Grassroots Business Partners Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
GRASSROOTS BUSINESS PARTNERS, INC. DOES BUSINESS AS GRASSROOTS BUSINESS FUND. GRASSROOTS BUSINESS FUND STRIVES TO CREATE A WORLD WHERE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY REACHES EVERYONE. OUR MISSION IS TO GROW VIABLE BUSINESSES THAT GENERATE SUSTAINABLE EARNINGS OR SAVINGS FOR PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOMES IN AFRICA, ASIA, AND LATIN AMERICA.
- Income
- $3.5 million
- Spending
- $2.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 12.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $149,032, chief investment officer/coo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 67 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.2 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 80% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 24% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 55% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $1.9 million spent. GRASSROOTS BUSINESS FUND (GBF) IS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN BUILDING THE FIELD AROUND IMPACT INVESTING BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, PILOTING NEW INITIATIVES, AND CONTRIBUTING LESSONS LEARNED TO A BROAD AUDIENCE. AS PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP BUILDING, GBF IS A MEMBER OF NUMEROUS WORKING GROUPS INCLUDING THOSE AROUND IMPACT ASSESSMENT, THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMPACT FUNDS, AND CAREERS IN IMPACT INVESTING. AS THE ORGANIZATION GROWS, A CONTINUED EFFORT TOWARDS EXTERNAL DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON THE SUCCESSES AND LESSONS LEARNED RELATING TO IMPACT INVESTING WILL BE CRITICAL FOR OUR ADVANCING OF THE FIELD.
- $38,153 spent. GRASSROOTS BUSINESS FUND (GBF) WORKS WITH HIGH-IMPACT BUSINESSES (HIBS) THAT ARE TYPICALLY SMALL OR MID-SIZED BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS, BUT ECONOMICALLY ENGAGE LARGE NUMBERS OF THE POOR. GBP MANAGES AN INVESTMENT FUND, GRASSROOTS BUSINESS INVESTORS FUND I, LP (GBI-I). OVER ITS LIFE, GBI-I COMMITTED UNITED STATES DOLLARS FORTY-ONE POINT NINE MILLION (USD 41.9M) ACROSS THIRTY-THREE (33) HIGH IMPACT BUSINESSES THROUGH SIXTY-FIVE (65) TRANSACTIONS (INCLUDING MULTIPLE ROUNDS WITH CERTAIN INVESTEES). THESE INVESTMENTS TARGETED HIGH IMPACT BUT HIGH-RISK OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE UNLIKELY TO ATTRACT COMMERCIAL FUNDING IN THE NEAR TERM. AGAINST THIS, THE FUND HAS RECOVERED FROM INVESTEES UNITED STATES DOLLARS THIRTY-FIFE MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND (USD 35.8M). UNDER THE JINUE GROWTH PROGRAM, GBF HAS PARTNERED WITH THE MASTERCARD FOUNDATION FOR A 5-YEAR PROGRAM THAT COMMENCED IN NOVEMBER 2022. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO REACH 225,000 MICROS, 4,500 SMALL ENTERPRISES AND EMPLOY 500,000 YOUTHS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2008.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.