Shared Interest
Shared Interest is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit guarantee fund founded in 1994 that issues partial credit guarantees via Citibank SBLCs to unlock local financing for Black-owned SMEs, women entrepreneurs, and smallholder farmers across five Southern African countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Shared Interest does
Shared Interest is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit guarantee fund founded in 1994 by anti-apartheid activists to address the legacy of institutionalized race-based economic inequality in Southern Africa. The organization mobilizes capital from impact investors, foundations, and the faith-based community to issue partial credit guarantees — via Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs) channeled through Citibank — covering up to 75% of loan risk for Black-owned SMEs, women entrepreneurs, smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and affordable housing developers who lack sufficient collateral to access mainstream finance. Operating across five Southern African countries (South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Eswatini) through a network of local program consultants and partner financial institutions including FDH Bank, Inde Credit, Lead Impact Capital, and Prime Capital, Shared Interest has unlocked approximately $134 million in local SME loans since inception, assisting 237,000 enterprises and supporting nearly 2 million jobs.
The organization's core product is the partial credit guarantee mechanism, augmented by fixed-income Social Impact Investment Notes (minimum $3,000) that offer 100% principal repayment with interest to investors since 1994, the Donna Katzin Imbokodo Donor Circle for women's philanthropy, and the HBCU Social Impact Leaders Program for U.S. pipeline development. Revenue is generated through guarantee fund investments, philanthropic donations, and foundation grants, with a Loss Reserve Fund protecting investor capital. The model demonstrates a capital leverage ratio of approximately 1:4:2 — every dollar of guarantee capital unlocks roughly four dollars in loans, generating twice the impact value. Distributed via partner financial institutions in Southern Africa and direct investor sales in the U.S., Shared Interest has offices in New York, Atlanta, and Fourways (South Africa), with a 11–50 person team led by Executive Director Ann McMikel and Programs Director Dorcas Onyango (ex-Coca-Cola Africa sustainability). The organization is not pursuing an exit or commercialization path; its mission-driven nonprofit structure is central to its value proposition and stakeholder alignment.
Shared Interest firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shared Interest
- Legal name
- Shared Interest, Inc.
- Website
- https://sharedinterest.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Shared Interest is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit guarantee fund founded in 1994 that issues partial credit guarantees via Citibank SBLCs to unlock local financing for Black-owned SMEs, women entrepreneurs, and smallholder farmers across five Southern African countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shared Interest industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Development Finance / Nonprofit Guarantee Fund
- NAICS
- Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Credit / Direct Lending (FSAAAHAG), Private Credit & Direct Lending Fundraising Placement (FSAEALAE)
Keywords
Where Shared Interest is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Shared Interest business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Guarantee Fund Investments: Shared Interest provides fixed-income products to impact investors who provide capital as collateral for guarantees. Investors receive principal repayment with interest. The organization maintains a Loss Reserve Fund to protect investors' capital in the event of portfolio losses.
- Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, families, and organizations under 501(c)(3) status. Grants from foundations like Nasdaq Foundation support specific programs such as the HBCU Social Impact Leaders Project.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Standard Investment Minimum |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Shared Interest product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shared Interest is a nonprofit guarantee fund that mobilizes capital from impact investors and donors to issue partial credit guarantees (up to 75% of loan risk) through Standby Letters of Credit, de-risking Southern African banks and microfinance institutions so they extend credit to Black-owned SMEs, women entrepreneurs, and smallholder farmers who lack traditional collateral. The model pairs guarantees with technical assistance delivered through local program consultants in five countries. Investors receive fixed-income returns while donors supply first-loss and operating capital under the organization's 501(c)(3) status.
Product overview
Shared Interest operates as a nonprofit guarantee fund offering a unified portfolio of financial products centered on partial credit guarantees that de-risk lending to underserved Black entrepreneurs in Southern Africa. The core product is the partial credit guarantee mechanism, which uses standby letters of credit (SBLCs) to cover up to 75% of loan risk for high-impact borrowers. Supplementary offerings include the HBCU Social Impact Leaders Program for pipeline development, the Donna Katzin Imbokodo Donor Circle for pooled women's philanthropy, and Social Impact Investment Notes for impact investors. These products are interconnected—investor capital funds the guarantee mechanism, donor circles support first-loss and operating capital, and the HBCU program develops the next generation of impact investing professionals who will sustain the ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Donna Katzin Imbokodo Donor Circle: A donor circle that mobilizes a diverse group of women leaders and allies in supporting, championing, and investing in Black women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa.
- HBCU Social Impact Leaders Project
- Voices of Change Campaign
Products and services
- Partial Credit Guarantees Shared Interest's flagship offering uses Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs) issued through Citibank to guarantee up to 75% of high-impact loans made by Southern African financial institutions to Black entrepreneurs, women, smallholder farmers, and cooperatives that lack traditional collateral. The guarantee de-risks bank lending and unlocks local capital for underserved SMEs across South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Eswatini.
- Social Impact Investment Notes Fixed-income investment product with a minimum $3,000 investment that funds Shared Interest's guarantee mechanism. Investors receive principal repayment with interest and benefit from a Loss Reserve Fund protecting their capital, with a track record of 100% principal repayment since inception in 1994. Targeted at impact-conscious investors, foundations, faith-based institutions, and individuals seeking double-bottom-line returns.
- HBCU Social Impact Leaders Program Career development initiative providing HBCU students with education in sustainable and impact investing, ESG, and social entrepreneurship, featuring sponsored action learning projects, mentorship, and forum events including a Nasdaq Closing Bell Ceremony. Designed to develop the next generation of impact investing professionals and bridge the knowledge gap in sustainable finance.
