Back in the old days, before supermarkets became part of daily life, folks used to leave their milk bottles outside their back doors to be refilled. It was easy and convenient, and instead of creating an empty jug to throw away, it reused the same container again and again.
That’s the idea behind Foster’s Refillery, a small business based in Salt Lake City that delivers eco-friendly products to customers by replenishing their own reusable jars.
“We’re like the milkman, but for soap,” explains owner Hannah of her reinvented business model. “You leave your...
Blog posts tagged with lending
Jul 7, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Today, Kiva is releasing our 2021 Annual Report, which reflects the growth and reinvigorated focus on impact that our organization has been shaping over the past year. The report provides insights on Kiva’s financial performance, as well as a variety of impact stories from Kiva borrowers and partners. 2021 was a milestone year for our organization and we are excited to share our progress with the lenders, partners, investors, borrowers, and supporters that make up our Kiva community.
Access the 2021 Annual Report here...
Continue Reading >>
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
As microfinance institutions (MFIs) become increasingly prevalent across the world, it’s important to continue to evolve the policies that are used to protect their clients. While it may be becoming easier in some countries for individuals to access loans, that doesn’t always mean that they are receiving responsible financial products.
Client protection policies are essential to ensure that borrowers are provided loans in a responsible manner and given the tools and information they need to succeed in repaying their loans, without any negative impact on their...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
As people in many countries around the world celebrate Pride month, we’re sharing LGBTQ+ and allied voices from our community—like stories of Kiva borrowers and resources recommended by Kiva employees.
We also wanted to connect with other organizations who are doing great work supporting a more inclusive world, so naturally we talked to Bill Burckart and Megan Kashner from Colorful Capital. Colorful Capital aims to provide capital support to businesses founded and led by members of the LGBTQ+ community. Like Kiva, they aim to strengthen economic opportunity by...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Happy Pride Month!
Here at Kiva, inclusivity is our mission—our goal is to ensure that financial inclusion extends to everyone, especially those who face systemic barriers to accessing finance.
As special attention turns to the LGBTQ+ community this month, we hope to do our part to increase visibility, support, and guidance for its members and allies.
As a start, we asked those who participate in Kiva’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group to share their favorite resources.
...
Continue Reading >>
Jun 6, 2022
Rwanda
Rwanda
In 2014, Jacqueline was forced to flee her home in Burundi and start a new life in Rwanda. At first, she struggled to put food on the table and provide for her 3 children.
Jacqueline and her kids
But Jacqueline is hardworking, honest and entrepreneurial. She started a soap manufacturing business with the help of a Kiva loan. Powered by 213 lenders, Jacqueline’s $5,925 loan changed her life.
Learn more about Jacqueline’s story here:
... Continue Reading >>
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
From Afghanistan to Myanmar, Syria to Ukraine, Venezuela to South Sudan, more than 84 million people around the world are currently displaced from their homes.
Many of these refugees have had to leave their country of origin altogether, forced out by violence, food insecurity, natural disaster, and/or political persecution.
No matter what their country of origin, every refugee faces similar concerns:
- Will my loved ones and I have a safe place to stay?
- Will we ever be able to return home?
- How can we...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Along with two horses, a flock of sheep and a big family, Mutasem maintains multiple thriving businesses in the ancient village of Kafr Qaddyum in the northern West Bank.
Between tilling land, tending livestock, and selling yogurt and cheese, the 41 year-old entrepreneur has achieved a promising life for himself and his family.
But building this modest enterprise took time—and the support of loans funded by Kiva lenders.
Continue Reading >>
Between tilling land, tending livestock, and selling yogurt and cheese, the 41 year-old entrepreneur has achieved a promising life for himself and his family.
But building this modest enterprise took time—and the support of loans funded by Kiva lenders.
With a loan from Kiva, Mutasem was able to grow his businesses and...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
After being displaced, Beata (left) and Mbazimutima (right) rebuilt a livelihood for their family.
