Microenterprise Program
In recognition of the success of microfinance in helping the world's poor to raise their standard of living, the National Peace Corps Association created a Microenterprise Program through which member groups and individuals have the opportunity to invest in micro-credit initiatives. That NPCA loan pool has surpassed $1 million, giving testimony to the RPCV community's ongoing commitment to the developing world.
Join others in helping eliminate extreme poverty in the world. INVEST TODAY!
* How it works
* Why it's unique
* Support of the Peace Corps community
* Investor kit and further information
* About Calvert Foundation
How it works
The MEP program happens through the purchase of Community Investment Notes issued by Calvert Foundation. Investors with a minimum of $1,000 earn a fixed financial return of 0-3% (investor's choice), while generating social returns that are measured in microenterprises and jobs created. In addition to the high impact, no investor has ever lost their principal or interest, and investors are also protected by over $20 million in security enhancements. Community Investment Notes can be purchased either directly through Calvert Foundation with a check and application, or in your brokerage account (please contact Calvert Foundation for more information about the Note and how to purchase).
Why it's unique
The MEP is unique among the Calvert Foundation programs in that 100% of MEP dollars are put to work in micro-credit programs in the developing world in consultation with NPCA, thus allowing RPCVs to use their investment dollars to continue the type of work they did in Peace Corps. MEP investment dollars allow Calvert Foundation to offer affordable capital to organizations such as FINCA, the Women's World Banking Network, and Alterfin. With micro-credit loans dispensed to recipients at an average of $300 over three months, you have the potential to assist multiple families over the term of your investment (from 1-10 years).
Compared to the social impact a typical $20 donation to a charity might yield, community investors realize that a below-market rate investment can yield a far greater social impact. Simply by opting to accept up to $20 less on a $1,000 MEP investment than they could potentially earn in more aggressive investment opportunities, a community investor's entire $1,000 goes to work making a sustainable difference in the lives of families in the developing world. Nowhere else can $20 leverage that kind of impact. Visit www.calvertfoundation.org/social_impact/social_return_calculator to calculate the social return on your proposed investment.
Support of the Peace Corps community
While most MEP investors are individuals, many NPCA member groups also recognize the MEP as a worthwhile place to invest funds that are available for a minimum of one year. Friends of Kenya, Colombia and Nigeria as well as RPCV groups in Chicago, San Diego, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington D.C. have already invested in the MEP.
Among the 550 million people who are currently living on less than $1 per day, there are countless prospective entrepreneurs who have the ability, initiative and energy to change their own lives. This is not a donation that creates dependency but an investment that empowers individuals. By helping people develop a source of income, we also increase the opportunities for their children to attend school and improve health and nutrition levels of these families.
Investor kit and further information
To request a free investor kit, visit http://www.calvertfoundation.org/request_a_kit/index.cgi?kitsetid=2
Click here for more information on the MEP.
About Calvert Foundation
For over 10 years, Calvert Social Investment Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, has been working to make community investment a safe and convenient option for all investors seeking to make a positive social impact. To make community investment accessible to a wider audience, Calvert Foundation has removed critical barriers by creating investment products that blend both financial and social returns. With more than USD 150 MM in assets, Calvert Foundation focuses on using investment capital, rather than conventional philanthropy, to create a sustainable, scalable model that enables nonprofit organizations, microfinance institutions and social enterprises to address critical social problems.
Calvert Social Investment Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, offers the Community Investment Note, which is subject to certain risks, is not a mutual fund, is not FDIC or SIPC insured, and should not be confused with any Calvert Group-sponsored investment product. This article is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities; the offering is made only by the prospectus, which should be read before investing.
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