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Grameen Foundation : Resource Center : FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about Grameen Foundation

What is Grameen Foundation?
What does Grameen Foundation do?
Where does Grameen Foundation work?
How did Grameen Foundation get started?
What are Grameen Foundation's products and services?
What does your Capital Management Advisory Center do?
What does your Double Bottom Line Center do?
What does your Grameen Technology Center do?
What does your Human Capital Center do?
How can you ensure that the organizations with whom you work are actually reaching the poorest people?
Can individuals get a loan from Grameen Foundation?
What is the difference between Grameen Foundation and Grameen Bank?
How can I be sure you are doing what you claim?
How can I get involved?
Why should I donate to you instead of helping organizations directly?
Is my contribution tax deductible?
Can I direct my contributions to a specific country, region or organization?

See also: Frequently Asked Questions about Microfinance

What is Grameen Foundation?

Grameen Foundation is a leader in the fight against poverty in Sub Saharan Africa, Asia, the Arab World, and the Americas. Since our beginning in 1997, our programs, resources and fresh ideas have helped more than 45 million poor people, mostly women and children, improve their lives.

Using microfinance and technology, we work with local poverty-focused organizations and global allies to help them reach and serve more of the world's poor people more effectively. Our goal is to use our resources, knowledge and innovations to identify large scale solutions and strategies that really do move people out of poverty, and then share that knowledge widely.

Grameen Foundation has offices in Washington, D.C. and Seattle, Washington. 

What does Grameen Foundation do?

Building strong local institutions that reach even more people in the poorest communities is a cornerstone of our work.  We help microfinance institutions, credit unions, cooperatives and poverty-focused organizations secure financing, develop strategies to attract and maintain a talented and dedicated workforce, and better track how quickly their clients are leaving poverty.  Our technology initiatives focus on helping microfinance institutions (MFIs) work more efficiently and serve more people and providing new opportunities for poor people through the broader international development community.

We provide direct loans to small institutions and give loan guarantees that enable larger institutions to secure funding from their local banks.  In addition, we provide tools and resources to help organizations recruit, train and retain a skilled workforce, evaluate the effectiveness of their programs, and measure how quickly their clients are leaving poverty. 
We also work with MFIs to help them better evaluate and integrate technology into their operations.  And, through Mifos, our open source management platform, we are enabling them to reduce paperwork, collect more accurate information, and use it to grow their businesses.

Working with local and global allies, we also help to create new technology businesses for the poor, improve their access to health and agriculture information and other services via mobile phones and other devices, and provide affordable energy sources for their homes and businesses.

Where does Grameen Foundation work?

Grameen Foundation’s products, services and resources are available globally. We have also chosen to focus specifically on regions where the need is the greatest: Sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas and Asia. Our activities in each region will be directed and managed through our regional offices. In addition, through Grameen-Jameel Pan-Arab Microfinance Limited, we are also focusing on the Middle East and North Africa.

How did Grameen Foundation get started?

We sprang from a rich heritage – Grameen Bank of Bangladesh and Professor Muhammad Yunus, the founder and managing director of Grameen Bank. Credited with launching the global "microfinance movement," Professor Yunus first experienced the promise of microfinance in 1976 by making very small loans with the money in his own pockets to very poor women in Bangladesh. In launching Grameen Foundation in 1997, Professor Yunus challenged us to deliver the promise of microfinance around the world. Grameen Foundation was established by Alex Counts, our founding and current president. We continue and highly value our close relationship with Professor Yunus and Grameen Bank. Professor Yunus remains a valued member of our board of directors. 

What are Grameen Foundation's products and services?

Grameen Foundation’s products and services are all designed to measurably reduce poverty and span the areas of financing, technology, human capital and social performance.  Some, such as Growth Guarantees, the Progress out of Poverty Index, Village Phone and Mifos are already widely used across the microfinance industry. We will announce new products and services over the coming year.

What does your Capital Management Advisory Center do?

The Capital Management & Advisory Center (CMAC) supports the rapid expansion of poverty-focused MFIs by tapping into financial and capital markets for funding.  Its signature product, the Growth Guarantee Program, provides guarantees to local banks so they will make loans to local organizations in their own currency.  CMAC also advises MFI management teams on financing options, investment readiness, negotiation and long-term planning.  Since 2005, the Growth Guarantee Program has leveraged more than $128 million for 18 MFIs from local banks, creating approximately 700,000 micro-loans for poor women and men.    

