About Acumen Fund
We invest in entrepreneurs and help them build a more inclusive world.
Focus Areas
Sustainable agricultureQuality educationRenewable energyHealthy communitiesDignified jobsGender equality
Who They Fund
refugee communities (e.g., Bidibidi camp residents)vulnerable working mothers in Kenyalow-income customers of off-grid energy productswomen-led grassroots organizations in rural Indiasmallholder farmers / Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)students using personalized AI learning platforms
About Acumen Fund
Acumen Fund Inc uses philanthropic capital and investments to back enterprises that address poverty through markets. The clearest signal in the recent grants is a $412,278 award to Acumen Capital Partners LLC for technical assistance for portfolio companies, which shows that the foundation supports its investees beyond capital alone. Another large grant went to Climate Policy Initiative Inc for launching and operationalizing the ClimateShot Impact Investing Coalition, pointing to an interest in coalition-building around impact investing. The foundation’s portfolio combines investment-related support with programmatic grants tied to refugee livelihoods, off-grid energy, education, health, and work. In 2025, it awarded $333,163 to Refugee Investment Network Inc to conduct research, educate, and advise on durable refugee-lens investing strategies worldwide. The grants also include support for enterprises serving low-income customers, working mothers, and community-level service providers. Acumen Fund Inc operates across several regions through named programs, but its grant record shows a consistent pattern of backing organizations that build tools, market access, and operational capacity for social enterprises. That mix includes direct support for portfolio companies and targeted grants connected to specific impact themes.
What Acumen Fund Funds
A major thread in the grant record is refugee-focused investing. Acumen Fund Inc gave $333,163 to Refugee Investment Network Inc in 2025 and $151,823 in 2024 for research, education, and advisory work on durable refugee-lens investing strategies worldwide. Energy access is another visible area. The foundation awarded $30,000 to Biolite Inc to support the manufacture and sale of affordable off-grid renewable energy products to low-income customers. It also gave $50,000 to Simusolar Inc to provide refugees in the Bidibidi refugee camp with low-cost, financed, solar-powered irrigation equipment. Education appears through targeted support for learning technology. In 2025, Acumen Fund Inc granted $10,000 to Zeraki Inc to improve personalized learning for students using Zeraki Learning by optimizing AI via the East Africa Education Facility. The grant list also shows health- and work-related support, including $95,566 to Maziwa for portable breast pumps for vulnerable working mothers in Kenya and $50,000 to Parity Lab Inc for a legal counseling helpline for grassroots organizations led by women in rural India.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$860K
Total Assets
$217.5M
Total Revenue
$46.4M
Total Expenses
$34.2M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $35K and $60K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$35K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$60K
Geographic Reach
National10 states funded
About 17% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
JACQUELINE NOVOGRATZ
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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