What is MicroBuild?

MicroBuild Fund is the first housing-focused microfinance investment vehicle dedicated to helping low-income families. The fund lends to microfinance institutions, which in turn provide small loans to families to build safe, decent and durable homes as their finances allow. The fund has grown rapidly and has provided access to better housing for more than 272,000 people.

How were they initially funded?

Using a mix of equity of debt, MicroBuild enjoyed funding from Omidyar Network, Habitat for Humanity and TripleJump.

What have they accomplished?

As of June 30, 2016, the MicroBuild Fund has approved $61.5 million across 39 institutions in 23 countries, of which $50.5 million has already been disbursed to 32 institutions in 20 countries. MicroBuild has helped microfinance institutions pilot new housing microfinance products and has fostered capital investment and specialized technical assistance through the Terwilliger Center to help design or enhance these products.

What’s next?

We believe that secure rights to property and resources trigger a multiplying effect of opportunity: social identification and inclusion; economic stability; and better environmental stewardship. MicroBuild helps create the infrastructure needed to expand access to property rights worldwide. This is also a good example of our approach to supporting entire sectors, not only individual enterprises.