The Role of USAID Withdrawal in Shaping Social Work Practice with Queer Individuals: A Case Study of a Mthatha-Based Organisation in South Africa

The withdrawal of international donor funding poses significant challenges for organisations serving marginalised populations, particularly where external resources are central to service delivery. This study explored the role of USAID withdrawal in shaping social work practice with queer individuals through a case study of one organisation in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Guided by Resource Dependency Theory, the study examined how the withdrawal of donor funding affected organisational sustainability, service provision, and professional social work practice within a queer-focused organisation. A qualitative case-study design employing reflexive thematic analysis was used. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with twelve participants comprising organisational managers, social workers, and queer service users. The findings show that prior USAID support had enabled psychosocial services, advocacy, outreach and capacity building, yet also shaped organisational priorities and constrained professional autonomy. Following withdrawal, participants described programme reductions, staffing losses, increased workloads, diminished access to support for service users, and organisational uncertainty. In response, they articulated aspirations for funding diversification, stronger government partnerships and greater professional autonomy. The study concludes that while external funding can expand queer-focused social work services, heavy reliance on a single international donor creates vulnerabilities that threaten continuity of care. Sustainable service delivery requires diversified funding, strategic local partnerships and enhanced state support.