In a refugee settlement in southwest Uganda, Mbatzimuta and Beata run a small shop, stocking the wooden shelves with a colorful array of cosmetics, candy, and personal necessities.
Their latest batch of inventory comes from a Kiva loan, which helped them expand their business and increase the variety of products they can offer their customers—most of whom are refugees themselves.
The...
Jun 6, 2022
Palestinian Territory
Palestinian Territory
Najah's Kiva loan helped her start a business from a refugee camp.
Najah lives with her 5 children in a refugee camp in the West Bank near Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world. Her husband spends most of the week in Israel due to his work, so she runs the household and the business.
Having taken out a loan through Kiva to help build her business, Najah is living up to her name, which means “success” in Arabic, by running a successful venture raising sheep and goats to sell milk and...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, more than 13.5 million refugees have been displaced from their homes.
Families torn apart, historic landmarks destroyed, livelihoods lost. Doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, parents, elders, and children facing impoverished conditions and economic uncertainty. Many refugees of the Syrian Civil War may never be able to return to their home country.
At Kiva, we are committed to providing financial tools to refugee communities so they can rebuild their lives. With support from our generous lenders, we can... Continue Reading >>
Families torn apart, historic landmarks destroyed, livelihoods lost. Doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, parents, elders, and children facing impoverished conditions and economic uncertainty. Many refugees of the Syrian Civil War may never be able to return to their home country.
At Kiva, we are committed to providing financial tools to refugee communities so they can rebuild their lives. With support from our generous lenders, we can... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
May 29, 2022
At any given moment, Kiva’s website hosts thousands of borrower profiles and loan requests from all corners of the globe. As a result, many of these profiles require translation and editing before being made visible to the public. This is where the Review and Translation Program (RTP) steps in.
RTP comprises hundreds of volunteers who review, translate and edit loans daily to see them fundraise on the Kiva site. These individuals typically review about 16,000 loans per month. Their skills are so appreciated, and just last...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Kiki Bryant’s lending journey is an all-too-familiar tale. Like many U.S. borrowers, she was hesitant to apply for a small business loan and felt she was unqualified.
“I, like a lot of Black female creators and entrepreneurs, have a little bit of imposter syndrome,” said Kiki. “So, when I was approved, I was overjoyed. And then when I got funded in a frickin’ hour? I was like… woah.”
Kiki was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. A creative soul from a young age, she wrote and illustrated her first...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Slack, a digital headquarters and messaging platform, is featuring real Kiva staff and borrowers in its global campaign
“Coordinating a complex world of crowdfunded loans in record time…”; the opening line of Slack’s global marketing video campaign, which highlights organizations making the impossible, achievable, is a succinct representation of the incredible work being done at Kiva.
Launched on May 30, 2022, Slack’s marketing campaign video tells the story of Kiki Bryant, a real Kiva US borrower who was funded for a loan in...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Nestled in a professional building in northeastern Portland, Oregon, Be Abundant Bodywork is a serene oasis of massage tables, soft lighting, progressive art, and rainbows.
As a proudly queer owned and operated business, its proprietor, Shannon (she/her), designed the rooms to reflect the sense of relief and refuge she cultivates with her fellow practitioners and clients, who come from a bevy of diverse backgrounds and identities.
“When people walk into these doors, whether it be people of color, queer people, trans people, fat people, disabled people,... Continue Reading >>
As a proudly queer owned and operated business, its proprietor, Shannon (she/her), designed the rooms to reflect the sense of relief and refuge she cultivates with her fellow practitioners and clients, who come from a bevy of diverse backgrounds and identities.
“When people walk into these doors, whether it be people of color, queer people, trans people, fat people, disabled people,... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
What happens when a Visa executive willingly commits to taking a pie to the face?
One thing’s for certain: an uptick in employee engagement.
Through their partnership with Kiva, Visa and Visa Foundation engaged over 82% of employees across 120 global offices in 2021… and won a Halo award.
