A distinct theory of change
At the IAF, we engage with marginalized communities in Latin America and the Caribbean as partners and not merely beneficiaries. We provide opportunities for their incipient organizations to directly tap into small amounts of patient and flexible capital, accompanied by technical assistance as needed.
We seek our community partners to map, prioritize, design and implement solutions that respond to their own communities’ challenges and local contexts. Our ultimate purpose is to facilitate their self-reliance so that they become less dependent on external aid, more resilient, and less vulnerable to crime, violence, extreme poverty, economic downturns, natural disasters, and other challenges.
Talk about community-led development!
Recent News and Stories
Finding Home in a Crisis: Venezuelan Migrants in Brazil
What does it mean to “stay at home” when you’ve been spending months or even years searching for one? For Venezuelan migrants, recent events have further complicated their ability to create a sense of home.
Creating Opportunities for Honduran Youth to Thrive at Home
In a context like Honduras in which violence and poverty abound but jobs do not, how do young people find hope? Many IAF grantees have been working to provide it.
On the Road with the IAF
Looking for scenes of beauty and strength during these challenging times? In early March 2020, several IAF staff members traveled to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Lucia to visit potential grantee partners. Get a peek into community-led innovations in the Caribbean through their photos.