Foundation For Women

What Foundation For Women does

Foundation For Women (FFW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 1997 in Coronado, California by Deborah Lindholm. It began by supporting a microfinance program in India that grew from 100 women to 1.5 million, then expanded operations into Zambia, South Africa, Niger, and starting in 2006, into Liberia, where it now operates exclusively after sunsetting its earlier U.S. San Diego microcredit program. As of 2024, FFW employs 1-10 staff split between a La Jolla, California headquarters (handling executive, communications, and donor relations) and Liberia-based teams in Monrovia and Paynesville (running daily operations, microfinance, school and clinic programs, and Center for Dialogue Africa initiatives).

The organization's core offering is FFW Microfinance, which disburses small business loans to women entrepreneurs in Liberia at low interest rates, with example loan amounts of $222, $445, and $556 USD (and L$40,000 / L$50,000 in Liberian dollars). Beyond direct lending, FFW operates an integrated four-pillar model covering microfinance, education (a School Loan Program with 150+ school partners via Edify), healthcare (Community Health Clinic Project / Network of Excellence with Benson Hospital), and housing (a 2021 partnership with Habitat for Humanity International). The Center for Dialogue Africa sub-brand delivers the Safe Conversations methodology, a step-by-step dialogue and trauma-healing framework licensed from Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt, deployed through ten trained facilitators. Additional offerings include the Skateboard Liberia Project (youth engagement), an agriculture project in Bong County (launched 2024), and educational technology deployment via Learning Upgrade (2023).

FFW's revenue model is a hybrid of charitable donations and program-generated income. The 501(c)(3) status channels tax-deductible donations from individuals and foundations (Federal Tax ID 33-0786016) into lending capital and operations, supplemented by recycled microfinance repayments (>95% repayment rate globally), merchandise sales (handmade bead jewelry, Microloan Blend Coffee, the 'Portraits of Progress' book), unit-priced donations such as $60 skateboards, and crowdfunding via Kickstarter for documentary films. FFW has reached more than 35,000 entrepreneurs, provided over 25,000 microfinance loans, and operates in 14 of Liberia's 15 counties since 2006. Notable partnerships include the World Bank / Central Bank of Liberia, Edify, Habitat for Humanity, Benson Hospital, Tony Hawk Foundation, Sector 9 Skateboards, YMCA Liberia, SaveMoreKids, Awesome Without Borders Foundation, Learning Upgrade, and the University of San Diego SOLES.

Name

Foundation For Women

Legal name

The Foundation for Women

Website

https://foundationforwomen.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Foundation For Women is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 that provides microfinance, education, healthcare, housing, and peacebuilding programs to women entrepreneurs and communities in 14 of Liberia's 15 counties, headquartered in La Jolla, California with operations in Monrovia and Paynesville, Liberia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microfinance and Community Development (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGABAM

Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

SECONDARYFSAKAGAA

Microloans & Working Capital Loans

Financial & Insurance/Lending & Consumer Finance/Small Business & Microenterprise Lending

SECONDARYBPAGALAJ

Financial Inclusion & Consumer Empowerment (Banking Access, Credit Building)

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

SECONDARYBPAGABAF

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

Keywords

• Microfinance lending
• Women empowerment programs
• Community development services
• Nonprofit financial inclusion
• Peacebuilding and dialogue

Headquarters

HQ city

La Jolla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: FFW operates primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations. The 501(c)(3) status allows tax-deductible donations. Donations support microfinance lending capital, program operations, and special initiatives like the Skateboard Liberia Project.
2. Microfinance Loan Repayments: Microfinance loans are provided to women entrepreneurs at low interest rates. The loans are repaid, allowing funds to be recycled and re-lent to additional borrowers. Organization reports over 95% repayment rate globally.
3. Product Sales: FFW sells merchandise including handmade bracelets, bead necklaces, Microloan Blend Coffee, and the book 'Portraits of Progress: Photographs from Liberia' to support programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Foundation For Women provides microfinance loans to women entrepreneurs in Liberia alongside integrated programs in education, healthcare, housing, and peacebuilding/dialogue. Its core programs include FFW Microfinance (business loans for women), the Center for Dialogue Africa (Safe Conversations workshops for trauma healing), Skateboard Liberia Project (youth engagement), Community Health Clinic Support, Housing Support with Habitat for Humanity, and a School Loan Program for low-fee independent schools.

