Who Connects Global Aid? The Hidden Geometry of 10 Million Transactions
Paul X. McCarthy, Xian Gong, Marian-Andrei Rizoiu, Paolo Boldi

TL;DR
This paper maps the complex global aid network using over 10 million transactions, revealing hidden structures, key brokers, and influential actors that shape aid influence beyond financial volume.
Contribution
It introduces a large-scale network analysis of global aid transactions, uncovering hidden patterns and key brokers that facilitate connectivity and influence.
Findings
Governments and multilateral agencies are primary resource providers.
Universities and research foundations act as essential bridges.
A core group of 25 actors drive systemic connectivity.
Abstract
The global aid system functions as a complex and evolving ecosystem; yet widespread understanding of its structure remains largely limited to aggregate volume flows. Here we map the network topology of global aid using a dataset of unprecedented scale: over 10 million transaction records connecting 2,456 publishing organisations across 230 countries between 1967 and 2025. We apply bipartite projection and dimensionality reduction to reveal the geometry of the system and unveil hidden patterns. This exposes distinct functional clusters that are otherwise sparsely connected. We find that while governments and multilateral agencies provide the primary resources, a small set of knowledge brokers provide the critical connectivity. Universities and research foundations specifically act as essential bridges between disparate islands of implementers and funders. We identify a core solar system…
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Taxonomy
TopicsInternational Development and Aid · International Business and FDI · Economic Growth and Development