The Visa Empowers campaign was awarded the Halo Awards Gold Prize for Best Employee Engagement Initiative in 2022, North America’s highest honor for ‘corporate social impact initiatives that showcase outstanding employee engagement efforts.’...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Kiva is ending operations of Kiva Protocol, our initiative to develop digital public infrastructure to advance financial inclusion.
While we believe in the power of open-source technology and are proud of the milestones achieved through Kiva Protocol, several factors have led us to this decision. Launched in 2018, Kiva Protocol was an ambitious undertaking aimed at addressing systemic barriers to financial inclusion at national scale. These are hard problems to solve. After four years dedicated to addressing these challenges, the extended implementation timelines coupled... Continue Reading >>
While we believe in the power of open-source technology and are proud of the milestones achieved through Kiva Protocol, several factors have led us to this decision. Launched in 2018, Kiva Protocol was an ambitious undertaking aimed at addressing systemic barriers to financial inclusion at national scale. These are hard problems to solve. After four years dedicated to addressing these challenges, the extended implementation timelines coupled... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
At Kiva, we see every day how small loans make a big impact on individuals and communities.
Funded by our online community around the world, microloans have:
- Helped young women earn university degrees in places where gender inequality reigns.
- Provided training to rural farmers that increased their harvests and improved their quality of life.
- Allowed refugees to launch a business and start over in a new country.
We also recognize that microlending is still often misunderstood. You...
Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Kiva is a global non-profit organization working to bring financial inclusion to all by crowdfunding microloans, unlocking capital, and addressing the underlying barriers to financial access around the world.
An estimated 1.4 billion people on the planet are considered “unbanked” for various reasons, including:
- Not enough money to meet minimum deposit requirements
- Lack of trust in traditional banks
- Inappropriate forms of I.D.
- Socioeconomic factors like gender inequality, wealth inequality or lack of...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Around the world, Kiva partners with amazing organizations who are achieving great things within their communities. Below, our Labs Senior Partnerships Manager, Michelle Schenck delves into our Kiva Labs program. Labs provides crowd-sourced, risk-tolerant capital to new, innovative organizations making a positive social impact in their communities.
Some of these are social enterprises, nonprofit organizations or NGOs. Other impact investors often consider these to be too risky, but quite frankly, we disagree. Kiva believes in the mission and impact of these organizations,... Continue Reading >>
Some of these are social enterprises, nonprofit organizations or NGOs. Other impact investors often consider these to be too risky, but quite frankly, we disagree. Kiva believes in the mission and impact of these organizations,... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Entrepreneurship not only benefits the economy and makes for a more inclusive financial environment, it brings innovative, exciting—and often delicious!—possibilities to communities, cities, and industrial sectors.
These six women are achieving big things in the world of small business. 1. Claudia’s coffee roasting business also saves animals
These six women are achieving big things in the world of small business. 1. Claudia’s coffee roasting business also saves animals
Take Claudia, for example: She used a Kiva loan to expand her coffee-roasting business in Park City, UT that combines its mission of providing Fair Trade, organic coffee with rescuing animals. Claudia and Hugo Coffee...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
It takes a certain tenacity to weather the challenges of running a small business. Every business owner often must fulfill multiple roles, from producer and marketer to bookkeeper—and if it’s a particularly hard day—plumber.
The “small” in small business can be misleading: Entrepreneurs create 2 out of every 3 new jobs, invigorate social change, power supply chains, and drive economic growth that reaches far beyond their communities. They innovate creative solutions and deliver unique products and services that become integral to people’s lives and often scale into larger markets... Continue Reading >>
The “small” in small business can be misleading: Entrepreneurs create 2 out of every 3 new jobs, invigorate social change, power supply chains, and drive economic growth that reaches far beyond their communities. They innovate creative solutions and deliver unique products and services that become integral to people’s lives and often scale into larger markets... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Small businesses comprise 99.9% of all firms in the United States. Between 2000-2019, small business entrepreneurs created 10.5 million net new jobs, compared to 5.6 million created by large businesses.
