active Private Loan

Grameen America — Microloans for Women Entrepreneurs

Grameen America

$2,000–$15,000

Visit official program ↗ Get early access to matching

The short version

Peer-lending microloans for women entrepreneurs in low-income households

Grameen America is a nonprofit microfinance institution that provides small business loans of $2,000–$15,000 to women living in poverty in the United States. Based on the Grameen Bank model, loans are made to groups of 5 women who mutually support each other's repayment. Borrowers also receive free financial education and credit-building support. Grameen America operates in 26 cities across 17 states and has disbursed over $4.5 billion in loans since 2008. All borrowers must be women; all must live in a low-income household.

Funding type: Loan
Level: Private
Amount range: $2,000 – $15,000
Realistic amount: First-cycle borrowers receive $2,000. Second-cycle loans are typically $3,500–$5,000. Experienced Grameen members (3+ cy…
Deadline: Rolling — new member orientation groups form continuously at each branch location. Contact local branch for next intake date.
Status: active
States: AL, CA, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TX
Payment model: loan

Who qualifies

Must be a woman (Grameen America is exclusively for women entrepreneurs)
Must live in a low-income household (income eligibility determined by local branch; typically below 200% of the federal poverty level)
Must live in or near one of Grameen America's 26 operating cities
Must form or join a group of 5 women borrowers who mutually support each other's repayment
Must attend orientation and complete Grameen's one-week financial training before first disbursement
No credit score minimum — Grameen uses character-based underwriting through the peer group model
No collateral required
Business can be any legal for-profit activity; sole proprietors and informal businesses are accepted

Hard requirements

Women ownership required
Demographic eligibility: women-owned

What it covers

Eligible expenses

Any legitimate business expense for the member's micro-enterprise
Inventory and supplies
Equipment and tools
Marketing and promotional materials
Small infrastructure for home-based businesses
Licenses and permits

Ineligible expenses

Personal household expenses
Debt repayment for non-business obligations

How to apply

1

Find your local branch and attend orientation

Visit grameenamerica.org/find-us to locate the nearest branch. Attend a local orientation session (typically held weekly or bi-weekly) to learn about the program. Orientation is free and takes 2–3 hours.

~3 hrs
2

Form a group of 5 women

Identify or be assigned 4 other women in your community to form a lending group. Group members must live near each other and commit to weekly group meetings. Grameen staff can help connect you with other prospective members at orientation.

~5 hrs
3

Complete one-week financial training

All new Grameen members complete a mandatory one-week training covering loan repayment, savings, financial management, and the Grameen group model. Training is conducted by Grameen staff and is free.

~20 hrs
4

Receive first loan and begin weekly meetings

Upon completing training, the first $2,000 loan is disbursed. Members meet weekly (in person or virtually at some branches) with their group for ongoing support, savings contributions, and loan repayment.

~1 hrs

Insider tip

Grameen's 99%+ repayment rate is driven by the peer-group model — your group's loan approval depends on collective trustworthiness. Choose group members you know and trust. Each successful repayment cycle opens access to larger loans, so first-cycle borrowers should think of the $2K as a trust-building step toward $8K–$15K in future cycles.

Deadline & timing

Grameen America runs continuous intake at its branch locations. Joining requires attending a local orientation session, forming or joining a group of 5 women, and completing a 1-week training before first disbursement. Contact the nearest branch directly for current group formation timelines — can be 2–6 weeks from initial contact to first loan.

Programs that stack well

Related programs

Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.