Microeconomics

Amplifying this year’s Prosperity Campaign, suppliers to Whole Foods Market in our top giving levels are donating $1.05 million to fund 31,550 opportunities for low-income entrepreneurs around the world to change their own lives.

In the spirit of #FundHerFuture, the generosity of David and the Papyrus-Recycled Paper Greetings generosity has created 43,000 opportunities for women entrepreneurs and their family members to live a better life through entrepreneurship.

We will take you behind the scenes to introduce you to the teams that are dedicated to empowering the world’s poorest people to become entrepreneurs. You will meet Field Officers, volunteers, and Whole Planet Foundation staff. Through their stories you will get a glimpse into a day on the job—whether it is in Austin, Texas or Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Ten years ago, 85 percent of the world’s transactions were in cash and checks, and 2.5 billion people were unbanked. Since then, we’ve all been working hard as an industry to develop technology that will give the unbanked access to the world of digital payments.

Whole Planet Foundation partners and Whole Foods Market suppliers commit $1.05 million to support microfinance initiatives across the world.

Imagine turning $25 loans into more than $21 million, impacting more than 1 million people globally, in just five years. No, this isn’t the latest Shark Tank pitch. It is the outcome of Hewlett Packard Company’s Matter to a Million employee-engagement program.

We are excited to announce our new partnership with Concern Worldwide in Burundi to support their Terintambwe program, which provides case management services to ultra-poor households so they have opportunities to become more self-sufficient and start small businesses.

To kick off 2019, The Whole Planet Foundation team would like to thank our network of microfinance institutions, the implementing partners who administer the microloans Whole Planet Foundation funds.

We may be heading into the cold, dark days of winter, but my inbox has been glowing red-hot with a blast of news about sustainable finance. Updates are coming from every area of the category, from giant global entities to funds offering niche investment products, and services aimed at millennials and women.