Purpose:
To foster hope, growth, and goodwill in Africa
Vision:
To empower those who are least served by existing markets or assistance programs to become a part of Africa’s growth story
Mission:
To support African-led development that grows community enterprises by providing seed capital and technical support
What Does the U.S. African Development Foundation Do?
The U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) is an independent U.S. Government agency established by Congress to invest in African grassroots organizations, entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises. USADF's investments promote local economic development by increasing incomes, revenues and jobs and creating pathways to prosperity for marginalized populations and underserved communities.
Who Does USADF Reach?
Over the last five years throughout Africa, with an emphasis on the Horn, Sahel, and Great Lakes regions, USADF has invested more than $117 million dollars directly into over 1,000 African-owned and African-led SMEs, entrepreneurs, and community organizations and impacted over 7 million lives.
Recipients of USADF financial and technical assistance include:
- Smallholder farmers
- Youth
- Women and girls
- Nomadic and pastoralist populations
- Ethnic and religious minorities
- Persons living with disabilities
Where Does USADF Work?
USADF focuses on fragile states and frontier markets, with an emphasis on the Sahel, the Horn, and the Great Lakes regions of Africa. We currently operate in 21 African countries, but have made investments in more than 40 African countries.
At the core of USADF’s programming is our direct connection to African ingenuity and solutions. African Country Program Coordinators lead our country teams and our 100% African network of local partners provide project management support to our grantees.
How Does USADF Work?
Utilizing a community-led development approach, USADF provides seed capital and local project management assistance to address some of Africa's biggest challenges around food insecurity, insufficient energy access, and unemployment, particularly among women and youth.
USADF provides grants of up to $250,000 directly to underserved African enterprises and social entrepreneurs that are creating and sustaining jobs, improving income levels and achieving greater food security, energy access and employment opportunities for their communities. USADF-supported projects create pathways to prosperity for underserved communities in Africa.