Despite being the primary employers in the U.S., small business owners increasingly struggle to access capital. The majority—80%—are unable to obtain bank loans and community banking funds have decreased over 50% in the past decade. Entrepreneurs in unserved communities are even more likely to get rejected for traditional forms of capital.
Kiva US aims to solve... Continue Reading >>
Despite being the primary employers in the U.S., small business owners increasingly struggle to access capital. The majority—80%—are unable to obtain bank loans and community banking funds have decreased over 50% in the past decade. Entrepreneurs in unserved communities are even more likely to get rejected for traditional forms of capital.
Kiva US aims to solve... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Jessica was able to purchase equipment for her organic farm, Lazy Mule Farm, with the Kiva loan she received.
To celebrate Small Business Week, which is honored in the U.S. May 2-5th, Kiva is excited to announce our partnership with Umpqua Bank. Through the partnership, Umpqua will match loans made to women and BIPOC entrepreneurs in the states it operates, including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California. The partnership will continue until Umpqua reaches its goal of $1 million lent to underrepresented...
Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2022
Kiva HQ
As a college student and Palestinian refugee living in the West Bank, 22 year-old Malik dreams of becoming a journalist. In the meantime, he operates a small café business to support himself and his family.
Continue Reading >>
Kiva HQ
As a college student and Palestinian refugee living in the West Bank, 22 year-old Malik dreams of becoming a journalist. In the meantime, he operates a small café business to support himself and his family.
After COVID-19 forced him to shut down his business for four months, with no income at all, Malik was forced to pause his studies for two semesters and put his dreams on hold. A Kiva loan, funded by 42 Kiva lenders, allowed him to revive his business after the shutdown and entice customers back to the café, where they can enjoy refreshments like tea and coffee...
Pages
Blog posts tagged with lending
Jul 7, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Back in the old days, before supermarkets became part of daily life, folks used to leave their milk bottles outside their back doors to be refilled. It was easy and convenient, and instead of creating an empty jug to throw away, it reused the same container again and again.
That’s the idea behind Foster’s Refillery, a small business based in Salt Lake City that delivers eco-friendly products to customers by replenishing their own reusable jars.
“We’re like the milkman, but for soap,” explains owner Hannah of her reinvented business model. “You leave your...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Today, Kiva is releasing our 2021 Annual Report, which reflects the growth and reinvigorated focus on impact that our organization has been shaping over the past year. The report provides insights on Kiva’s financial performance, as well as a variety of impact stories from Kiva borrowers and partners. 2021 was a milestone year for our organization and we are excited to share our progress with the lenders, partners, investors, borrowers, and supporters that make up our Kiva community.
Access the 2021 Annual Report here...
Continue Reading >>
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
As microfinance institutions (MFIs) become increasingly prevalent across the world, it’s important to continue to evolve the policies that are used to protect their clients. While it may be becoming easier in some countries for individuals to access loans, that doesn’t always mean that they are receiving responsible financial products.
Client protection policies are essential to ensure that borrowers are provided loans in a responsible manner and given the tools and information they need to succeed in repaying their loans, without any negative impact on their...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
As people in many countries around the world celebrate Pride month, we’re sharing LGBTQ+ and allied voices from our community—like stories of Kiva borrowers and resources recommended by Kiva employees.
We also wanted to connect with other organizations who are doing great work supporting a more inclusive world, so naturally we talked to Bill Burckart and Megan Kashner from Colorful Capital. Colorful Capital aims to provide capital support to businesses founded and led by members of the LGBTQ+ community. Like Kiva, they aim to strengthen economic opportunity by...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Happy Pride Month!
Here at Kiva, inclusivity is our mission—our goal is to ensure that financial inclusion extends to everyone, especially those who face systemic barriers to accessing finance.
