INPAE has been one of NASPAA’s core international activities. Since 2000, NASPAA has played a central role in transforming INPAE from an incipient idea into a network that includes many of the most important public administration, public policy, and public affairs programs in Latin America and the United States.

During the first three years of developing INPAE, NASPAA focused on building capacity and networks through activities that included workshops, textbook development, administration of technical assistance and policy research project partnerships, and the creation of a public administration education network in the Americas.

Additionally, through its leadership NASPAA has coordinated the formal establishment of INPAE and the initial organizational steps its members have taken to adopt bylaws, elect officers, and establish an INPAE Secretariat Office in Latin America.

INPAE was created to strengthen the infrastructure for democratic governance and development in Latin America by building capacity for public administration education, NGO management and public policy education.

Support for the INPAE-NASPAA activities for the period 2000-2003 was provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through a program to support higher education in development administered by the Association Liaison Office for University Cooperation in Development (ALO) of the American Council on Education. The ALO grant to NASPAA ended in fall 2003. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation funds awarded to NASPAA for INPAE activities (2000-2003) leveraged this ALO grant and supported activities integrally related to those funded by the ALO grant.