Strategic Alliances

Global Partnerships is dedicated to leveraging partnerships with other industry leaders to have the greatest impact on people living in poverty.

Grameen Foundation Partnership
Global Partnerships recently joined forces with Grameen Foundation to fight poverty in Latin America through microfinance. In a collaboration that leverages Grameen Foundation’s rich experience working with impoverished clients and Global Partnerships’ deep knowledge of the regional industry, this alliance was formed to help expand financial services to the poor in Latin America and the Caribbean by providing funding opportunities, technical assistance and technology consulting to leading microfinance institutions (MFIs).

Under this agreement, MFIs will receive increased funding in two key ways: direct, side-by-side loans from Grameen Foundation and Global Partnerships, and facilitation of financing from local banks. Global Partnerships provides funding through its Microfinance Fund 2006, which offers five-year term loans. Grameen Foundation’s Growth Guarantee program facilitates loans from local banks to poverty-focused MFIs, thereby helping to integrate them into local financial systems. MFIs also benefit from a single reporting requirement, since Global Partnerships will monitor performance for both lenders.

“Grameen Foundation entered into a strategic alliance with Global Partnerships after spending several years creatively collaborating with the GP team, which allowed us to learn about their strengths that complement ours. Over 12 years, Global has developed a track record and capacity in the areas of assessment, financial analysis, and business plan development for high potential microfinance institutions in the Latin America region. We have come to rely on Global’s work in this area, which has reduced the costs related to our financing MFIs, since we do not need to duplicate what they do so well. When collaborations like this happen, everyone benefits, most especially poor women and their families.”

- Alex Counts, President
Grameen Foundation

Developing World Markets Partnership
Based on its expertise in the Latin American microfinance industry, Global Partnerships was recently chosen to originate and service $16.3 million in loans by Developing World Markets, an investment advisory group focused on emerging markets. After an exhaustive due diligence process, Global Partnerships chose seven high performing MFIs in El Salvador and Nicaragua, and will conduct the monitoring of these loans over five years. These seven MFIs reach over 145,000 borrowers with vital financial services, having a dramatic impact on the underserved populations of the two countries.

“Global Partnerships is a top rate organization. In partnering with Global, we clearly see and value their 12 plus years of experience on the ground in Latin America. Their business-like approach combined with this depth of experience in the market, has enabled them to pick high-growth, high-potential partner MFIs. We feel that Global’s exhaustive due diligence and their professional selection, analysis and negotiation with MFIs is a model for the industry.”

- Peter Johnson, Partner
- Roger Frank, Managing Director
Developing World Markets