Global Partnerships to Relocate to Downtown Seattle

Social investor cites economic, environmental, location benefits

Seattle – Global Partnerships (GP), a 16-year-old nonprofit that supports microfinance and other sustainable solutions to poverty in Latin America, announced today that in January of 2011, it will move its Seattle offices from the University District to downtown Seattle. Global Partnerships’ new offices will be located at the Terminal Sales Building, a historic building located at 1932 First Avenue.

“Our current offices have served us well, but it’s time to move downtown,” said Global Partnerships President and CEO Rick Beckett. “Our new home brings multiple benefits, including economic savings, a reduced environmental footprint and a central location that puts us closer to many of our peer organizations, partners, investors and donors.”

Because of its new location, Global Partnerships expects to save significantly in rent, which means that more of its resources can be directed to programs that advance its mission to expand opportunity for people living in poverty.

The new location will also help the organization reduce its carbon footprint, not only because the downtown location will encourage public transportation use by employees and visitors, but also because the building uses alternative sources of energy.

“The unfortunate reality is that climate change disproportionately affects impoverished people, so reducing our environmental impact directly advances our mission,” said Beckett.

GP will occupy the fourth floor of the building, which is within walking distance of peer organizations and partners such as Agros, Grameen Foundation, PATH, Philanthropy Northwest, PRI Makers Network, RDI and the Seattle Foundation.
Fourteen members of Global Partnerships’ staff of 22 are based in Seattle. The other staff members work at the organization’s Latin American offices in Managua, Nicaragua.

GP expects the move to be completed by the end of January, 2011. Its new address will be 1932 First Avenue, Suite 400, Seattle, WA, 98101.

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About Global Partnerships:Global Partnerships (GP) expands opportunity for people living in poverty by investing in high-impact, socially focused microfinance institutions in Latin America that reach people traditionally left behind with microloans and other services. As of September 30, 2010, GP had $34.1 million in capital invested in 24 microfinance partners, which served 844,000 borrowers. Find out more at www.globalpartnerships.org.

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