Lending an Ear to Loan Beneficiaries
A reminder that getting client and beneficiary feedback—even in the face of competing priorities—is critical to effective program design.
Economic Development Social innovations that improve the living standards of the poor
Latest
Credit Where It’s Due
New tools and practices are helping low-income Americans use rent payments to build up their financial profile.
Communities Building Their Own Economies
Low-income communities have the power to shape their economic future, but only if they have access to tools that educate and empower.
Renewable Energy Brings Opportunity for All
More than a billion people worldwide still lack electricity and the opportunity it can bring. But access is now more possible than ever.
The Time Bank Solution
For decades, time banking has been a relatively small-scale movement. But signs are emerging that it may be an idea whose time has come.
Most Popular
The Problem With Fair Trade Coffee
Fair Trade-certified coffee is growing in sales, but strict certification requirements are resulting in uneven economic advantages for coffee growers and lower quality coffee for consumers.
Ten Reasons Not to Measure Impact—and What to Do Instead
Impact evaluations are an important tool for learning about effective solutions to social problems, but they are a good investment only in the right circumstances.
Community Engagement Matters (Now More Than Ever)
In adopting data-driven practices, leaders must design and implement programs in ways that engage community members directly in the work of social change.
The Profit in Nonprofit
Why Kiva chose to be a 501(c)(3), what this tax status buys the organization, and how being a nonprofit poses challenges.
The Top 10 Books on the Economics of Poverty
A suggested reading list to provide a foundation for understanding development, aid, and poverty.