Kiva Loans

Kiva Loans is a service that provides capital to entrepreneurs in developing countries. The stated mission of the company is to "...connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty."Kiva Loans: What We Do The organization is structured so that individuals from all over the world can lend to entrepreneurs in developing countries.

1. Website: Kiva.org
2. Entrepreneurs are profiled on the site
3. Investors have the ability to invest and track repayment via the website
4. Minimum investment: $25
5. Average loan request is $650Yahoo News: The $10 Million Giveaway? (August 21, 2007)
6. 80% of lenders are from the United StatesYahoo News: The $10 Million Giveaway? (August 21, 2007)
7. Terms: Usually 6-12 months
8. Founders: Matt and Jessica Flannery
9. Founded in 2005
10. President: Premal Shah
11. CFO: Jen Hamilton
12. Kiva had nearly 270,000 investors as of May 2008Wharton Business School: Kiva: Improving People's Lives, One Small Loan at a Time (May 28, 2008)
13. Borrowers: 40,000 as of May 2008Wharton Business School: Kiva: Improving People's Lives, One Small Loan at a Time (May 28, 2008)
14. $27 million in funding has been providedWharton Business School: Kiva: Improving People's Lives, One Small Loan at a Time (May 28, 2008)
15. Lender's are not allowed to charge interest

• Google News: Kiva Loans
• Official Site: Kiva.org - Loans that change lives
  • From the 'About' page: "By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you've sponsored."
• Santa Barbara Independent: "Santa Barbarans Get Behind Microloans" (January 10, 2008)
• Reuters: Oprah Effect Brings Microlending to Main Street (January 6, 2008)