What Small Foundation does

Small Foundation is an Irish registered charity (Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered Charity Numbers CHY 17841 and 20067151) established in 2007 and headquartered at 30 Merrion Square North, Dublin. The foundation's stated mission is to support rural micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across sub-Saharan Africa as a pathway to poverty eradication. It does not sell products or services; instead, it operates as a catalytic philanthropic foundation that channels grants and social investments through mission-aligned partner intermediaries — including investment funds, accelerators, impact networks, and research institutions — that in turn provide capital, capacity building, and market access to rural African entrepreneurs, farmers, and small businesses. Since 2007, the foundation has committed over €39 million to partners, reaching 4,700+ African SMEs across 44 countries by end of 2024 through its partner ecosystem.

Small Foundation's work is organized around three defined "system entry points": (1) commercially viable, sustainable models serving rural MSMEs; (2) connected, transparent and learning ecosystems; and (3) changing patterns of empowerment and agency in Africa. The foundation's go-to-market is community-led and ecosystem-based — it does not market to end-user MSMEs directly but instead curates and funds a portfolio of intermediary partners (36 partners in 2024, up from 19-20 in prior years) that include sector networks such as AFRACA (110 institutional members across 30 African countries), A&A Collective (538 members), AMEA (36 members), and Women in African Investments (300+ senior female investment professionals). It also co-develops knowledge products, including the Farmer Thriving Index with 60 Decibels, the 4V Model network diagnostic with Creative Metier, and Network Evaluation Toolkit outputs in collaboration with Converge, and has incubated Emerald Africa as an early-stage debt vehicle for digital innovators serving rural SMEs.

The foundation is led by CEO & Chair Conor Brosnan, with Karina Wong as Head of Investments, and supported by a Dublin-based team of 11-50 employees. It does not have a parent company, external shareholders, or publicly disclosed revenue/endowment figures, and is funded by its own endowment. Recent strategic emphasis (2025-2026) has been on deepening partnerships in digital finance infrastructure (AllianceDFA, Interledger Foundation), food systems (GanzAfrica), climate resilience (Climate Resilient Africa Fund), and displaced communities (Refugee Investment Network), alongside continued support for women in investing and emerging fund managers across Africa.

Name

Small Foundation

Legal name

Small Foundation CLG

Website

https://smallfoundation.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Small Foundation is an Irish registered charity that provides grants and social investments to a network of 36+ partner intermediaries supporting rural micro, small and medium enterprises across 44 sub-Saharan African countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation / Development Finance

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

Keywords

• Philanthropic foundation grants
• Rural MSME finance
• Social investment Africa
• Grantmaking sub-saharan Africa
• Catalytic development capital

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant funding and social investments: Small Foundation operates as a charitable foundation that disburses funding to partners through grants and social investments. They do not generate revenue from products or services. Their funding comes from charitable sources and is deployed to support rural MSMEs in Africa.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Small Foundation is a charitable foundation that deploys capital through grants and social investments to mission-aligned partner intermediaries supporting rural micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in sub-Saharan Africa. It also provides technical assistance, skilled human resources, and ecosystem convening, and produces research and impact measurement outputs (Farmer Thriving Index, Network Evaluation Toolkit, 4V Model). Its work is structured around three system entry points: commercially viable sustainable models serving rural MSMEs, connected transparent and learning ecosystems, and changing patterns of empowerment and agency in Africa.

Product overview

Small Foundation is an Ireland-based charitable foundation (registered charity) focused on supporting rural micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across sub-Saharan Africa. Rather than offering technology products, Small Foundation operates as a funding and impact organization that provides grants and social investments to mission-aligned partners, supports impact networks, and conducts research. The organization's work is organized around three strategic system entry points: commercially viable sustainable models serving rural MSMEs, connected transparent and learning ecosystems, and changing patterns of empowerment and agency in Africa. Key outputs include impact reports (published annually), research publications, and network evaluation toolkits developed in partnership with organizations like Converge and Creative Metier.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grants and Social Investments to Partners Deployment of charitable capital through grants and social investments to selected partner organisations (investment funds, accelerators, networks, research institutions) that in turn support rural African MSMEs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,700+ African SMEs reached by partner investments (2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

