UPAVIM Community Development Foundation

What UPAVIM Community Development Foundation does

UPAVIM Community Development Foundation (UCDF) is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, that serves as the fundraising and advisory arm of UPAVIM (Unidas para Vivir Mejor — United to Live Better), an independent women's cooperative located in the La Esperanza neighborhood of Guatemala City. The cooperative was founded in 1988 when a group of women began producing handmade crafts to generate income; founder Barb Lorraine and Guatemalan women initiated the Growth Monitoring Program in 1989 to address infant malnutrition, and the organization has since expanded into an integrated community development campus offering a K-6 Montessori school (~150 students), a Children's Center daycare/preschool (62 children), an English/bilingual program, a tutoring center, a scholarship program (~300 scholarships/year since 1992), a medical center (pharmacy, clinic, lab), a community library, and a self-sustaining bakery. The cooperative employs 60-75+ women primarily as seamstresses and handicraft producers, and the Guatemala-based council of 6-12 women governs each program collectively.

The business model blends earned revenue with charitable funding. Earned streams include sales of handmade fair trade crafts (jewelry, bags, textiles, kitchen accessories, baby products, holiday décor) through the owned upavimcrafts.org e-commerce store, the Fort Collins US distribution center (operating 28+ years), international wholesale to retail buyers, and local Guatemala retail and bakery/pharmacy sales. Charitable revenue comes from tax-deductible donations processed via the Zeffy platform from individuals, churches, foundations, and organizations (notably Rotary Clubs in California and UNICEF historically), supplemented by K-6 school tuition at $23/month, Beca de Carrerras vocational scholarships ($500-$1,000/year), an annual donor Guatemala Tour at $2,700/person (October 19-27, 2025), and volunteer-paid living expenses ($15/month communal, $20/week food) coordinated via JotForm. Donations are tax-deductible in the US, and UCDF board members commit to raising at least $1,000 annually.

UPAVIM is a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation and won a national Guatemalan prize for non-traditional textile exporting in 2001. Distribution spans global wholesale, US retail via Fort Collins, and local Guatemalan stores; marketing relies on organic channels (website, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, blog, email newsletter) with no paid acquisition or proprietary technology stack described. The organization is governed independently by its cooperative members with no parent company, PE involvement, or institutional investor; the US board provides fundraising and advisory support rather than operational control.

Name

UPAVIM Community Development Foundation

Legal name

UPAVIM Community Development Foundation

Website

https://upavim.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

UPAVIM Community Development Foundation is a US 501(c)(3) that funds and advises UPAVIM, a Guatemalan women's cooperative in La Esperanza operating integrated fair trade crafts, K-6 Montessori school, daycare, healthcare, library, and bakery programs serving 75+ women and 200+ children.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGALAL

Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGADAC

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAIAGAO

Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

SECONDARYBPAGAFAB

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

Keywords

• Fair trade crafts
• Community development programs
• Women's cooperative
• Montessori education
• Community healthcare

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Craft Sales (UPAVIM Crafts): Handmade fair trade crafts including jewelry, bags, textiles, kitchen accessories, baby products, holiday décor, and more. Products are sold through the online store upavimcrafts.org to customers worldwide. Revenue supports daycare, preschool, and school programs.
2. School Fees: Monthly tuition fee of $23 for K-6 Montessori School covers educational costs. Breakfast is provided to all students. Additional fees for uniforms, books, materials, and registration.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, churches, foundations, and organizations processed through Zeffy platform. Donations support scholarships, educational programs, library, and community services. All donations go directly to programs except minimal administrative costs.
4. Bakery and Store: Fresh bread and baked goods sold locally at a small store. Also sells soy milk and other soy products. The bakery and store are self-sustainable.
5. Pharmacy: Medicine sold at lowest possible prices, either donated or sourced from local pharmaceutical companies. Run by a nurse employed by UPAVIM.
6. Guatemala Tour: Exclusive tour experience October 19-27, 2025 at $2700 per person including meals, lodging, transportation within Guatemala, and tips. Offered to loyal donors as appreciation for contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

UPAVIM operates a women's cooperative in La Esperanza, Guatemala that produces and sells handmade fair trade crafts through upavimcrafts.org, while funding and operating community programs including a K-6 Montessori school, daycare/preschool, tutoring center, English language program, scholarship program, medical center (pharmacy, clinic, lab), community library, and bakery. The US-based 501(c)(3) arm (UCDF) raises funds, manages a Fort Collins distribution center, and recruits volunteers and donors to support programs.

