CREATING A FUND FOR THE “MISSING MIDDLE” OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SOCIAL ENTERPRISES IN LATIN AMERICA

Pro Mujer is a nonprofit organization that provides access to finance and entrepreneurship support to empower low-income women in Latin America. The organization enlisted a Capstone team to research the creation of a fund that would target the “missing middle” of small and medium social enterprises in Latin America. The team conducted a landscape analysis of research on the core issues of gender equality, impact investing, gender lens investing, and the “missing middle.” The team gathered data on the financial climate of the Latin American social impact sphere through interviews with three experienced impact investing experts from Peru, Europe, and the US. The team also conducted a benchmark assessment to provide updated information on funds with a similar lens and size. The team produced a final report that will contribute to Pro Mujer’s objectives and help create a stable and strong fund for the “missing middle” of small and medium social enterprises.