Impact Funding in East Africa & Thailand
Funds for Impact Foundation
Creating dignified jobs through patient growth capital that helps social businesses scale and improve livelihoods.
About us
We are an impact-first
non-profit debt investor
FFI provides capital and support for social businesses that create new dignified jobs or significant income improvements for disadvantaged people and the base of the pyramid in East Africa and Thailand.
FFI was founded in 2024 as a charitable foundation in Berlin, Germany
Main Goal
Our goal is to support social businesses that give disadvantaged people a dignified job or significantly increase their income to improve their livelihoods.
Accepting risks to gain impact
We provide patient, outcomes-driven debt below market rates to underfunded regions and businesses in East Africa and Thailand.
Support local social businesses
We support proven businesses with market traction and positive unit economics, led by ambitious teams ready to create sustainable jobs and income opportunities for people in need.
Our Theory of Change
We believe that a dignified job is the most effective way of breaking the poverty cycle
INPUT & ACTIVITIES
We work with a purpose-driven team that focuses on identifying businesses with high potential to improve the livelihoods of disadvantaged communities. We provide impact-focused, patient debt capital to support their growth and complement this with hands-on advisory support in entrepreneurship, business growth, and financial and impact management.
OUTPUT
The supported businesses expand their operations, revenues, and profitability, enabling them to finance further growth either internally or through the attraction of market-rate follow-on funding. At the same time, they create many new dignified jobs or significantly improve and stabilize the incomes of low-income business partners. Jobholders and low-income partners are actively upskilled to enhance their future employability and income opportunities.
OUTCOME (JOB HOLDERS)
As a result of stable income, jobholders are able to meet all essential needs and purchase household assets that improve their quality of life. Households can reduce their debt burden and build up savings. They are also able to invest in their children’s future, for example by enabling them to stay in school or pursue higher education.
IMPACT (JOB HOLDERS)
Households become more stable and economically self-sufficient. They build financial resilience through savings that help them cope with emergencies and unexpected events. Over time, the next generation gains the freedom to pursue careers of their choice and to earn higher incomes than the previous generation.
OUR JOURNEY
Get to know our founding story in early 2020s
Conceptualization
Extensive research, expert talks and field visits over several years lead to the refinement of the foundations theory of change and the basic conceptual setup.
Founding Year
The FFI Funds For Impact Foundation gGmbH is founded as a charitable, impact-first organization in Germany. The Impact Advisor joins the team and embeds a strong impact focus into the internal structures and processes from the beginning on.
Partnerships & Investments
The Portfolio Leader joins the team to set up partnerships with impact-driven investment funds based in East Africa. First portfolio businesses are funded while FFI further refines its internal operations.
Continuous validation and growth
Investment Partnerships are fully leveraged
to grow the portfolio. Continuous impact
measurements in the field validate and
refine the theory of change. Activities in
new regions like Thailand can be started.
COLLABORATION APPROACH
Synergetic collaboration
with like-minded funds
OUR TEAM
A lean, focused, international team of experts
Founder
Focusing on the vision of the foundation, contributing entrepreneurial spirit and funds for impact
Based in Germany
Impact Advisor
Focusing on the foundations and the portfolios impact, contributing deep impact measurement and management experience
Based in India
