What kinds of programs does Village Enterprise Fund Inc support?

The foundation supports entrepreneurship-driven poverty graduation, technical assistance, business savings groups, startup grants, women’s economic empowerment, refugee livelihoods, climate-smart agriculture, and conservation-linked livelihoods. Its active programs include the Impact First Initiative, partner-funded program delivery, and the Village Enterprise Entrepreneurship Program.

Does Village Enterprise Fund Inc accept unsolicited applications?

Yes. The active programs listed for the foundation all indicate that unsolicited applications are accepted, including the Impact First Initiative, Partnership Implementation / Technical Assistance, and the Village Enterprise Entrepreneurship Program.

Does the foundation make recurring grants?

Yes. Mercy Corps received grants in both 2024 and 2025 for DREAMS project work in Uganda and Ethiopia, showing repeat support for the same project over multiple years.

Who leads Village Enterprise Fund Inc?

Dianne Calvi is listed as the leadership contact for Village Enterprise Fund Inc.

Village Enterprise Fund

Q: What is the typical grant size?

The grant-size distribution is substantial: the 25th percentile is $574,229, the median is $1,057,563, and the 75th percentile is $1,555,644. The recent grant record also includes a $2,053,724 subaward to Mercy Corps.

ActiveInternational Affairs

SAN CARLOS, CAWebsite6508028891

About Village Enterprise Fund

End extreme poverty in rural Africa through entrepreneurship, training, cash transfers, mentoring and climate‑smart, locally led programs.

Focus Areas

poverty alleviationeconomic developmentmicroenterprise / small business developmententrepreneurship trainingwomen's economic empowermentrefugee supportyouth economic inclusionclimate-smart agricultureconservation-linked livelihoodsfinancial inclusion / savings groups

Who They Fund

project partners/organizations in Ugandaproject partners/organizations in EthiopiaNgogo chimpanzee population (wildlife)

About Village Enterprise Fund

Village Enterprise Fund Inc. stands out for using subaward funding to extend poverty-alleviation work through named field projects such as DREAMS in Uganda and Ethiopia. The recent grants data show a large two-year commitment to Mercy Corps for DREAMS project work, alongside a separate grant tied to the Ngogo Chimpanzee Project in Uganda. That mix fits the foundation’s broader mission to end extreme poverty in rural Africa through entrepreneurship, training, cash transfers, mentoring, and climate-smart, locally led programs. The foundation’s work centers on economic development in rural East Africa, but its grantmaking appears to be structured around program delivery rather than open-ended general support. Its active programs include an entrepreneurship model built around Business Savings Groups and startup grants, plus partner-funded implementation and technical assistance for initiatives in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. Across those efforts, the foundation uses restricted, project-specific funding to support organizations carrying out field programs in poverty graduation, financial inclusion, women’s economic empowerment, refugee livelihoods, and conservation-linked livelihoods. Dianne Calvi leads the organization.

What Village Enterprise Fund Funds

A core theme is outcomes-based poverty graduation. Through the Impact First Initiative, Village Enterprise Fund Inc supports scaling entrepreneurship-driven programs with training on outcomes-based financing, policy advocacy, technical assistance, capacity building, and support for integrated impact financing. Another clear area is partner-funded program delivery. The foundation’s implementation work includes economic development components inside broader initiatives, such as establishing Business Savings Groups and training business mentors for partner programs in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. The entrepreneurship program itself is also central. It identifies groups of first-time entrepreneurs, typically groups of three, and provides training in business and savings, mentoring, and a small startup grant to launch income-generating businesses. The recent grants also show conservation-linked field support. Village Enterprise Fund Inc gave $90,895 to Arizona State University for the Ngogo Chimpanzee Project work in Uganda.

How Village Enterprise Fund Gives

Typical grant size is large: the 25th percentile is $574,229, the median is $1,057,563, and the 75th percentile is $1,555,644. The recent record also shows repeat funding to the same grantee across 2024 and 2025, with Mercy Corps receiving two grants for DREAMS project work in Uganda and Ethiopia. That suggests program-specific, multi-year support rather than a one-off pattern. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals. Its active programs include both direct entrepreneurship programming and partner-funded implementation, with unsolicited applications accepted in those programs.

Financial Snapshot

Annual Giving

$3.2M

Total Assets

$18.6M

Total Revenue

$17.6M

Total Expenses

$16.7M

Typical Grant Size

Most grants fall between $574K and $1.6M, with a median of $1.1M.

25th Percentile

$574K

Median

$1.1M

75th Percentile

$1.6M

Geographic Reach

About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.

Leadership

DIANNE CALVI

Accepts unsolicited proposals

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Recipient	Location	Amount	Year	Purpose
MERCY CORPS	—	$2,053,724	2025	SUBAWARD FUNDING FOR DREAMS PROJECT WORK IN UGANDA AND ETHIOPIA.
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY	—	$90,895	2025	SUBAWARD FUNDING FOR THE NGOGO CHIMPANZEE PROJECT WORK IN UGANDA
MERCY CORPS	—	$1,057,563	2024	SUBAWARD FUNDING FOR DREAMS PROJECT WORK IN UGANDA AND ETHIOPIA.

Village Enterprise Fund

About Village Enterprise Fund

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

About Village Enterprise Fund

What Village Enterprise Fund Funds

How Village Enterprise Fund Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

Leadership

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Funding Style

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Where Village Enterprise Fund Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About Village Enterprise Fund

What kinds of programs does Village Enterprise Fund Inc support?

Does Village Enterprise Fund Inc accept unsolicited applications?

What is the typical grant size?

Does the foundation make recurring grants?

Who leads Village Enterprise Fund Inc?

Open Grant Opportunities

Village Enterprise Entrepreneurship Program (Business Savings Groups & Startup Grants)

Recent Grants

Village Enterprise Fund

About Village Enterprise Fund

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

About Village Enterprise Fund

What Village Enterprise Fund Funds

How Village Enterprise Fund Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

Leadership

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The Grant Brief

Funding Style

Topics

Where Village Enterprise Fund Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About Village Enterprise Fund

What kinds of programs does Village Enterprise Fund Inc support?

Does Village Enterprise Fund Inc accept unsolicited applications?

What is the typical grant size?

Does the foundation make recurring grants?

Who leads Village Enterprise Fund Inc?

Open Grant Opportunities

Village Enterprise Entrepreneurship Program (Business Savings Groups & Startup Grants)

Recent Grants