36 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• A&A CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026Partnership renewal with A&A Collective, an impact network representing 538 members across African tech and investment ecosystem (42% female), representing 26 countries globally including 138 investors and 155 firms.
• FASAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Partnership to build evidence for agri-SME fund performance with FASA (Financing for Agriculture in South Africa), focusing on agricultural finance and fund performance measurement.
• AllianceDFA (Alliance of Digital Finance and Fintech Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Matched core support partnership with AllianceDFA alongside Interledger Foundation to strengthen inclusive digital finance ecosystems. AllianceDFA is a global convenor and community of practice for responsible and inclusive digital finance, representing 2,000 fintechs, agritechs, neobanks, and microfinance institutions.
• Pollinate ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Partnership to strengthen incubation ecosystems across the Global South. Pollinate Impact is a global network of 43 incubators across East Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia working to drive collaboration and systems-level change.
• Refugee Investment NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026Partnership to support more effective capital deployment for displaced communities in Southern Africa through the Refugee Investment Network.
• 2X GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Partnership focuses on learning and impact agenda of the 2X Ignite Africa Warehousing Facility, aiming to inform how capital is deployed to early-stage fund managers.
• Women in African Investments (WAI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Network of over 300 senior female investment professionals driving systemic change for greater capital allocation to and by women investors in Africa. Small Foundation provided renewed support for network infrastructure rebuild.
• Samawati Capital PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2024Nairobi-based investment and impact advisory firm partnered to complete feasibility study on designing a Collateral Management Agreement (CMA) Fund and Technical Assistance Facility for working capital for agri-SMEs in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania.
• GanzAfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmall Foundation deepened partnership with GanzAfrica focused on building connections and driving change in Rwanda's food systems. GanzAfrica works on agricultural development and market systems in Rwanda.
• EFAfrica Group (EFAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner operating in Kenya and Tanzania, specializing in equipment loans for micro, small and medium enterprises and farmers, helping enterprises develop and scale.
• CoAmanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital marketplace platform providing inclusive finance and digitizing marketplaces for small-scale traders and smallholder farmers in Nigeria and Kenya.
• Emerald AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubated by Small Foundation to address early-stage debt gap for digital innovators that are expanding access to finance for rural SMEs, enabling ventures like CoAmana to scale.
• 60 DecibelscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal tech-enabled impact measurement company supporting the Farmer Thriving Index (FTI) to survey and benchmark farmer wellbeing. In 2024, launched Coffee Farmer Thriving Index in Uganda, Rwanda and DRC.
• AFRACA (African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional association of 110 institutional members across 30 African countries involved in promoting rural and agricultural finance. Established in 1977, based in Nairobi, Kenya.
• African Food FellowshipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem leadership organization coordinating 4 cohorts of fellows with 218 graduating from Food Systems Leadership Programme in Kenya and Rwanda.
• Agri-SME Learning CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative effort with 24 institutional members working to enhance learning, evidence and collaboration in agricultural SME finance sector, co-launched with CSAF.
• AMEA (Agribusiness Market Ecosystem Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network with 36 members (25 in Africa across 9 countries) accelerating professionalisation of farmer organisations. Launched international standard ISO 18716 on professional farmer organisations.
• Advancing Women in Investing (AWI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative network of over 80 first-time and emerging female investment vehicle managers seeking to democratize access to funding and opportunity in Africa.
• Impact FrontierscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to advance more effective and meaningful impact reporting across the investment ecosystem in Africa, including reporting on progress towards systems change.
• Interledger FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership with AllianceDFA to strengthen inclusive digital finance ecosystems. Interledger Foundation is committed to open, inclusive financial ecosystems.
• ConvergecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of strategists, designers, storytellers and systems thinkers that helped Small Foundation develop its network practice and provided coaching to network partners. Partnership ran from 2018-2024.
• Village CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports impact-driven, seed-stage startups. Part of Small Foundation's partner ecosystem working with entrepreneur support organisations.
• Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobilising local investment capital across Africa, creating more than 1,600 permanent jobs. Active in Cameroon, Guinea, and West Africa.
• 54 CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenture capital organization working for entrepreneurs, screening 150 businesses for Agtech with 3 businesses approved for venture support.
• Aceli Africa / CSAFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil on Smallholder Agricultural Finance and Aceli Africa transforming agricultural lending through innovative blended finance structures.
• ANDE West Africa (Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional chapter with inclusive platform for stakeholders engaged in small and growing business ecosystem. Draws on ANDE's membership of over 250 organisations globally.
• VunaPaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnables instant payments to smallholder farmers when they deliver produce to cooperatives, digitising transactions and building credit histories.
• CherehanicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides loans to women micro-entrepreneurs in rural Kenya using mobile technology and community lending groups, with support from Emerald Africa.
• SevicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps small businesses keep shelves stocked by offering quick, convenient access to credit for supply chain management, supported by Emerald Africa.
• VetsarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps farmers access credit for feeds, medications, chicks, and other essentials while connecting them to trusted suppliers and fair markets.
• Warc AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperating in Ghana and Sierra Leone for over ten years, unlocking potential of farmers by removing barriers through inputs as a service, knowledge building and access to markets.
• FASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancing for Agriculture in South Africa, partner for building evidence for agri-SME fund performance measurement.
• Climate Resilient Africa FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for advancing climate resilience in African food systems.
• African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork focused on venture philanthropy approaches in Africa.
• Collaborative for Frontier Finance (CFF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork addressing the 'missing middle' financing gap through convening institutional investment to local capital providers.
• Creative MetiercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the 4V Model tool for impact networks, offering a diagnostic framework to strengthen network performance and impact.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ANDE (Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs): ANDE is a global network supporting the small and growing business ecosystem in emerging markets, with a regional West Africa chapter. Directly comparable as an ecosystem-builder in the same MSME finance space Small Foundation operates in.
• Aceli Africa: Aceli Africa is a market catalyst providing financial incentives to lenders serving agri-SMEs in East Africa. Directly comparable in its mission to close the financing gap for African agricultural SMEs, and Small Foundation is a known partner.
• Tony Elumelu Foundation: The Tony Elumelu Foundation is one of the largest African philanthropic initiatives funding African entrepreneurs and SMEs across the continent. Comparable in mission and Africa-only MSME/entrepreneurship focus, but operates a much larger direct grant programme.
• AgDevCo: AgDevCo is a specialist investor in African agribusinesses, providing capital and technical assistance to early-stage SMEs. Closely comparable as a partner-ecosystem investor in African agri-SMEs and an active Small Foundation partner.
• Shell Foundation: Shell Foundation is a UK-based catalytic foundation that uses grants and catalytic capital to scale clean energy and livelihoods ventures in emerging markets. Comparable as a systems-change philanthropic investor using intermediary partners.
• Acumen: Acumen is a global catalytic foundation investing in early-stage enterprises serving low-income communities, with deep Africa exposure via Acumen West Africa. Closely comparable as a systems-change-oriented philanthropic investor in African SMEs and agri-SMEs.
• CSAF (Council on Smallholder Agricultural Finance): CSAF is a network of impact lenders focused on smallholder agricultural finance in emerging markets. Highly comparable to Small Foundation's focus on agri-SME finance and is a co-launch partner of the Agri-SME Learning Collective.

Broad incumbents

• Mastercard Foundation: Mastercard Foundation is one of the largest philanthropic foundations in the world with a major focus on Africa, including youth employment and agricultural transformation. Overlaps substantially with Small Foundation's MSME/Africa focus but at vastly greater scale and broader mandate.
• Omidyar Network: Omidyar Network is a US-based impact investing and philanthropic firm with Africa exposure across digital inclusion and entrepreneurship. Comparable in using grants and investments through intermediaries, but with a much broader thematic mandate.
• FMO (Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank): FMO is a Dutch development finance institution that invests in financial institutions and funds serving MSMEs in Africa. Comparable as a wholesale investor in the African MSME finance ecosystem, though at much larger scale and as a regulated DF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SmallFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/small-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments15 records

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Frequently asked questions about Small Foundation