USAID has awarded over $4 million to six local groups in northern Iraq to help persecuted minorities targeted by the genocide perpetrated by the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). By working with new or underutilized partners in northern Iraq through the New Partnerships Initiative, USAID hopes to bring more innovative approaches to U.S. foreign assistance; focus on strengthening capacity and commitment in northern Iraq by tapping into existing networks of community- and faith-based organizations; and reach new populations.