Product overview

Foundation For Women operates a multi-faceted portfolio of programs centered on microfinance for women entrepreneurs in Liberia. The core offering is FFW Microfinance, which provides business loans and financing across multiple sectors including schools, healthcare, housing, and agriculture. This is complemented by the Center for Dialogue Africa, which delivers Safe Conversations workshops for peacebuilding and trauma recovery. Additional programs include the Skateboard Liberia Project for youth engagement, Community Health Clinic Support through a Network of Excellence with Benson Hospital, Housing Support in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, and a School Loan Program supporting low-fee independent schools. Revenue-generating merchandise including Fund a Participant microloans, Microloan Blend Coffee, and handmade jewelry provides additional funding streams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Center for Dialogue Africa: A non-profit resource committed to rebuilding Liberia through relationship education, trauma education, facilitation and dialogue training, housed within Foundation for Women, Monrovia, Liberia.

Products and services

• FFW Microfinance Microfinance program providing business loans and financing for women entrepreneurs, with applications across schools, healthcare, housing, clean water, and community farming across Liberia. Loans are provided at low interest rates with recycled capital, reporting a repayment rate exceeding 95% globally.
• Center for Dialogue Africa Non-profit program housed within Foundation For Women, focused on rebuilding Liberia through relationship education, trauma education, facilitation, and dialogue training. Implements the Safe Conversations methodology through trained facilitators.
• Safe Conversations Step-by-step dialogue methodology founded by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt, delivered as interactive workshops for people of all literacy levels. Used for trauma healing, peacebuilding, and community reconciliation in post-war Liberia.
• Skateboard Liberia Project Youth engagement program introducing skateboarding to Liberia, operated as the ELWA Academy Skateboard Club. Designed to bring joy to children who have experienced war and Ebola, build community, and incentivize education attendance.
• Community Health Clinic Support FFW Community Health Clinic Project providing microfinance capital to independent community health clinics, creating a Network of Excellence in partnership with Benson Hospital (which screens applicants and conducts oversight).
• Housing Support Fourth pillar of service partnering with Habitat for Humanity International to provide affordable safe housing assistance to women and families in Liberia.
• School Loan Program Microfinance loans to low-fee independent school operators in Liberia to enhance education for children, delivered in partnership with Edify, with complementary teacher training support from the University of San Diego (SOLES).
• Microloan Blend Coffee Coffee product sold through the FFW online store, with proceeds directly funding microcredit and education initiatives for women in Liberia.
• Handmade Jewelry and Gifts Handmade bead necklaces (by Elsa, priced $120–$130) and handmade glass bead bracelets ($20–$25) created by program participants, with proceeds supporting FFW programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.5 million women empowered globally with over $4 microloans
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Benson HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBenson Hospital serves as the hub for FFW's Community Health Clinic Project 'Network of Excellence.' FFW provides loans to community clinics while Benson Hospital screens applicants and conducts oversight. FFW raised $20,000 for hospital fire restoration.
• EdifycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide microfinance to low-fee independent schools (LFIS) in Liberia. Edify makes microfinance loans to Christian schools, with funds recycled as schools repay. This partnership has grown to touch thousands of children.
• Care 2 CommunitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the FFW Community Health Clinic Project, contributing to the collective impact approach alongside Benson Hospital and partner schools.
• Habitat for Humanity InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFW formalized partnership with Habitat for Humanity International in 2021 as their Liberia partner to bring housing expertise to the country. This represents FFW's 4th pillar of service - housing help.
• Tony Hawk FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupports recreational programs with focus on public skateboard parks in low-income communities. THF contributes one helmet to match each skateboard donated to FFW.
• Sector 9 SkateboardsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInitial sponsor that helped kick-off the Skateboard Liberia Project with an initial donation of helmets and skateboards in 2016.
• Awesome Without Borders FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDistributes monthly $1,000 grants to projects and creators. Provided grant funding for the Skateboard Liberia Project.
• YMCA LiberiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in bringing skateboarding programs to more children in Liberia, working with FFW and SaveMoreKids.
• SaveMoreKidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner collaborating on skateboarding programs for children in Liberia.
• Safe Conversations (Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt)coreTechnology or IntegrationFounders of the Safe Conversations methodology, a step-by-step process for dialogue that creates connection. FFW adopted this methodology for trauma healing and peacebuilding in post-war Liberia. Ten Safe Conversations Facilitators trained to lead dialogue workshops.
• Panta Pride FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization listed on FFW website partners page.
• Village ImpactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization listed on FFW website partners page.
• SheCan GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization listed on FFW website partners page.
• Could YouminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization listed on FFW website partners page.
• Bellwether NGOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization listed on FFW website partners page.
• Learning UpgrademajorTechnology or IntegrationPartnership announced in 2023 for educational technology deployment. 8-site, 200+ person deployment in Liberia where children and adults use the Learning Upgrade app for English, math, and job skills. Results include nearly 1,000 hours of learning, 5,000+ lessons completed, and 70 certificates earned.
• University of San Diego (SOLES)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool of Leadership and Education Sciences at USD conducted multiple trips to Liberia to train FFW school partners in education best practices.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Edify: Edify provides microfinance to low-fee independent schools in developing countries and is itself an FFW partner. Highly relevant as both an organizational peer (school-loan microfinance) and a current partner in Liberia.
• Heifer International: Heifer International focuses on rural livelihoods and economic empowerment through livestock and agricultural assets in developing countries. Comparable to FFW's rural economic empowerment and emerging agriculture project in Bong County.

