Poverty & Economic Development
Village Enterprise
Helps people in extreme poverty start small businesses through cash grants, business training and savings groups.
At a glance
Rating and filings checked Oct 13, 2026. Sources: Charity Navigator, IRS Form 990 via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. How we check
Is Village Enterprise a good charity?
Village Enterprise holds Charity Navigator's highest rating: 4 out of 4 stars, with an overall score of 100%. Its 2023 Form 990 reports $18.6M in revenue, up 313% from $4.5M in 2019, and $12.6M in expenses. Rating checked Oct 13, 2026.
Finances
From Village Enterprise's annual IRS Form 990 filings (filed as Village Enterprise Fund Inc).
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Officer & key staff pay | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $18.6M | $12.6M | $14.9M | $259K | |
| 2022 | $11.8M | $7.7M | $8.9M | $275K | 990 PDF |
| 2021 | $5.7M | $4.7M | $5.3M | $436K | 990 PDF |
| 2020 | $5.2M | $4.1M | $4.4M | $406K | 990 PDF |
| 2019 | $4.5M | $4.0M | $3.2M | $325K | 990 PDF |
A newer filing for 2024 is out but not yet summarized: read the 2024 Form 990 (PDF).
Officer & key staff pay is the 990's total for current officers, directors, trustees and key employees, not one salary.
What charities in poverty & economic development do
Poverty alleviation charities work through a range of strategies: direct cash transfers, microfinance, vocational training, agricultural support, and community-development grants. Some of the most effective are GiveWell-recommended cash-transfer organizations that hand money directly to people in extreme poverty, letting recipients decide what they need most. Others build long-term capacity through skills training, microloans for small enterprises, and partnerships with local development organizations.
How to judge charities in this area
GiveWell evaluates global poverty charities more rigorously than any other organization — start there. For US-focused poverty work, look at outcomes beyond "people served": income gains, employment retention, housing stability six and twelve months out. Be skeptical of organizations that emphasize emotional storytelling over outcome data, and of "sponsor a child" models that often spend significant overhead on photo-driven communications.
How to support beyond a one-time gift
- + Direct, unrestricted donations are the most useful — they let charities deploy funds where need is greatest
- + Monthly recurring gifts smooth out cash flow for charities serving volatile regions
- + Sponsor a specific community or program rather than an individual (sponsorship-of-individuals models often have higher overhead)
- + Fund-match campaigns: many poverty charities run year-end matching drives that double your impact
- + Use Kiva to make a microloan — your funds return to you and can be re-loaned
Verify before you give
A few minutes of independent verification pays off — especially for larger gifts. These resources let you confirm the details on Village Enterprise:
Frequently asked
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