Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA)

MEDA is a pioneering impact investor and international development organization that has been creating business solutions to poverty since 1953. Through its unique Program Plus model, MEDA combines grant funding, risk capital investment, and technical assistance to transform agri-food systems in emerging markets. The organization acts as both a funder and a partner, working directly with smallholder farmers, entrepreneurs, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to remove barriers to growth and create dignified employment opportunities.

MEDA provides funding through multiple channels: direct investment via the MEDA Risk Capital Fund (MRCF), grant-funded development programs, and blended finance mechanisms. The MRCF invests in promising agribusinesses with strong unit economics and scalable business models, providing both debt and equity financing. MEDA's development programs, such as AVENIR in Senegal, RIZAO in West Africa, GROW2 in Ghana, and FEGGE in Tanzania, provide financial and technical assistance to farmers, cooperatives, and agri-enterprises. The organization also references "matching grants" for lead firms and businesses receiving support.

Since 2020, MEDA has created 283,784 decent jobs and reached 7.6 million clients through partnerships with over 800 businesses, 302 local organizations, and 202 financial institutions. The organization's strategic plan targets one million decent jobs by 2030. MEDA has operated in more than 80 countries, implementing over 300 projects and managing US$842 million in its history. The organization is particularly focused on women and youth entrepreneurship, with significant percentages of supported entrepreneurs being women.

MEDA is governed by a Board of Directors composed of volunteer members with expertise in entrepreneurship, finance, agri-business operations, and investment. The organization maintains transparency through annual reports, publications, and impact assessments. MEDA is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States (EIN 23-7398678) and as a registered charity in Canada (No. 107 691 057 RR0001). The organization has earned Guidestar transparency recognition and a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.