  Madeleine Albright and Frank Carlucci became national co-chairs, helping launch the expanded coalition at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

• 1995

  Coalition established

  [1]U.S. Global Leadership Coalitionen.wikipedia.org

  Businesses, NGOs, and foreign-policy experts formed the organization in response to congressional reductions in the International Affairs Budget.

A bipartisan-oriented coalition that frames diplomacy and international development as cost-effective complements to defense, supporting U.S. national security, economic prosperity, and humanitarian goals.

• Election-year public education and advocacy campaign · 2008

  Impact '08: Building a Better, Safer World

  A 2008 presidential-election initiative that organized events in Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, and other states. It brought political, business, and community leaders together to discuss how diplomacy and international development affected American security and local economic interests. The campaign also engaged presidential campaigns and sought more detailed commitments concerning foreign policy and the International Affairs Budget.

• Grassroots and congressional engagement initiative · 2009

  Putting Smart Power to Work

  An initiative launched after the 2008 election to build support for diplomacy and development during the Obama administration. It combined constituent-level education, congressional outreach, and engagement with administration officials, presenting civilian international programs as complements to military power.

• Veteran-led public engagement network

  Veterans for Smart Power

  A partnership involving veterans' organizations that encouraged former service members to support diplomatic and development programs capable of reinforcing military efforts overseas. The initiative broadened the coalition's national-security constituency beyond traditional foreign-policy advocates.

• Policy transition publication · 2008

  Global Plum Book

  A transition-oriented document released when the federal government published its own Plum Book. USGLC's version identified 100 senior positions in the incoming administration that could significantly affect diplomacy and development programs, and it supported meetings with potential appointees.

• 2009Putting Smart Power to Work

  United States

  The coalition organized grassroots and congressional outreach to promote international-affairs funding as a civilian complement to defense during the Obama administration.

  Outcome. The initiative broadened the coalition's constituent network and included the Veterans for Smart Power partnership.

  Source
• 2008Impact '08: Building a Better, Safer World

  United States · Iowa · New Hampshire · Ohio

  USGLC used election-year forums, campaign meetings, and salon dinners to place diplomacy and development on the presidential-policy agenda and explain their relevance to local security and economic concerns.

  Outcome. The initiative expanded public and campaign attention to the International Affairs Budget and helped establish the coalition as a national election-year advocacy and education network.

  Source

• 2009

  Shift from advocacy toward educationStrategy

  Background

  The organization reassessed how it presented its mission after the 2008 election cycle and sought to operate as a broader public education coalition.

  Action taken

  In July 2009, it adopted the name U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and made education its primary emphasis, while retaining a smaller 501(c)(4) advocacy role.

  Aftermath

  The coalition continued grassroots events, policy briefings, and engagement with Congress and executive-branch officials under the new identity.

  Source

• 2008

  Release of the Global Plum BookOther

  Background

  The incoming administration's transition created an opportunity to educate prospective officials about the programs and senior posts shaping U.S. diplomacy and development.

  Action taken

  USGLC issued a publication identifying 100 influential positions and organized related outreach and a public transition forum.

  Aftermath

  The publication gave the coalition a structured platform for engaging potential administration personnel and explaining its policy priorities.

  Source

• 2016

  Jason Gross becomes executive director[1]U.S. Global Leadership Coalitionen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Jason Gross became executive director as the coalition continued its national education, grassroots, and policy-engagement work.

• 2009

  U.S. Global Leadership Coalition changes name and emphasizes education[1]U.S. Global Leadership Coalitionen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  In July 2009, the organization adopted its current name and described education as its primary focus, while continuing a smaller 501(c)(4) advocacy role.

1. 1U.S. Global Leadership Coalitionen.wikipedia.org
2. 2U.S. Global Leadership Coalition official websiteusglc.org