<P> Foreign aid recipients include developing countries, countries of strategic importance to the United States, and countries recovering from war . The government channels about half of its economic assistance through a specialized agency, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Government - sponsored foreign aid began a systematic fashion after World War II; there were numerous programs of which the largest were the Marshall Plan of 1948 and the Mutual Security Act of 1951 - 61 . </P> <P> Military aid provided to foreign countries varies mostly on what natural resources the foreign country has to offer . </P> <P> Foreign aid is generally unpopular with the general public, with a 2017 poll finding 57% favor a cut and 6% who want increased aid . On the other hand, foreign aid has bipartisan support in Congress, and most Americans overestimate foreign aid as a share of the total federal budget . In the past, less than 1% of the national budget went to foreign assistance . As of fiscal year 2017, foreign aid between the U.S. State Department and USAID totaled $50.1 billion, or just over 1% of the budget . </P> <P> In fiscal year 2014, the U.S. government allocated the following amounts for aid: </P>

Amount of foreign aid us gives to other countries