Product overview

UPAVIM Community Development Foundation operates a portfolio of interconnected community development programs focused on women's economic empowerment in La Esperanza, Guatemala. The core offerings include UPAVIM Crafts, a fair trade handmade crafts cooperative generating income to fund educational programs, combined with the K-6 Montessori School and Children's Center providing childcare and primary education. Additional programs include an English Program, Tutoring Center, Scholarship Program, Medical Center (pharmacy/clinic/lab), Community Library, and Bakery. The organization also offers an annual Guatemala Tour for donors. These programs work together to provide employment, education, healthcare, and community services to over 70 women and hundreds of children annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UPAVIM Crafts Fair trade handmade crafts cooperative producing jewelry, bags, textiles, kitchen accessories, baby products, and holiday décor, sold internationally through the online store upavimcrafts.org and wholesale channels; founding member of the Fair Trade Federation.
• K-6 Montessori School Full-day K-6 Montessori school serving approximately 150 children annually from La Esperanza and neighboring communities, offering English as a second language and a safe learning environment; tuition is $23/month with breakfast included.
• Children's Center (Montessori Daycare and Preschool) Combined Montessori daycare and preschool for children ages 45 days to 5 years, providing childcare for working mothers and early childhood education; staffed by 7 UPAVIM members serving 62 children.
• English Program English as a second language program teaching children from 7:30am to 3:30pm; expanded to a full-day bilingual program in 2013 to address the imperative need for English skills in the Guatemalan education system.
• Tutoring Center

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60 women employed with fair wages and leadership opportunities
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fair Trade FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPAVIM is a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation, demonstrating commitment to cultivating positive social, economic, and environmental change through fair trade practices. As a member, UPAVIM provides equitable wages, job opportunities, capacity building, and safe working conditions.
• Queens College (CUNY)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Lilian Moncada Davidson, professor at Queens College in New York, trained several members of UPAVIM in the Montessori method to initiate the Children's Center program. Teachers have also received training in the United States.
• Partner Cooperatives (Lake Atitlan and Antigua)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner cooperatives in the highlands of Guatemala around Lake Atitlan and colonial city of Antigua that produce handmade wood and ceramic treasures. Mentioned in context of Guatemala Tour where visitors explore partner cooperatives.
• Language Schools in GuatemalaminorOthersLanguage schools throughout Guatemala that provide one-on-one Spanish lessons and family accommodations for volunteers who need language training before volunteering. Cost $100-$120 per week.
• Fairtrade AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization dedicated to building ethical trade relationships with farmers of high-risk products including cocoa, coffee, and bananas. Has partnerships with farmer organizations in Latin America including Guatemala. Board member experience with Fairtrade America informs UPAVIM's fair trade approach.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Equal Exchange: A worker-owned cooperative that sources fair trade coffee, chocolate, bananas, and other products from small farmer cooperatives globally. Equal Exchange mirrors UPAVIM's cooperative governance model and fair trade supply chain focus, though in food rather than crafts.
• SERRV International: A nonprofit fair trade organization that imports and sells handcrafted products from cooperatives in over 25 countries. SERRV shares UPAVIM's nonprofit 501(c)(3) structure, Fair Trade Federation membership, and mission of generating income for marginalized artisan communities through craft sales.
• Mayan Hands: A nonprofit that sells handwoven and handcrafted textiles produced by Mayan women's weaving cooperatives in Guatemala. Mayan Hands is the most geographically and culturally proximate peer, operating in the same country with the same artisan-cooperative model as UPAVIM.
• Ten Thousand Villages: A US-based fair trade retailer sourcing handmade crafts from artisan cooperatives in developing countries. Ten Thousand Villages is the most direct comparable to UPAVIM Crafts on the buyer/distributor side, sharing the Fair Trade Federation membership, wholesale-to-DTC model, and artisan-empowerment mission.

Broad incumbents

• Room to Read: An international nonprofit focused on literacy and gender equality in education across Asia and Africa. Room to Read is comparable in its integrated school-plus-scholarship-plus-library program model that UPAVIM operates locally in La Esperanza, though at much greater geographic scale.
• CARE: A major international humanitarian organization fighting global poverty with programs in education, health, and economic empowerment. CARE's women's empowerment programs in Guatemala and its integrated community development approach are broadly comparable to UPAVIM's mission at much larger scale.
• Heifer International: A large international development nonprofit working to end hunger and poverty through sustainable livestock and agriculture programs. While much larger and broader than UPAVIM, Heifer shares the integrated livelihoods-plus-education approach and works extensively with Latin American cooperatives.
• FINCA International: A nonprofit microfinance institution providing financial services to low-income entrepreneurs across Latin America, Africa, and Eurasia. FINCA's mission of economic empowerment for women in underserved communities parallels UPAVIM's employment-driven model, though via credit rather than cooperative production.

Emerging players

• Lambi Fund of Haiti: A nonprofit supporting sustainable development in Haiti through grants to peasant organizations, cooperatives, and small businesses. Lambi Fund shares UPAVIM's cooperative-empowerment model and focus on marginalized communities in a single Latin/Caribbean country.
• Esperanza International: A nonprofit providing microfinance, education, and community development in the Dominican Republic. Esperanza shares UPAVIM's focus on Latin American marginalized communities and integrated economic-plus-educational programming, and even shares the 'Esperanza' (Hope) naming through its La Esperanza community work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6pBDDe0aU-N7uVo0i36QVQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/UpavimCrafts
• Instagraminstagram.com/upavimcrafts

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UPAVIM Community Development Foundation