Despite growing aid fatigue in the global North, the number of bilateral aid-providing states is at an all-time high and continues to expand. This increase presents both an opportunity and a challenge for the global development community.

This report examines the paradox of new donor countries’ (NDCs) dramatic growth by asking two questions:

• What is driving donor proliferation?
• What sort of donors are emerging from this rapid increase?

The report draws on sociological theories of normative diffusion and quantitative analysis of 26 NDCs, comparing their achievements to those of traditional donors.