FAQ

How do I set up a Kiva event with Meetup?

Go to http://www.meetup.com/Kiva-Community and choose the city you're located in. You'll see a “Schedule a Meetup” option, so click on that, and fill out the information required. You'll need to decide on what you want to do, then pick a date and a location and click "Let's Meetup."

How do I join a Kiva event with Meetup?

Go to http://www.meetup.com/Kiva-Community and click on whichever city's community is nearest to you. You can also use the search bar at the top right of the page. Once you go into a specific community, any upcoming events will be listed on the right side of the page. Click "RSVP", then confirm it as a "YES."

What if I want to create an event, but there's already one in my city?

If your city already has an active group, we recommend contacting the past organizers--they may want to help organize your event, too!

How do I order a Kiva in a Box?

The boxes are reserved for small gatherings, so if that applies to your event, use our order form at least a couple weeks ahead of your event date.

Do I have to order a Kiva in a Box?

Not at all. It's there if you'd like to take advantage of it (we think it provides some helpful materials and resources) but it's not a requirement.

What costs are involved for the events?

If you're holding a medium or large-sized event, we recommend partnering with venues that are willing to donate their space at no charge. Beyond that, your only costs should be covering snacks and drinks if you choose to have those at your event.

Is there any financial support from Kiva?

We're not able to offer financial support, but we do have a few recommendations to keep the costs at a bare minimum: only choose venues that willing to rent their space pro-bono, utilize social media and email to promote the event, and use local Kivans if you want to have a speaker at your event.

Can I charge for tickets and pool the money toward a team fund?

Part of what makes Kiva amazing is the personal connection that lenders make when deciding on a borrower. As the loan gets repaid, lenders see payments come into their account and get to experience the loan's life cycle first-hand. We prefer to introduce people to Kiva in this way, but if you decide to charge for tickets and pool it into a team fund, just be very clear about (i) where the funds are going and (ii) that the ticket purchase price is not a tax deductible contribution. You might also consider sending a follow-up email to attendees to let them know who their loan went to.

Can people who donate space/food/etc. get a tax receipt from Kiva?

We aren’t able to provide a tax receipt since these events are independently organized by lenders, so the donation would actually be going to those individuals.

How many organizers should we have?

Generally 2-4 people is all you need for medium or large events -- that helps divide the responsibilities into something that can be managed without much of a time commitment.

I'm not comfortable leading a group; can I still help out?

Absolutely! There are a variety of other roles you can take on when putting an event together: securing the venue, helping with the “lending stations,” marketing, and coordinating the snacks and beverages. See more details on our team up page.

How long do the events run?

This is really up to you, but we recommend a couple hours. That leaves plenty of time for socializing, discussing Kiva, and wrapping things up at the end.

Can someone from Kiva come to our event?

If you'd like to have a Kiva speaker at your event, you can submit a request. It's generally best if you provide significant lead time for a request so that Kiva can work to accommodate it and match a speaker to your event. To request a Kiva speaker, go to http://www.kiva.org/about/speaker-request

What should I do if I have questions that I can't answer?

We have a terrific Help Center with answers to many common questions. You're also welcome to write our support at contactus@kiva.org any time.

General Kiva questions? Check out our Help Center here: http://kiva.org/help