FUNDING AVAILABLE
Kiva loans are currently limited to $15,000.
- No interest
- No fees
Loans must be repaid according to terms set by Kiva, generally not more than 36 months, starting six months after receipt of funding.
ELIGIBILITY
Those who qualify for eligibility are businesses in Florida and new and existing micro-enterprises
*A micro-enterprise is a very small native plant business, with typically fewer than ten staff or $300,000/year in gross sales.
We prioritize endorsement of borrowers who will:
- Create or expand a native plant business in Florida.
- Expand the diversity of native plant species that an existing business sells.
How It Works
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- Borrower applies for our endorsement.
- We conduct an onsite visit and decide on the endorsement.
- Borrower signs an agreement and applies to Kiva for a loan.
- Kiva approves the borrower.
- We help the borrower get loans from individuals on the Kiva platform.
- Loan is funded through Kiva.
- Kiva manages the loan.
- Borrower repays the loan to Kiva.
- Kiva repays the individual lenders.
Borrowers: get our endorsement
Native Plant Lovers
Help new native plant nurseries get started or existing small operations expand, diversify and become more economically sustainable.
Additional Details
Approved applicants will be visited by a foundation representative prior to our final decision on endorsement. If we decide to endorse, we send the borrower an agreement detailing communication requirements and other responsibilities.
We do not provide direct funding to borrowers. We lend through the Kiva platform, and may do via a "matching funds" model to encourage other lenders.
Endorsed borrowers apply directly through Kiva to be approved for the loan amount and terms. Prior to going public on the Kiva platform, borrowers prove credit worthiness by raising money from friends and family. After this “private” fundraising phase is over, the loan goes public on Kiva. We provide “friends” and funds during both phases to help borrowers obtain their full requested loan amount.
Kiva is a U.S. 501c3 nonprofit with offices around the world. Kiva US partners with organizations like ours to offer affordable microloans to entrepeneurs. Since 2011, Kiva has facilitated the crowdfunding of $29 million from 230,000 lenders to 5500 borrowers, 81% of whom were women.