Mission

Global Partnerships (GP) expands opportunity for people living in poverty by supporting microfinance and other sustainable solutions in Latin America. We partner with innovative, mission-driven microfinance institutions that reach people traditionally left behind—such as women and the rural poor—with microloans and other services that can help families break the cycle of poverty.

Our geographic focus is Latin America, where nearly 100 million people live on less than $2 a day and only a fraction of the people who could benefit from microfinance are currently being served. With staff based in Seattle and Managua and a 15-year track record, GP currently serves more than 845,000 borrowers through our 27 microfinance partner institutions in seven Latin American countries. With the help of our social investment strategy, our impact has grown significantly in recent years.

Microfinance: A proven solution

Microfinance is a proven, market-based solution that can have a profound effect on the lives of borrowers and their families. Loans as small as $100 can give someone living in poverty the boost they need to start or expand their own business, the key to a better life.

As their enterprises grow, borrowers are better able to feed their families, send their children to school, and access basic health care.

GP's approach: Sustainability plus social impact

Global Partnerships' approach to microfinance is unique in two ways. First, we are committed to maximizing social impact in the lives of those we serve. We do this by investing in high-impact microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Latin America that have both a sustainable business model and display an exceptional commitment to improving the lives of their borrowers. Second, we raise affordable capital to invest in our microfinance partners through a unique funding strategy that we call strategic philanthropy. Read more about our strategy here.

Beyond microfinance, Global Partnerships is exploring ways to help microfinance institutions offer other sustainable solutions to poverty, such as health services and agricultural training. Our first effort is a partnership with PATH, a global health nonprofit, and Pro Mujer, a microfinance partner, to create a model for offering health services to poor families in Latin America through the microfinance platform. Read more here.

More information:

• New to GP and microfinance? Watch an introductory video on our impact.
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