September 7, 2016

Founded in 1988, the Society’s Community Development Investment (CDI) Program gives small loans (up to $25K) to worthy groups working to better the lives of those in poverty. Working Capital for Community Needs (WCCN) is one of the organizations to receive support from the CDI program.

Founded in 1984, Working Capital for Community Needs (WCCN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit impact investing fund whose mission is to create opportunities for access to microfinance, services, and markets to improve the lives and communities of the working poor in Latin America. WCCN empowers low-income Latin American entrepreneurs by sustaining partnerships with microfinance organizations and farming cooperatives in Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Peru.

90% of WCCN activities are focused on impact investing through lending to community-based partners that are primarily microfinance and fair trade agricultural partner agency organization. To qualify as a WCCN community-based partner agency, the agency must finance, serve, educate, train, employ or do business with the working poor in Latin America. In 2013, 72% of WCCN’s partners’ micro-loan recipients were women.

70% of WCCN’s investment portfolio is directed to microfinance partners in Latin America that have the following aggregate loan portfolio composition:

1. 70% for working capital loans for micro-enterprises and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
2. 11% for low-cost housing micro-loans
3. 10% for small-scale agriculture micro-loans
4. 9% for animal husbandry/livestock micro-loans

The remaining 30% of WCCN’s investment portfolio is comprised of Latin American fair trade and organic agriculture partners that offer multiple pro-poor support services and economic opportunities to their member families and local communities.

Maria Cholota uses her loan to raise several kinds of vegetables and animals as well as purchase land. She works hard growing carrots, lima beans, potatoes, onions and cilantro.

To visit Working Capital for Community Needs (WCCN)’s website click here.

For a complete list of organizations supported by CDI, visit SHCJ website by clicking here.

Other organizations supported by CDI: