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
Why are we so proud to celebrate our 50th? Just listen to our grantee partners…
To launch our series on 50 years of grassroots successes, we explore why our grantees consider us one of the best funders of international development, according to the Center for Effective Philanthropy survey on grantees’ perceptions of their funders.
The Inter-American Foundation Launches its First Impact Investment in a Central American Microcredit Lender
The IAF launched its first-ever impact investment in Empresa para el Desarrollo (EDESA) in Costa Rica on January 30.
Annual Report: 2019 In Review
In 2019, we awarded $18.5 million through grants, partnerships, and investments to 97 grassroots organizations, bringing our total active portfolio of IAF investments to $85.5 million in 24 countries.