What We Do

These are women who are creating new ways to deliver health care, or reducing crime by giving teenagers inventive things to do, or using cell phone technology to create new economic markets for crops. The things these leaders are achieving are remarkable, and they are deeply embedded in their communities. They are brilliant, motivated people.

But they are also residing in the margins. They may live in rural places, or have very little access to modern technology, or possibly have limited English skills. They are not “business people” but simply women who set out to solve a problem, and wound up running an organization. They don’t think of themselves as “grassroots organizers”, but just people who are doing what needs to get done.

We find these leaders.
Then we sit down with them and get to know them. We find out what they need to get them to their next milestone. More often than not, we hear small, ongoing needs — like basic training, or the ability to pay part-time help. The kind of stuff that isn’t glamorous, but vital for getting the work done.

Once we understand what the needs are, we partner with these leaders to introduce them to donors for small, direct grants.

The leader/grantmaker relationships we broker are totally unlike most philanthropic relationships–in that they are made in partnership. The design is a dialogue — a back and forth. And the grant is a small, direct amount that can be promised for a year or more.

The effect of this relationship is personal. It’s intimate. It’s real. And it’s ongoing for a period of time. Leaders and grantmakers learn together what works and what doesn’t.

Leaders are valued for their expertise in the community. And the right problems get addressed.

This way of doing international development work may seem simple and straightforward,
but it’s actually revolutionary.

It flips the script on who gets to make important decisions. And it brings leaders to the table who have been traditionally excluded. Come join us.