Paul DiLeo

Paul DiLeo, President and Founder of Grassroots Capital, has been advising and investing in microfinance institutions since the late 1990s.  Working with a wide range of official and private investors, Paul has created a number of innovative investment vehicles and has participated in dozens of boards and committees of MFIs and industry bodies.  Grassroots currently manages or advises four impact investment funds with assets across all regions of the world.   Prior to founding Grassroots, Paul worked for the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve and Shorebank Corporation.

By Paul DiLeo

Blog

Recognizing Two Approaches to Balancing Returns in Microfinance

If microfinance is to rely on impact investors to fund its future growth, it's crucial that it build credibility with both financial-first and below-market investors. Without clearer and more accurate investment propositions, microfinance could progressively alienate all its investors.
Blog

Five Elements of A Social MFI

MFIs have the potential to go well beyond financial inclusion, and many do so by combining financial services with other non-financial interventions in coordinated programs to eliminate poverty and its manifestations.
Blog

The Promises and Risks of Commercializing Microfinance

The performance of the industry has mitigated and obscured the tensions created by commercialization and accessing mainstream capital markets.