Direct peers

• Opportunity International: Opportunity International provides small business loans, savings, and insurance to people in developing countries, with significant focus on women entrepreneurs. Directly comparable to FFW's women-focused microfinance model.
• Grameen America: Grameen America provides group-lending microfinance to women entrepreneurs in the U.S., directly comparable to FFW's women-focused microloans with recycled capital and small average loan sizes. Both organizations emphasize peer support and lending to women lacking traditional banking access.
• Kiva: Kiva is a P2P crowdfunding platform enabling individuals to fund microloans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, including Liberia. Comparable to FFW's 'Fund a Participant' donation model where donors fund specific women borrowers.
• Pro Mujer: Pro Mujer combines microfinance with health services and education for women in Latin America. Directly comparable to FFW's bundled microfinance-plus-services approach targeting low-income women.
• FINCA International: FINCA operates a global microfinance network serving low-income entrepreneurs across Africa, Latin America, and Eurasia with group-lending and individual loans. Comparable to FFW as a direct microfinance provider targeting women and underserved micro-entrepreneurs.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity International: Habitat for Humanity is the global housing nonprofit and a formal FFW partner since 2021. While operating at vastly larger scale, Habitat shares FFW's housing pillar and Liberia country presence.
• Mercy Corps: Mercy Corps is a large international development NGO operating across fragile markets with integrated programming in economic development, health, and peacebuilding. Comparable in mission and integrated approach, though at much larger scale and broader geography than FFW.
• BRAC: BRAC is one of the world's largest development NGOs combining microfinance with education, healthcare, and livelihood programs across multiple fragile markets. FFW's integrated five-pillar model mirrors BRAC's approach, but at a much smaller scale and with single-country focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/foundationwomen
• Facebookfacebook.com/thefoundationforwomen
• Instagraminstagram.com/foundationforwomen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foundation-for-women

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Foundation For Women