- Donna Katzin Imbokodo Donor Circle A pooled philanthropy collective mobilizing women leaders and allies to support, champion, and invest in Black women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa. Membership tiers include $5,000 annually for women aged 35+ and $1,000 annually for women under 35, providing a structured giving vehicle for high-impact philanthropy.
Quantifiable outcome
- 237,000 SMEs assisted since inception
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Shared Interest
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Shared Interest technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Shared Interest partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- MCW GlobalcorePartnered with Shared Interest for the inaugural HBCU Social Impact Leaders Forum, hosting a Leadership Interactive session led by MCW Global's Executive Director Khalid Elachi and guest speakers.
- HBCU Partners (Spelman, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, Howard, Delaware State, Florida A&M)coreSix HBCUs participated in the pilot HBCU Social Impact Leaders Program in 2023, with over 80% of students seeking to balance financial returns with positive social and environmental outcomes. Expanded to five HBCUs for the 2024 forum.
- Lead Impact CapitalminorPartnership with Lead Impact Capital to support the Inclusive Housing Fund (IHF) providing affordable housing in South Africa, creating 500 jobs and benefiting 1,500 individuals.
- Joyce Banda Foundation InternationalminorPartnership through the Market Women's Activities Initiative in Malawi, providing a $1 million portfolio loan guarantee to FDH Bank for women-owned SMEs.
- WDB Growth FundminorPartnership with Faith Khanyile, Chairperson of WDB Growth Fund, who serves on Shared Interest's Board of Directors and participates in events and discussions.
- The Carter CentermajorHosted the 30th Anniversary Voices of Change Campaign launch in Atlanta. Board member Susan Marx serves as Human Rights Director at The Carter Center.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Shared Interest competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Root Capital: Nonprofit impact lender providing credit and capacity-building to small and growing businesses in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Directly comparable to Shared Interest as a mission-driven nonprofit that uses third-party credit structures (loan guarantees and direct lending) to unlock capital for collateral-poor enterprises in emerging markets.
- Kiva: 501(c)(3) nonprofit that crowdsources microloans to underserved entrepreneurs globally, including a substantive Southern African footprint through partner MFIs. Comparable in fund-mobilization model (donor/investor capital underwriting loans to collateral-poor borrowers) and in mission-driven nonprofit 501(c)(3) structure.
- Oikocredit: Dutch-based social investor pooling capital from individuals and institutions to provide loans and equity to microfinance institutions and SMEs in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Directly comparable in using pooled investor capital to finance MFI/SME partners in emerging markets with an impact-first mandate.
- Calvert Impact Capital: Nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) that pools investor capital to finance loans to underserved communities and impact enterprises. Comparable as a nonprofit intermediary that aggregates capital from impact investors and on-lends or structures facilities for mission-aligned borrowers.
- GuarantCo (PIDG): Part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group, providing partial credit guarantees to local banks and institutional investors to mobilize finance for infrastructure and SME projects in lower-income countries. The closest direct structural comparator to Shared Interest's SBLC-based partial credit guarantee mechanism.
Broad incumbents
- Acumen: Nonprofit impact-investing organization deploying patient capital and enterprise support in Africa and South Asia. Comparable as a flagship nonprofit impact investor with a long track record, Africa exposure, and a hybrid capital + technical-assistance model similar to Shared Interest's guarantee-plus-advisory approach.
- BlueOrchard Finance: Swiss-based investment manager and a recognized pioneer in microfinance and SME impact debt funds. Comparable in deploying structured fixed-income products to finance MFIs and SMEs in emerging/frontier markets, with an investor-base profile similar to Shared Interest's impact-investor pool.
- responsAbility Investments: Swiss impact asset manager running listed and private debt/equity funds invested in microfinance, SME finance, and climate finance across emerging markets. Comparable as a specialist impact fund manager pooling investor capital to fund MFI and SME partners in Africa and other emerging regions.
- Triodos Investment Management: European impact investment manager offering inclusion and emerging-markets debt funds focused on financial inclusion, SMEs, and renewable energy. Comparable as a values-led credit investor with institutional products directed at financial-institution and SME partners in developing economies.
Emerging players
- Grameen America: 501(c)(3) nonprofit replicating Grameen microfinance for women entrepreneurs in the U.S. Comparable in nonprofit model, gender-focused mission, and pooled-charitable-capital financing of collateral-poor women borrowers, though operating in the U.S. rather than Southern Africa.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Shared Interest social profiles
Digital presenceShared Interest financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shared Interest leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Shared Interest funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shared Interest M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shared Interest
What does Shared Interest do?
Shared Interest is a nonprofit guarantee fund that mobilizes capital from impact investors and donors to issue partial credit guarantees (up to 75% of loan risk) through Standby Letters of Credit, de-risking Southern African banks and microfinance institutions so they extend credit to Black-owned SMEs, women entrepreneurs, and smallholder farmers who lack traditional collateral. The model pairs guarantees with technical assistance delivered through local program consultants in five countries. Investors receive fixed-income returns while donors supply first-loss and operating capital under the organization's 501(c)(3) status.
Is Shared Interest a public or private company?
Shared Interest is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Shared Interest founded?
Shared Interest was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Shared Interest based?
Shared Interest is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Shared Interest make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Guarantee Fund Investments are the primary driver. The others are donations and Grants.
Who are Shared Interest's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Root Capital, Kiva, Oikocredit, Calvert Impact Capital and GuarantCo (PIDG). Broad incumbents are Acumen, BlueOrchard Finance, responsAbility Investments and Triodos Investment Management. Grameen America is listed as an emerging player.
Does Shared Interest have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shared Interest.
What industry is Shared Interest in?
Shared Interest's product category is Development Finance / Nonprofit Guarantee Fund. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure), with a secondary code of FSAAAHAG, Private Credit / Direct Lending. Its NAICS code is 522 and its SIC code is 6159.