[4][5][6] According to Blumont, its mission is to deliver "innovative, evidence based, locally driven solutions that advance the aspirations of people, communities and donor partners worldwide".
[8] In recent years, Blumont has completed work in the Middle East, South America, Asia, and Africa for governmental entities in the U.S. and Britain, such as USAID and DFID and for organizations such as the World Bank and the United Nations.
He also teaches management courses as an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Business and at the UW Department of Political Science[21][22][23] Much of IRD's work for USAID is performed under cooperative agreements, which are more flexible than contracts, with fewer deadlines and demands.
The court led by Judge Royce Lamberth found that USAID had not followed several federal guidelines in its investigation of IRD, and ruled their suspension illegal.
Multiple problems were identified in IRD's agricultural work in Afghanistan, which involved spending $300 million to help farmers in Kandahar and Helmand provinces.
[29] In June 2020, the company was sued for with paying bribes, or protection money, to the Taliban in a lawsuit brought by families of American victims.
During its lucrative work in Afghanistan, Blumont (then IRD), may have violated the Anti-Terrorism Act which makes it illegal for any individual or entity to provide material support to the Taliban.
[30][31] In 2001 IRD was one of five NGOs selected by USAID to implement the Community Development through Democratic Action (CRDA) Program in Serbia.
[32] Blumont, along with the Colombian government's Victims' Unit and the Norwegian Refugee Council, implemented programming/workshops in Puerto Torres, Caquetá Department, in September 2018 to "diagnose the damage suffered by the inhabitants of the region" as it relates to armed conflict and the displacement and missing persons associated with it.
[33] Also in Puerto Torres, Blumont contributed resources to build a communal structure, toolkits, and sports equipment for use in public meetings and educational events.
Funded by US taxpayers, IRD took USAID donated wheat and distributed it to noodle factories to increase output and lower prices.
[36] In July 2009, USAID suspended IRD's work on the Community Stabilization Program, citing evidence of phantom jobs in addition to possible financial support to insurgents.
[39] Like other organizations in Iraq,[40] IRD found itself unprepared to deal with the deteriorating security situation, and several of the local council officials it was working with were assassinated.
RefuGIS is a project that uses hands-on training in mapping to give refugees in Zaatari empowerment and access to enriched livelihoods and education.
Through work on social cohesion, livelihoods, natural resource management and governance, the program directly reaches 2,400 people and builds off the results of the previous RIC4REC project (Strengthening Community Initiatives for Climate Resilience).
The five-year program operates in Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Dadu, Kamber Shahdadkot, Jacobabad, and Kashmore and five towns in Karachi.
The program utilizes community mobilization to work toward increasing the enrollment of girls in schools and improving kids' health and hygiene.