The Inter-American Foundation issued a $275,510 grant for alpaca farming in Peru, contrary to DOGE’s claim of $903,811. Following a reduction in the IAF’s funding, questions arise regarding the source of DOGE’s figure. The IAF maintains that only this single project exists, emphasizing the need for clarification on DOGE’s assertions.
The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) awarded a $275,510 grant in 2023 to a Peruvian association aimed at assisting alpaca farmers. However, after an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump in March 2025, DOGE reduced IAF’s personnel and canceled several grants, claiming one amounted to $903,811 for alpaca farming.
Public records indicate that the IAF only supported one project related to alpaca farming, the aforementioned grant to the association, contradicting DOGE’s assertion regarding the higher figure. As of now, the origin of DOGE’s stated $903,811 is unclear as it does not correspond with available funding documentation.
On March 4, 2025, DOGE publicized its organizational changes on X, detailing the reduction of IAF to a single employee and substantial grant cancellations following a directive from President Trump aimed at reducing bureaucratic redundancies.
While social media circulated news around the alleged canceled grant, verification from government spending sources revealed that the actual grant to the association is significantly lower than claimed by DOGE, which is a subject of ongoing inquiries for clarification.
The IAF has indicated that the grant is directed to the Artesanos Asociados Sumac Pallay Sibayo (AASUPASI), a “women-led Collagua Indigenous association” dedicated to supporting smallholder alpaca farmers in the Arequipa region. Additional financial backing coordinated through “counterpart commitment” amounted to $518,405 without clear details on its source.
Moreover, no other alpaca farming projects have been funded by the IAF, implying that the grant to AASUPASI was solitary in nature. The IAF’s operational budget was approximately $60 million for the 2024 fiscal year, and its activities included supporting 426 projects in 2023, as detailed in recent reports.
In conclusion, the IAF’s grant to the Peruvian association for alpaca farmers was $275,510, contradicting DOGE’s reported amount of $903,811. The actual financial support for similar initiatives remains limited to this single grant, with ongoing inquiries needed to clarify DOGE’s asserted figures. Thus, it is essential to verify claims made about governmental financial support to ensure accuracy and accountability.
Original Source: www.snopes.com
