In 2023, the Netherlands was the 7th largest OECD donor country by ODA expenditure relative to the size of its economy which amounted to about US$7.4 billion or 0.66% of Gross national income (GNI). In the same year, about 70% of the spending of this ODA was managed by the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Trade and Development via bilateral channels, while approximately 27% was channeled to multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank.
However, this position has changed as the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) led the formation of a new cabinet following the general election in November 2023. The new cabinet has announced significant cuts of US$3.6 billion to the country’s development budget over the 2025-2027 time period. Moreover, the development budget will be cut by around €1 billion over a five-year period and the government will structurally reduce spending on international development by €2.4 billion from 2027 which will decrease the ODA to GNI rate from 0.62% in 2024 to 0.44% in 2029 or 0.22 % less compared to the 2023 reference point.
Against this background, in February 2025, the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Aid announced that funding for women’s rights, gender equality, education, sport and culture, climate protection, advocacy will be discontinued or substantially reduced.
See also: Hero Stories | Han Valk: “Donors are looking to fund dreams, ideas, rather than internal issues”
DevelopmentAid, in collaboration with HFVC, invites NGOs, businesses, and individual experts working or planning to work on projects funded by the Netherlands’ Ministry for Foreign Trade and Development to join the “Dutch Development Aid 2025: Overview on the Cuts, Priorities, and Next Steps” webinar. In this high-impact webinar, Han Valk, a senior fundraising consultant with over 15 years of international not-for-profit senior management experience, will explain the Netherland’s changing ODA priorities, discuss the proposed budget cuts and ODA restructuring, and share useful tips on how to align with Dutch economic and geopolitical interests.
Invitation to a Webinar
DevelopmentAid in collaboration with HFVC, invites you to attend the webinar on “Dutch Development Aid 2025: Overview on the Cuts, Priorities, and Next Steps”, which will take place on 17 April 2025 at 4 pm (Brussels) / 10 am (Washington DC).
Partner
HVFC is a fundraising consultancy that helps impact-driven organizations to diversify funding, amplify impact, and build capacity. Since 2015, HVFC has partnered with organizations worldwide to secure new funding, strengthen donor relationships, and develop teams through recruitment and training. Whether it is hands-on support, strategic advisory, or interim management, HVFC works with its partners to drive sustainable growth.
Key Takeaways
- Understand the budget cuts and ODA restructuring proposed by Dutch development aid
- Gain a better overview of what to expect in the coming period
- Discover tips on how to align with Dutch economic and geopolitical interests
- Ask questions during the Q&A session
Speaker
Han Valk, CEO & Senior Consultant at HVFC.
Han is a senior fundraising consultant with over 15 years of international not-for-profit senior management experience who is dedicated to supporting social purpose organizations by offering practical, tailor-made, and flexible solutions at all fundraising levels. He focuses on creating innovative and long-lasting relationships to boost not-for-profit activities in often difficult environments. Han has vast experience and a proven track record working with USAID, EU, the World Bank, IDB, DGIS, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other major funders.
Host
Ion Ilasco, External Relations & Events at DevelopmentAid.
