The San Diego Microfinance Summit was held on April 28th at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice on the campus of the University of San Diego. The conference highlighted the local and international work of San Diego’s microfinance organizations.

Participating organizations included ACCIÓN San Diego, CDC Small Business Finance, Foundation for Women, Grameen Foundation, International Rescue Committee, La Maestra, Opportunity International, the Center for International Development at Point Loma Nazarene University, Project Concern International, San Diego State University College of Business Administration, the Ahlers Center for International Business at the University of San Diego, and VIA International.

Yeardley Smith, award-winning actor, novelist, and avid supporter of microfinance served as the Summit’s Keynote Speaker. As a donor and volunteer, Yeardly is partnering with Grameen Foundation on a special initiative geared toward expanding microcredit and related services to those living on less than a dollar a day. Yeardley will share her perspectives and experiences visiting with women in Haiti, both pre- and post-earthquake and address the impact of microfinance.

Attendees were able to enjoy fine dining from four different vendors, each who have been financed by one of the San Diego Microfinance Alliance’s partnering organizations. The marketplace consisted of over 25 different vendors sharing their goods and services in a farmer’s market style set-up. Each vendor had been a recipient of one or more microloans and has their goods to show for it. The marketplace provided an opportunity for participants to converse with local entrepreneurs, buy local products, and see the impact that micro-lending is making on our community.

Plan It Green participated as part of the planning committee and as an exhibitor. More information about local microfinance can be found at San Diego MicroFinance.