Rob Katz

ANDE Launches Impact Report and Announces Grants

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) – now a global network of more than 80 high-profile organizations supporting high-impact entrepreneurship in developing countries – today announced the findings of its 2009 Impact Report.

The report is impressive. It is the first publication of its type-aggregating sector impact and demonstrating the successes of ANDE members over the past year. ANDE says the report will serve as a benchmark as it continues to move forward and chart its progress. So, what does it say?

ANDE members are part of a growing movement that is focused on small and growing businesses that create economic, environmental, and social benefits for developing countries. The report includes research that identified:

  • 192 funds which are investing in SGBs, with a cumulative target size of over $7 billion.
  • Since 2006, the number of new funds launched per year has jumped to over 20.
  • These funds are investing throughout the developing world, with Africa (58%), Asia (20%), and Latin America (18%) receiving the most attention.

Notably, the report highlights the impact of ANDE members, who, to date, have made 2,500 investments in SGBs, totaling $830 million. In the last year alone, ANDE members spent over $96.8 million on technical-assistance activities to build and support the ecosystem needed for these businesses to thrive. In turn, these companies transform the funding and capacity-building support into benefits for employees, customers, and suppliers. In 2009, ANDE-supported SGBs employed nearly 305,000 people and served 74.4 million customers.

In addition, ANDE announced the recipients of its second round of Capacity Development Fund grants. The fund is an ANDE-administered US $1 million effort designed to support capacity development, innovation and collaboration within the ANDE membership. The fund is designed to facilitate the creation of tools, curricula and new service models that will support the entire SGB sector. This second round of funding granted US$485,000 to seven projects proposed by fourteen international economic development organizations. Funding for the grants was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Lemelson Foundation, and the Shell Foundation.

Organizations selected to receive grants (PDF) were: African Agricultural Capital, Agora Partnerships, E+Co, the Center for Creative Leadership, Financial Alliance for Sustainable Trade, the Grassroots Business Fund, Mercy Corps, Root Capital, Root Change, the Small Enterprise Assistance Fund, ShoreCap Exchange, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, and TechnoServe.

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