Donate funds
You donate what you can to Wisconsin Microfinance.
NEW! Purchase tickets now for our Ghana Epicurean Evening at Steenbock's on Orchard at 6 pm on December 1st. 2022 Annual Gala
Our mission and vision
Our mission is to use microfinance to empower aspiring entrepreneurs, primarily women, to lift their families out of poverty. We seek to reduce extreme poverty by providing access to capital in order to provide a hand up, not a handout.
COVID and Microfinance
It is now clear that the COVID-19 crisis has seriously disrupted life in Haiti and the Philippines.
With poverty levels increasing due to the crisis, the mission of Wisconsin Microfinance is more relevant than ever. And while our partners may be extending repayment periods, the overall success of our programs continues.
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.
Gomoa Assin Mampong, Ghana
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.
$230k
Total amount circulated
97%
Repayment rate
80%
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.
Get our newsletter
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Events
Wisconsin Microfinance offers both virtual and in-person events throughout the year. You’ll learn about our programs, meet key individuals, and develop a deeper appreciation for the reach and importance of our work.
We hope you can join us at an upcoming event.
Oct
14
A one-hour virtual event
Wisconsin Microfinance Virtual Gala
Wisconsin Microfinance hosted a virtual gala on Thursday, October 14th, 2021 at 7:30 pm to benefit female business owners.
Recent Updates
February 25, 2022 - Wisconsin Microfinance 2021 Annual Report
The onset of COVID-19 exacerbated inequalities and presented new challenges for the individuals and communities with whom we work. We have continued to disperse loans, despite the challenges that the pandemic, political unrest, and natural disasters posed. All our borrowers live below the poverty lines set by their national government and lack access to the traditional financial system. Microfinance loans are needed more than ever, and we appreciate your continued support.
February 14, 2022 - Borgen - How Wisconsin Microfinance is Making a Difference
In early 2022, The Borgen Magazine: A Magazine About Humanity, Politics and You published the following update on Wisconsin Microfinance. The Borgen Magazine represents the Borgen Project which “believes that leaders of the most powerful nation on earth should be doing more to address global poverty.” We couldn’t agree more.
