MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: US Agency for International Development (USAID), NetHope Announce 3 Grants Totaling $42k to Support Electronic, Mobile Payments

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a government agency that provides international economic and humanitarian assistance, and NetHope, a consortium of 41 international humanitarian organizations, recently announced three grants totaling USD 42,000 that aim to support development organizations in testing electronic payments and performing cost-benefit analyses of cash versus electronic payment systems. The 2013 recipients of the Electronic and Mobile Payment Implementation and Evaluation Grants Program are Alalay Sa Kaunlaran, Inc., a Philippine microfinance institution (MFI); Concern Worldwide, a US-based humanitarian organization focused on economic development, and Mennonite Economic Development Associates, a Canada-based nonprofit that supports small businesses throughout the world. Alaly Sa Kaunlaran, Inc. plans to use its grant to evaluate and document the transition of loan disbursements from a check-based system to a mobile, cashless system. Concern Worldwide plans to use its grant to analyze the transition from cash to electronic payments in their Food Income and Markets and Education Programs in Malawi. Mennonite Economic Development Associates plans to use its grant in Tanzania to implement a commercially sustainable Cassava seed distribution system.

NetHope organizations have spent a total of USD 40 billion on emergency relief and humanitarian projects since its formation in 2001. USAID had a total of USD 51.6 billion in budgetary resources in 2013.

By Megan McGowan, Research Associate

About NetHope:

NetHope was founded in 2001 as a consortium of 41 international humanitarian organizations that use technology to serve more than 180 countries.  NetHope organizations have spent USD 40 billion on emergency relief and humanitarian projects since its creation.

About US Agency for International Development (USAID):

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a government agency that provides international economic and humanitarian assistance. It focuses on areas such as economic growth, agriculture, trade, health, democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance. Under the Development Credit Authority (DCA), it provides credit guarantees that cover up to 50 percent of defaults on wholesale loans made by private financial institutions to institutions that lend on a retail basis to under-served borrowers. USAID had a total of USD 51.6 billion in budgetary resources in 2012.

Sources and Additional Resources:

[1] Net Hope: “USAID and NetHope Announce Three Grants for Electronic and Mobile Payment Implementation and Evaluation,” http://nethope.org/media/press-room/usaid-nethope-announce-3-grants-for-electronic-and-mobile-payment-implement#

MicroCapital: “YellowPepper Launches Mobile Payments System in Colombia,” September 5, 2013, https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-yellowpepper-launches-mobile-payments-system-in-colombia/

MicroCapital: “Tigo Ghana, EB Accion, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, USAID to Help Women Become Mobile Money Agents,” June 5, 2013, https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-tigo-ghana-eb-accion-cherie-blair-foundation-for-women-usaid-to-help-women-become-mobile-money-agents/

MicroCapital: “Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), US Agency for International Development (USAID) Commit $23m to Development Innovations Group (DIG) Housing Finance Facility in Haiti,” March 7, 2013, https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-overseas-private-investment-corporation-opic-us-agency-for-international-development-usaid-commit-23m-to-development-innovations-group-dig-housing-finance-facility-in-haiti/

MicroCapital Universe Profile: United States Agency for International Development (USAID): https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=United+States+Agency+for+International+Development+%28USAID%29

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