Friendship Bridge believes in the importance and the power of collaboration and cooperation. Below are organizations and groups that we are proud to partner with in our mission to provide microcredit and education to help women and their families create their own solutions to poverty.

Dining for Women, changing the world one dinner at a time, is a non-profit giving circle dedicated to empowering women and girls living in extreme poverty.  

Fundación Carlos F. Novella, the philanthropic arm of Cementos Progreso (a Guatemalan cement corporation), focuses on partnerships and funding opportunities that enrich the lives of community members in which the company operates. Through a partnership with the foundation, Friendship Bridge now offers microcredit and education to women in San Juan, Sacatepéquez.

Freedom from Hunger, an international development organization that provides innovative, sustainable self-help solutions to fight hunger and poverty, continues to provide capacity building, industry expertise and best practices advice to enhance Friendship Bridge’s operations.

GreaterGood.org partners with and funds nonprofit organizations around the world that are focused on issues related to hunger, poverty, peace, cancer and other widespread health problems, literacy and education, ecology, and animal protection and care. In addition to being a charitable partner of Greatergood.org, Friendship Bridge is also featured on GreaterGood's Gifts That Give More platform, which allows people to learn about our work and donate directly to our organization. Friendship Bridge's client stories are featured on the GreaterGood Blog and on their Facebook page.

Kiva, an internationally-recognized nonprofit that links individual lenders to microfinance institutions, and Friendship Bridge renewed our partnership in 2011. Friendship Bridge partnered with Kiva in years past, channeling more than $460,000 in microloans to impoverished women in Guatemala. The renewed partnership with Kiva will allow Friendship Bridge to empower more women in Guatemala as well as elevate the organization's exposure and reputation through a well-known and respected partner.

MicroPlanet Technologies (MPT), a nonprofit that provides state-of-the-art technology and world-class systems support to microfinance institutions (MFIs), is Friendship Bridge’s partner in implementing the new management information system (MIS). Offering lower servicing costs and more affordable, customizable solutions to organizations like Friendship Bridge, MPT is a new nonprofit solely focused on microfinance. Friendship Bridge served as MPT’s fiscal sponsor in 2010, while MPT was securing its 501(c)3 status.                                                                                                                                                 

Photolease, a UK-based company that leases photo and imagery equipment, was drawn to Friendship Bridge's microcredit program. Looking to make an international impact, Photolease began supporting Friendship Bridge's work in 2011 and has since established a foundation to support microfinance organizations around the world. Photolease created a short film about Friendship Bridge clients during the summer of 2011 to show others the importance of microcredit in the lives of impoverished women. The film as been adapted for US audiences and will debut at Friendship Bridge's Building Bridges 2012 Gala on April 19, 2012. 

REDIMIF (the Microfinance Institutions Network of Guatemala) coordinates the efforts and resources of its affiliates, which include Friendship Bridge, to promote projects of microenterprise and development in Guatemala. The network provides products and services, financial and technical training, and union representation. Representing Friendship Bridge, our Education Manager sits on the board of REDIMIF.
 
REDCAMIF (the Central American Microfinance Network) is a membership-based organization of which Friendship Bridge belongs to. REDCAMIF focuses on promoting the microfinance industry and its impact on economic and social development. It also works to influence political and regulatory policies to benefit and strengthen the microfinance sector in Central America.

Rotary International and Friendship Bridge have collaborated on more than 20 projects since 1996. Currently, 11 Colorado Rotary Clubs, the Rotary Foundation and The Rotary Club of Guatemala Metropoli, are supporting Friendship Bridge clients in Sumpango, Sacatepéquez, which has a large Kakchiquel Mayan population. The current project was was led by Westminister 7:10 Rotary Club.

SMART Campaign is an international group of microfinance institutions (MFIs) and individuals dedicated to ensuring that clients, not profit margins, are the primary drivers of the industry.  Integrating more tangible metrics specific to the SMART Client Protection Principles, which include six core standards based on clients’ rights, is a priority of Friendship Bridge’s 2011-2013 Strategic Plan.

Starfish One by One works in the same communities in Guatemala as Friendship Bridge. Starfish One by One transforms Mayan families and communities by empowering young women. Friendship Bridge works with Starfish One by One on education programs for girls, some of whom may be Friendship Bridge clients one day.

Tulong, LLC. Tulong, LLC. has partnered with Friendship Bridge to donate a portion of its proceeds from its "Repair the World" clothing line to support our microcredit and education programs.  Tulong, LLC. is a new company that is dedicated to making a difference in the world through the manufacture of environmentally and socially sustainable apparel.