For 26 years, through its Fellowship Program, the IAF helped develop professionals specialized in topics related to grassroots development in Latin American and the Caribbean. This expanded the hemisphere-wide cadre of practitioners, applied researchers, university professors and other scholars. The IAF's commitment touched a broad spectrum of institutions and increased interaction with the grassroots. By the time it was discontinued in 1999, the Fellowship Program had supported nearly 1,000 Fellows from the United States and 28 countries. It had reached more than 115 U.S. universities where Fellows were enrolled in graduate programs. Fellows conducting field research in 36 countries were associated with some 400 development and applied research organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Programs on development were strengthened at more than 200 U.S. institutions.