As special attention turns to the LGBTQ+ community this month, we hope to do our part to increase visibility, support, and guidance for its members and allies.
As a start, we asked those who participate in Kiva’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group to share their favorite resources.
...
Continue Reading >>
Jun 6, 2022
Rwanda
Rwanda
In 2014, Jacqueline was forced to flee her home in Burundi and start a new life in Rwanda. At first, she struggled to put food on the table and provide for her 3 children.
Jacqueline and her kids
But Jacqueline is hardworking, honest and entrepreneurial. She started a soap manufacturing business with the help of a Kiva loan. Powered by 213 lenders, Jacqueline’s $5,925 loan changed her life.
Learn more about Jacqueline’s story here:
... Continue Reading >>
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
From Afghanistan to Myanmar, Syria to Ukraine, Venezuela to South Sudan, more than 84 million people around the world are currently displaced from their homes.
Many of these refugees have had to leave their country of origin altogether, forced out by violence, food insecurity, natural disaster, and/or political persecution.
No matter what their country of origin, every refugee faces similar concerns:
- Will my loved ones and I have a safe place to stay?
- Will we ever be able to return home?
- How can we...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Along with two horses, a flock of sheep and a big family, Mutasem maintains multiple thriving businesses in the ancient village of Kafr Qaddyum in the northern West Bank.
Between tilling land, tending livestock, and selling yogurt and cheese, the 41 year-old entrepreneur has achieved a promising life for himself and his family.
But building this modest enterprise took time—and the support of loans funded by Kiva lenders.
Continue Reading >>
Between tilling land, tending livestock, and selling yogurt and cheese, the 41 year-old entrepreneur has achieved a promising life for himself and his family.
But building this modest enterprise took time—and the support of loans funded by Kiva lenders.
With a loan from Kiva, Mutasem was able to grow his businesses and...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
After being displaced, Beata (left) and Mbazimutima (right) rebuilt a livelihood for their family.
In a refugee settlement in southwest Uganda, Mbatzimuta and Beata run a small shop, stocking the wooden shelves with a colorful array of cosmetics, candy, and personal necessities.
Their latest batch of inventory comes from a Kiva loan, which helped them expand their business and increase the variety of products they can offer their customers—most of whom are refugees themselves.
The...
Jun 6, 2022
Palestinian Territory
Palestinian Territory
Najah's Kiva loan helped her start a business from a refugee camp.
Najah lives with her 5 children in a refugee camp in the West Bank near Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world. Her husband spends most of the week in Israel due to his work, so she runs the household and the business.
Having taken out a loan through Kiva to help build her business, Najah is living up to her name, which means “success” in Arabic, by running a successful venture raising sheep and goats to sell milk and...
Jun 6, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, more than 13.5 million refugees have been displaced from their homes.
Families torn apart, historic landmarks destroyed, livelihoods lost. Doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, parents, elders, and children facing impoverished conditions and economic uncertainty. Many refugees of the Syrian Civil War may never be able to return to their home country.
At Kiva, we are committed to providing financial tools to refugee communities so they can rebuild their lives. With support from our generous lenders, we can... Continue Reading >>
Families torn apart, historic landmarks destroyed, livelihoods lost. Doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, parents, elders, and children facing impoverished conditions and economic uncertainty. Many refugees of the Syrian Civil War may never be able to return to their home country.
At Kiva, we are committed to providing financial tools to refugee communities so they can rebuild their lives. With support from our generous lenders, we can... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
May 29, 2022
At any given moment, Kiva’s website hosts thousands of borrower profiles and loan requests from all corners of the globe. As a result, many of these profiles require translation and editing before being made visible to the public. This is where the Review and Translation Program (RTP) steps in.
RTP comprises hundreds of volunteers who review, translate and edit loans daily to see them fundraise on the Kiva site. These individuals typically review about 16,000 loans per month. Their skills are so appreciated, and just last...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Kiki Bryant’s lending journey is an all-too-familiar tale. Like many U.S. borrowers, she was hesitant to apply for a small business loan and felt she was unqualified.
