The NEO Fund helps economically challenged men and women transform their lives through microlending by providing small loans in the context of caring relationships that create a path toward dignity, hope, and opportunity.
We are the lowest-cost provider of micro-loans. While most micro-finance institutions gravitate toward middle-class borrowers, we intentionally serve those at the bottom of the economic ladder, including women who have never owned a business before.
BORROWER SUCCESS STORY
Joseling: A Mom, a Dreamer, a Small-Business Rockstar:
Joseling lives in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua. She started selling snacks and shoes, but high-interest everyday lenders ate up all her profits. Then Neo Fund changed everything. They offered lower rates, easier payments, and free hands-on training.
Our local team taught Joseling to track every sale and expense, save 50 córdobas every day, and market her business on social media. Today she sells clothes and shoes by order, and runs a profitable nighttime fritanga and fresh produce stand.
She's paid off three loans, just renewed her fourth, and is working toward opening new sales spots. Her big dream? To buy a small piece of land for her kids.
In Her Own Words:
"They believed in me when no one else did. I tell every friend who asks, “Go with Neo Fund. They have a great support system for women like us!'" — Joseling, Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua.
WHO WE SERVE
82% of our borrowers are women. Up to 50% are single mothers. We serve low-income entrepreneurs with the desire to succeed, many of whom have never previously contributed to family income.
Since 2009, we have extended 4,594 loans totaling $1.2 million to the poor and vulnerable. Today, we manage 538 active loans across three countries, with a portfolio that has grown to $139,099.
Because of our program, kids eat better, attend school, and get medicine when they're sick. Families improve their homes with cement floors and running water — filling our borrowers with pride at their own accomplishments.
WHERE WE WORK
In Nicaragua, we serve borrowers in two low-income neighborhoods of Managua: Ciudad Sandino and Cristo Rey. This is where our local Nicaraguan team of trained professionals identifies, trains, and supports entrepreneurs in close proximity.
In addition to Nicaragua, our largest operation, The NEO Fund extends microloans in Guatemala and India, with 11 professional employees across all three countries.
BY THE NUMBERS
4,594 total loans extended since 2009
$1.2 million in microloans across three countries
538 active loans today
82% of borrowers are women
$475 average loan size in Nicaragua
Lowest interest rates of any micro-finance program in the areas served
Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator — a "Give with Confidence" charity.
