Helpful Links

CharityNavigator.org - Reviews and analysis of major charities.

CharityReports.BBB.org - Better Business Bureau section on charity information.

Least Developed Countries - A Wikipedia list of the world's least developed countries.

Poverty2Prosperity.org - Poverty2Prosperity (P2P) is a San Francisco Bay Area organization engaged in goal of alleviating and breaking the cycle of poverty through micro-loans and other poverty-escaping projects.

Glossary

Microcredit

The extension of very small loans (microloans) to the unemployed, to poor entrepreneurs and to others living in poverty who are not considered bankable. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit.

Microfinance

The practice of providing financial services, such as microcredit, microsavings or microinsurance to poor people. By helping them to accumulate usably large sums of money, this expands their choices and reduces the risks they face. As suggested by the name, most transactions involve small amounts of money, frequently less than US$100.

Philanthropy

Altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work to needy persons, by endowment of institutions of learning and hospitals, and by generosity to other socially useful purposes.