The President's Global Development Council was created to provide advice to the President and other senior U.S. officials on issues including: U.S. global development policies and practices, supporting new and existing public-private partnerships, and increasing awareness and action in support of development by soliciting public input on current and emerging issues in the field of global development.

The Global Development Council is made up of members appointed by the President from a variety of sectors outside the Federal Government, including, among others, institutions of higher education, non-profit and philanthropic organizations, civil society, and private industry. In addition, the Secretaries of State, the Treasury, and Defense, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, the Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the United States Trade Representative, and the President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, serve on the Council as non-voting members. 

The Global Development Council's mission is to advise and support the President, through the National Security Council and the National Economic Council staff, toward the fulfillment of these goals. The Council's mission is also to inform the policy and practice of U.S. global development policy and programs by providing advice to the President and other senior officials on issues including:

1. Innovative, scalable approaches to development with proven demonstrable impact, particularly on sustainable economic growth and good governance.
2. Areas for enhanced collaboration between the Federal Government and public and private sectors to advance development policy.
3. Best practices for and effectiveness of research and development in low and middle income economie; and,
4. Long-term solutions to issues central to strategic planning for U.S. development efforts.

The Council's mission is also to support new and existing public-private partnerships by:

1. Identifying key areas for enhanced collaboration and any barriers to collaboration; and
2. Recommending concrete efforts that the private and public sectors together can take to promote economic development priorities and initiatives

Finally, the Council was tasked with increasing awareness and action in support of development by soliciting public input on current and emerging issues in the field of global development as well as bringing to the President's attention concerns and ideas that would inform policy options.