“I, like a lot of Black female creators and entrepreneurs, have a little bit of imposter syndrome,” said Kiki. “So, when I was approved, I was overjoyed. And then when I got funded in a frickin’ hour? I was like… woah.”
Kiki was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. A creative soul from a young age, she wrote and illustrated her first...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Slack, a digital headquarters and messaging platform, is featuring real Kiva staff and borrowers in its global campaign
“Coordinating a complex world of crowdfunded loans in record time…”; the opening line of Slack’s global marketing video campaign, which highlights organizations making the impossible, achievable, is a succinct representation of the incredible work being done at Kiva.
Launched on May 30, 2022, Slack’s marketing campaign video tells the story of Kiki Bryant, a real Kiva US borrower who was funded for a loan in...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Nestled in a professional building in northeastern Portland, Oregon, Be Abundant Bodywork is a serene oasis of massage tables, soft lighting, progressive art, and rainbows.
As a proudly queer owned and operated business, its proprietor, Shannon (she/her), designed the rooms to reflect the sense of relief and refuge she cultivates with her fellow practitioners and clients, who come from a bevy of diverse backgrounds and identities.
“When people walk into these doors, whether it be people of color, queer people, trans people, fat people, disabled people,... Continue Reading >>
As a proudly queer owned and operated business, its proprietor, Shannon (she/her), designed the rooms to reflect the sense of relief and refuge she cultivates with her fellow practitioners and clients, who come from a bevy of diverse backgrounds and identities.
“When people walk into these doors, whether it be people of color, queer people, trans people, fat people, disabled people,... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
What happens when a Visa executive willingly commits to taking a pie to the face?
One thing’s for certain: an uptick in employee engagement.
Through their partnership with Kiva, Visa and Visa Foundation engaged over 82% of employees across 120 global offices in 2021… and won a Halo award.
The Visa Empowers campaign was awarded the Halo Awards Gold Prize for Best Employee Engagement Initiative in 2022, North America’s highest honor for ‘corporate social impact initiatives that showcase outstanding employee engagement efforts.’...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Kiva is ending operations of Kiva Protocol, our initiative to develop digital public infrastructure to advance financial inclusion.
While we believe in the power of open-source technology and are proud of the milestones achieved through Kiva Protocol, several factors have led us to this decision. Launched in 2018, Kiva Protocol was an ambitious undertaking aimed at addressing systemic barriers to financial inclusion at national scale. These are hard problems to solve. After four years dedicated to addressing these challenges, the extended implementation timelines coupled... Continue Reading >>
While we believe in the power of open-source technology and are proud of the milestones achieved through Kiva Protocol, several factors have led us to this decision. Launched in 2018, Kiva Protocol was an ambitious undertaking aimed at addressing systemic barriers to financial inclusion at national scale. These are hard problems to solve. After four years dedicated to addressing these challenges, the extended implementation timelines coupled... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
At Kiva, we see every day how small loans make a big impact on individuals and communities.
Funded by our online community around the world, microloans have:
- Helped young women earn university degrees in places where gender inequality reigns.
- Provided training to rural farmers that increased their harvests and improved their quality of life.
- Allowed refugees to launch a business and start over in a new country.
We also recognize that microlending is still often misunderstood. You...
Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Kiva is a global non-profit organization working to bring financial inclusion to all by crowdfunding microloans, unlocking capital, and addressing the underlying barriers to financial access around the world.
An estimated 1.4 billion people on the planet are considered “unbanked” for various reasons, including:
- Not enough money to meet minimum deposit requirements
- Lack of trust in traditional banks
- Inappropriate forms of I.D.
