Value proposition

Sustainable pathways out of poverty.

Trickle Up partners with women living in extreme poverty to drive social and economic inclusion and promote sustainable livelihoods. We drive large-scale change by partnering with governments, global institutions, and local organizations.

Trickle Up was founded in 1979 at a time when "trickle down” economics was the conventional wisdom. We watched the poor getting poorer while the rich benefited from this approach. Trickle Up founders Glen and Mildred Robbins Leet knew from their experience that nothing empowers an individual to achieve their dreams more than the trust and encouragement of another human being. They put into practice what their experience had taught them: investing in individuals at the grassroots level is the most powerful antidote to extreme poverty.

Over 38 years later, Trickle Up continues to be a critical vehicle for the social and financial empowerment of women living in extreme poverty.

Trickle Up focuses on the toughest challenges in global poverty alleviation: to reach the poorest, most vulnerable, isolated people and create trajectories towards financial independence. We have lifted over one million people worldwide - particularly women, people with disabilities, refugees, and indigenous people - out of extreme poverty and into a better quality of life.

We invest in people. We bolster communities. We champion power over poverty.

Poverty Alleviation, Ultra-Poor, Extreme poverty, NGO, nonprofit, microfinance, microenterprise, sustainable livelihoods, seed capital grant, savings group, local partnerships, training, women, Central America, Asia, India, West Africa, and refugees