What does your Double Bottom Line Center do?

Microfinance institutions have a strong record of demonstrating their financial success, but it has been more difficult for them to measure and manage how well they are meeting their social mission of improving people’s lives.  Our Social Performance Management Center (SPMC) helps MFIs and other poverty-focused organizations target the poor and poorest clients, better understand their needs, track how quickly clients move out of poverty, and evaluate how well their programs and products are working. Our Progress out of Poverty Index™ (PPI™), an easy-to-use 10 question, country-specific “poverty scorecard” helps organizations measure their social performance so they can manage it better.

What does your Grameen Technology Center do?

Our Grameen Technology Center brings information and communications technology to rural communities, local poverty-focused organizations and the international development arena.   Our Village Technology team works with local and global partners to use mobile phones and other devices to create new business opportunities for the poor, improve their access to health and agriculture information, and connect distant communities.  Through Mifos, our open source management information platform, and our technology readiness program, we help local organizations increase their efficiency so they are better equipped to serve more clients. 

What does your Human Capital Center do?

The success of microfinance institutions and other poverty-focused organizations is often determined by their ability to attract, develop and retain committed staff.  Launched in 2008, the Human Capital Center is developing products and services that will enable institutions to better build, manage, and retain a talented workforce, thus strengthening their impact and reach in underserved communities and regions.

How can you ensure that the organizations with whom you work are actually reaching the poorest people?

Grameen Foundation is a leading advocate for measuring organizations’ work through their financial and social performance (i.e., how well they are achieving their goal of improving their poor people’s lives.)  Working together with the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) and the Ford Foundation, we commissioned the development of the Progress out of Poverty Index (PPI™) to help poverty-focused organizations more accurately track the poverty level of their clients over time.  This allows them to adjust their programs and services to be more effective. The PPI is quickly becoming an industry standard and we strongly encourage all poverty-focused organizations to adopt it.

Can individuals get a loan from Grameen Foundation?  

No, Grameen Foundation does not provide loans to individuals.  We work directly with local organizations that provide financial and other services to poor people.

What is the difference between Grameen Foundation and Grameen Bank?

Grameen Foundation shares and supports the philosophy of Grameen Bank. We are strong strategic partners and work closely together to reduce global poverty among the poorest of the poor. We pursue a common vision by sharing knowledge and success models to accelerate the rate at which the world's poorest people can access microfinance and begin their journey out of poverty. However, we are independent organizations with separate management, staff, funding sources, and governing boards. Grameen Bank operates in Bangladesh only. As the largest and most successful microfinance organization, it strongly influences the direction of microfinance globally.

Grameen Foundation is a U.S-based microfinance and technology organization that works with local organizations to help them reach and serve poor people.

How can I be sure you are doing what you claim?

Grameen Foundation has been honored for its innovation, efficiency and effectiveness with several industry awards: Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating, the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance seal, Fast Company/Monitor Group Social Capitalist Award, Pro-Poor Innovation Award, and Tech Museum Award.

How can I get involved?

In order to extend the reach of microfinance to more of the world’s impoverished families, Grameen Foundation relies largely on private donations. Grameen Foundation’s community of individual donors, foundations and institutions is a tremendous network. For information on how to give and other ways to get involved, visit the Get Involved section.

Why should I donate to you instead of helping organizations directly?

Grameen Foundation’s goal is to foster large scale change and innovative new approaches across countries and regions to advance efforts to fight global poverty.  Your contribution helps us to expand our impact beyond a single institution to many.  Before we work with an organization, we conduct a substantial vetting process so you can be sure that your funds are going to groups that use their money wisely. We welcome your support.

Is my contribution tax deductible?

Grameen Foundation USA is a non-for-profit, 501 (c) (3) organization, and charitable donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You can help us work against global poverty by visiting learn about opportunities to give.

Can I direct my contributions to a specific country, region or organization?

Yes, you can direct your gift to a particular region where Grameen Foundation works, and in some cases, to a specific country. Since we focus on serving a broad array of poverty-focused organizations, you will not be able to designate your gift to a single organization. Our Development office can discuss your particular needs. Please contact Helen Yuen at 202-628-3560, ext 125, or at hyuen@grameenfoundation.org.  You can also visit the “Get Involved” section of our website.  Learn about the various opportunities for giving.

Grameen Foundation : Resource Center : FAQs