- Socioeconomic factors like gender inequality, wealth inequality or lack of...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Around the world, Kiva partners with amazing organizations who are achieving great things within their communities. Below, our Labs Senior Partnerships Manager, Michelle Schenck delves into our Kiva Labs program. Labs provides crowd-sourced, risk-tolerant capital to new, innovative organizations making a positive social impact in their communities.
Some of these are social enterprises, nonprofit organizations or NGOs. Other impact investors often consider these to be too risky, but quite frankly, we disagree. Kiva believes in the mission and impact of these organizations,... Continue Reading >>
Some of these are social enterprises, nonprofit organizations or NGOs. Other impact investors often consider these to be too risky, but quite frankly, we disagree. Kiva believes in the mission and impact of these organizations,... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Entrepreneurship not only benefits the economy and makes for a more inclusive financial environment, it brings innovative, exciting—and often delicious!—possibilities to communities, cities, and industrial sectors.
These six women are achieving big things in the world of small business. 1. Claudia’s coffee roasting business also saves animals
These six women are achieving big things in the world of small business. 1. Claudia’s coffee roasting business also saves animals
Take Claudia, for example: She used a Kiva loan to expand her coffee-roasting business in Park City, UT that combines its mission of providing Fair Trade, organic coffee with rescuing animals. Claudia and Hugo Coffee...
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
It takes a certain tenacity to weather the challenges of running a small business. Every business owner often must fulfill multiple roles, from producer and marketer to bookkeeper—and if it’s a particularly hard day—plumber.
The “small” in small business can be misleading: Entrepreneurs create 2 out of every 3 new jobs, invigorate social change, power supply chains, and drive economic growth that reaches far beyond their communities. They innovate creative solutions and deliver unique products and services that become integral to people’s lives and often scale into larger markets... Continue Reading >>
The “small” in small business can be misleading: Entrepreneurs create 2 out of every 3 new jobs, invigorate social change, power supply chains, and drive economic growth that reaches far beyond their communities. They innovate creative solutions and deliver unique products and services that become integral to people’s lives and often scale into larger markets... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Small businesses comprise 99.9% of all firms in the United States. Between 2000-2019, small business entrepreneurs created 10.5 million net new jobs, compared to 5.6 million created by large businesses.
Despite being the primary employers in the U.S., small business owners increasingly struggle to access capital. The majority—80%—are unable to obtain bank loans and community banking funds have decreased over 50% in the past decade. Entrepreneurs in unserved communities are even more likely to get rejected for traditional forms of capital.
Kiva US aims to solve... Continue Reading >>
Despite being the primary employers in the U.S., small business owners increasingly struggle to access capital. The majority—80%—are unable to obtain bank loans and community banking funds have decreased over 50% in the past decade. Entrepreneurs in unserved communities are even more likely to get rejected for traditional forms of capital.
Kiva US aims to solve... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2022
Kiva HQ
Kiva HQ
Jessica was able to purchase equipment for her organic farm, Lazy Mule Farm, with the Kiva loan she received.
To celebrate Small Business Week, which is honored in the U.S. May 2-5th, Kiva is excited to announce our partnership with Umpqua Bank. Through the partnership, Umpqua will match loans made to women and BIPOC entrepreneurs in the states it operates, including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California. The partnership will continue until Umpqua reaches its goal of $1 million lent to underrepresented...
Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2022
Kiva HQ
As a college student and Palestinian refugee living in the West Bank, 22 year-old Malik dreams of becoming a journalist. In the meantime, he operates a small café business to support himself and his family.
Continue Reading >>
Kiva HQ
As a college student and Palestinian refugee living in the West Bank, 22 year-old Malik dreams of becoming a journalist. In the meantime, he operates a small café business to support himself and his family.
After COVID-19 forced him to shut down his business for four months, with no income at all, Malik was forced to pause his studies for two semesters and put his dreams on hold. A Kiva loan, funded by 42 Kiva lenders, allowed him to revive his business after the shutdown and entice customers back to the café, where they can enjoy refreshments like tea and coffee...