Root Capital

Root Capital provides agricultural businesses with a unique combination of credit and capacity building. The organization also catalyzes change in the broader sector through evaluation and shared learning. Please refer to the organization's website for further information and statistics on program accomplishments.finance: Root Capital typically provides loans and lines of credit ranging from $50,000 to $4 million to small and growing businesses, that source from small-holder farmers, with a focuses on those businesses not reached by commercial lenders.most Root Capital loans can be categorized as follows:1) lines of credit, with tenors of one to three years and are used for working Capital to finance the cost of purchasing and processing raw material sourced from smallholder farmers.2) term loans, granted from time to time, with maximum tenors of seven years are provided in connection with the working Capital financing to finance certain fixed asset purchases and investments, including equipment, infrastructure improvements, and agricultural inputs. Root Capital assesses prospective clients and evaluates them on a series of financial, social, and environmental criteria. Social criteria include prices paid to suppliers, employee wages, and working conditions, and company support for social programs such as training and medical care. Environmental criteria include soil and water management, the impact of the business on the surrounding community, and standards for product handling and processing.root Capital's lending supports sustainable environmental practices that protect rural ecosystems. Crops processed and marketed by Root Capital clients primarily in industries including coffee, cocoa, and certain tree nuts.

Catalyze: Root Capital seeks to catalyze a thriving financial market to support historically underserved rural small and growing businesses. The program's strategy is to:1. Innovate - conduct r&d, study impact at the household and business levels, and look for ways to increase impact.2. Accelerate - share learning from work with like-minded peers to build common standards and practices necessary for the industry to thrive and scale.through industry associations Root Capital plays a leadership role in building the enabling environment for rural small and growing business finance.as a non-profit committed to alleviating rural poverty, Root Capital seeks to maximize the positive social and environmental impact of our work. Economic, community, and environmental sustainability are all part of our core values.economic sustainability - Root Capital clients link small-scale farmers to markets that can offer higher and more stable prices than they have historically received. Root Capital clients also generate employment including managers, accountants, agricultural extension staff, drivers, and workers at processing plants.community sustainability - farmer associations encourage participatory decision-making and are a source of community ownership and pride, making traditional agricultural activities more viable. Social impact includes stabilizing incomes in rural communities and creating new economic opportunities for women, indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups.

Advise: Root Capital's advisory services program provides targeted training to current and prospective clients in topics such as financial management, governance, agronomic capacity, digital business intelligence, climate resilience, gender equity, and more. Root Capital's financial advisory services are designed to prepare businesses with growth potential to qualify for credit, to shepherd more prospective clients into our portfolio, and to mitigate the risk of lending to these businesses.root Capital's advisory services program provides financial training to clients prior to receiving a loan and during the life of the loan as needed.though financial management training is the core offering of the organization's advisory program, Root Capital also provides complementary non-financial advisory services to help businesses overcome different challenges and position them for greater impact.