Funding the Poor Cooperative (FPC)

Funding the Poor Cooperative (FPC) was the first and one of the most successful Microfinance Institutions (MFI) in China. It was launched as a microfinance program in 1993 by the Rural Development Institute (RDI) of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). Now it is operated as NGO with four branches in Hebei and Henan Provinces. FPC's mission is to make credit available to the poor, especially poor women in rural area. FPC has successful reduced poverty and promoted the empowerment of women.

From its inception, FPC was highly supported by the CASS and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development. It has received funding and subsidized loan from the Ford Foundation, Grameen Trust, Citigroup, and many individual entrepreneurs, such as Mr Lin Yang from Taiwan. Starting from 1994, FPC has set up five county level branches: Yixian County and Laishui County of Hebei Province, Yucheng County and Nanzhao County of Henan Province and Jintang County of Sichuan Province.

At the end of 2006, FPC had RMB15 million of outstanding loans (approx. USD2 million) lent to 16,000 active borrowers.  FPC has lent over RMB100 million in total, helping over 30,000 to 40,000 households during its history, which has impacted around 150,000 rural poor. Due to the careful planning and risk management of FPC, its repayment rate has been kept above 95%. Also FPC focus is on achieving financial independence and self-sustainability. Due to its contribution to the development of Chinese microfinance, FPC has won several awards from the Grameen Foundation-USA, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation and China Newsweek, in the past few years.

Please contact FPC to find out about volunteer opportunties or how to participate financially.  You can also read some personal profiles of some FPC customers.