The grant will allow Boucaud to work as a consultant for the USAID’s office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA).

“The funding will secure my efforts as a consultant for the DEIA office where I will help ensure that development efforts are accomplished in an equitable fashion,” Boucaud said. “I will be assisting in implementing policies to diversify local partners in USAID mission countries and equitably strengthen local capacity. I will also be working to diversify development research partners by strengthening USAID’s engagement with minority-serving institutes here in the United States."

He expanded on the various groups that his work in the office will directly impact.

“These include, but are not limited to, tribal colleges and universities, historically Black colleges and universities, and Hispanic-serving institutions,” said Boucaud. “I will be helping to formulate novel ways to engage their faculty and students while devising metrics to measure USAID’s success in these areas.”

USAID is the world’s leader in international development, sustainably advancing economic prosperity, resiliency and self -reliance. USAID works in various spaces, including sustainable agriculture, disease prevention and public health.