At Kiva, lending and donating go hand-in-hand to expand financial access and help underserved communities thrive. Here are the main things to know about Kiva lending vs. donating: Lending with Kiva:

• 100% of your loans go to supporting borrowers.

• Borrowers use their loans to make positive changes in their lives and communities.

• Borrowers repay loans on a schedule that encourages their success, not as an added burden.

• Once a loan is repaid, you can relend your funds and help even more people.

Donations help Kiva:

• Distribute your loans to 80+ countries.

• Invest in scaling services that meet the financial access needs of even more people in more countries.

• Create a world where all people hold the power to improve their lives.

Donations are one-time gifts, eligible for a tax deduction in the U.S.

You can donate using a credit card or PayPal, as well as via check, Donor Advised Fund (DAF), stock or other securities, crypto, estate gift, and more. Learn more about the ways to donate.   

You can donate at any time, including by easily adding a donation any time you lend.

Donations to Kiva's operating expenses are vital to the success and sustainability of Kiva. As an international non-profit, we’re committed to investing in groundbreaking programs to scale financial access for more people in more countries. Your donations help us realize this goal. Support for Kiva’s operations is primarily sourced through optional donations from our lenders, who can choose to donate in addition to their loans, as well as through larger, one-off gifts, program fees, foundation and individual grants, and interest earned on our bank accounts. 

Kiva's staff and volunteers work hard to ensure every dollar donated to Kiva is used efficiently.

Donations support a variety of programs, including:

• Sending expert staff to over 80 countries to cultivate new local partnerships, expand Kiva’s reach, and perform due diligence and monitoring.

• Gathering evidence to understand and demonstrate the impact of Kiva’s work on individuals and communities. 

• Building, maintaining, and enhancing the complex technical infrastructure that facilitates over $1 million in loans each week.

• Training and supporting several hundred volunteers who translate and edit every loan posted on the Kiva website.

• Supporting the needs of Kiva lenders around the world, developing engagement programs, and answering customer service inquiries.

To learn more about how we use donations, check out our most recent Annual Report.

Yes. Unlike loans made on Kiva’s website, donations to Kiva are considered tax-deductible, charitable contributions in the United States.

Kiva is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, registered in the state of California. Our EIN is 71-­0992446. We do not have tax-deductible status in any other countries at this time.

Many companies will match charitable donations their employees make. Check here, or directly with your company, to see if they will double your donations to Kiva's operating expenses.

If you need Kiva to fill out a matching request for your donation, send the form as an attachment to matchinggifts@kiva.org.

Absolutely. Learn more about all the ways to donate to Kiva. To make a donation to Kiva's operating expenses by check, please do the following:

Step 1: Write your check payable to 'Kiva Microfunds.'

Step 2: On the back of the check, write 'Donate All' and the mailing address where you'd like to receive a donation receipt (if different from the address on the check)

Step 3: Mail the check to:

Kiva

Attn: Finance Department

182 Howard Street, Suite 414

San Francisco, CA 94105

Donations made offline will not be reflected in your online Kiva account. Donation receipts will be provided by email or physical mail for offline donations. If you’d like your donation to be reflected in your Kiva account, please make your donation online.

Thank you for considering contributing to Kiva in such a meaningful way. Including Kiva in your estate plan creates a legacy honoring your commitment to financial inclusion. With our partner, FreeWill, you can quickly and easily write a will or trust for free online. Get started with FreeWill.

If you have already included Kiva in your estate plans, you can notify us of your gift here. You can also use this form to name Kiva as a beneficiary of your IRA, brokerage, life insurance, or other accounts.

You can find additional planned giving resources and language for including a gift to Kiva in your will or trust here.

In addition to donating directly to Kiva, here are other ways that you can support Kiva’s operations:

Include Kiva in your will, trust or estate planning

Thank you for considering contributing to Kiva in such a meaningful way. With our partner, FreeWill, you can quickly and easily write a will or trust for free online. Get started with FreeWill.

You can also name Kiva as a beneficiary of your IRA, brokerage, life insurance, or other accounts. Additional planned giving resources, including language you can include to make a gift to Kiva in your will or trust, can be found here.

Volunteer your time

Kiva volunteers are vital to the work we do! If you are looking to give of your time, learn more about all of our volunteer and internship opportunities.

Thank you for considering such an impactful gift to Kiva. You can learn more about large donations on our donation page. If you have further questions, please get in touch with our Strategic Partnerships team at: majorgiving@kiva.org

Learn more about partnering with Kiva through grants, loan matching, and employee and customer engagement programs.

Learn more about Kiva’s resources for financial and philanthropic advisors on our Kiva For Your Clients page.