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Matt Flannery is the co-founder and CEO of Kiva.
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Kiva, AMEX

 One thing we've worked pretty hard on is keeping a high "leverage ratio".  By that, I mean the ratio between our orgs expenses and the amount our users send in loans to the low-income entrepreneurs on the site.  Traditionally, for every dollar spent on our infrastructure, our users lend out 8. 

We have the chance right now to get the biggest grant in our short history.  $1.5M could come from AMEX which would translate to $12M in 2009 if our ratios hold.  Given the fact that most of our users relend, most the $12M will continue to recycle in the system into perpetuity in and out of the hands of borrowers in over 40 countries.  So, this week, here's a serious way to help Kiva and to help hundreds of thousands....Vote on the AMEX challenge if you got an AMEX card and a free minute. 


Comments: 2

$12M in 2009?

Posted by Ryan Haugarth at May 11, 2009 09:01 AM

I'm a bit puzzled by the comment that the $1.5M prize will translate into $12M in loans. How does a historical ratio have anything to do with your incremental supply of flow of lender funds into your marketplace? What will you do with that $1.5M that will in any way drive additional funds through KIVA than would have happened without the award?

I think Kiva is a nice non-profit, but wouldn't the $1.5M award do a lot more good for society if it was directly distributed to those in need of micro-credit?

I'm all for microfinance, but I would like to see you guys build an economically viable model where you can pay your salaries without needing donations to cover "operating costs".

RH http://thegoodentrepreneur.blogspot.com/

AMEX

Posted by L. at May 11, 2009 09:01 AM

Great post! Thanks for this information. Keep it up! I read an article that stating that Amex is giving a great opportunity for those needs cash advance. American Express is offering some of their customer’s cash advances. If qualifying customers pay off their credit cards’ balance by the end of February, they get cash reward from AMEX. These offered cash advances are an incentive program that the company cooked up in order to boost their revenue and have their card carrying members benefit from it. The card company has been losing revenue as credit lines have been tightening up across the board. In the end, it will pay everyone that takes advantage of these offered Payday Loans from American Express – you may not want to leave home without paying it off, because then they’ll pay you!