Donate funds
You donate what you can to Wisconsin Microfinance.
NEW! Check out our 2023 Annual Report to learn about the growth of our programs in the last year. 2023 Annual Report
Our mission and vision
Our mission is to provide access to capital (at a reasonable rate) to individuals (primarily women) who aspire to lift their families out of poverty by starting and running a small business.
We envision a world where the rural poor hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others.
Our microfinance programs
We are currently supporting entrepreneurs in Léogâne, Haiti, and on the island of Panay, Philippines. Since 2010, we have provided over 1,500 loans to entrepreneurs to build their own businesses and consistently demonstrated that an investment in individuals can improve the quality of life of their families and their communities.
Pilot Programs
Our collective impact
Wisconsin Microfinance measures both the success of our programs in terms of money circulated, but also assesses improvements in quality of life of our loan recipients.
$350k
Circulated in 2022
97%
Repayment rate
84%
Percent of loans to women
Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. Give a woman microcredit, she, her husband, her children and her extended family will eat for a lifetime.
—Bono
Your support unleashed
How it works
Our programs are based on the microfinance model developed by Muhammad Yunus through the Grameen Bank. The Grameen Bank was founded on the belief that the very poor have unlimited potential, and unleashing their creativity and initiative can help end poverty.
Our partners
Your money is transferred to our partners.
Loans made
The money is used to make loans to entrepreneurs in the communities.
Loans repaid
When the loans are repaid, the money is used to make additional loans.
Understanding microfinance
Ways to take action
Donate
When you donate to Wisconsin Microfinance, you are empowering families with the resources needed to rise above poverty.
Partner with us
Host a fundraiser, make a recurring contribution, or participate in a corporate or congregational partnership to support our work.
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Recent Updates
May 19, 2024 - On the Ground in Ghana - Trevor Franda
Trevor and his wife Anne recently traveled to Ghana and visited with Nana Obokese, chief of Moree where Wisconsin Microfinance will set up a new microloan program.
Nana Obokese is committed to developing Moree into a vibrant community. He firmly believes in the same principles of microfinance that Wisconsin Microfinance advocates for, such as lending groups, low interest rates, and loans primarily to women. The need for capital in Ghana is great, and by targeting the community of Moree as the next destination for a Wisconsin Microfinance program we will be forging a strong partnership that will hopefully serve as a template for future Wisconsin Microfinance programs in Ghana and elsewhere on the African continent.
April 22, 2024 - Microfinance and Sustainable Development - Cassidy Fish
The Wisconsin Microfinance mission is deeply rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. While we focus on many of the economic goals, we also recognize and honor the environmental goals. The benefits of a clean, safe, and sustainable world apply to all people, rich and poor.
This April we want to recognize and celebrate a focus on the environment through Earth Month. Earth month is an expansion of the Earth Day movement which was created 54 years ago to educate citizens on the impacts of environmental issues around the world. Because we live in an interconnected world, environmental issues all around the globe impact people living in the countries in which we have programs.
