Office of Private Capital and Microenterprise

The Office of Private Capital and Microenterprise engages financial, donor and public sector partners and USAID Missions around
The Office of Private Capital and Microenterprise engages financial, donor and public sector partners and USAID Missions around opportunities for private finance within development priorities.

Private investment flowing to developing countries far exceeds official development assistance. This trend will only continue to increase as global demand for investment and opportunities for business grow. Sustained private investment has the ability to increase economic opportunity, enhance access to and quality of services – from financial and energy to health and education – and ultimately, reduce poverty.

Mobilizing Private Capital To Maximize Development Results

USAID established the Office of Private Capital and Microenterprise (PCM) within the Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment (E3) to increase its capacity to mobilize private resources and expertise in support of development priorities.

PCM’s establishment demonstrates USAID’s commitment to develop a more strategic relationship with private investors focused at the nexus of business opportunities and development priorities. PCM engages investors and reduces business risks primarily through:

  1. Supporting direct transactions, and
  2. Facilitating investment partnerships.

This approach complements traditional development programming by drawing in private investment that is capable of addressing development needs sustainably and at greater scale.

Service Offering

The Office and its staff of technical experts develop and support tools, approaches, and intermediaries that can mobilize private finance at scale in the developing world.

For Investors and Financiers: For USAID Missions and Bureaus:
  • Develop risk mitigation tools
  • Provide transaction structuring support for blended finance models
  • Support intermediaries linking capital supply and demand
  • Coordinate across USAID offices with other USG agencies to support and/or accelerate transactions
  • Convene financial, donor and public sector partners around opportunities for private finance within development priorities
  • Offer strategic planning and programming assistance to catalyze investment into priority sectors
  • Provide transaction structuring support
  • Deliver training and knowledge management tools for engaging private investors
  • Partner with investors that provide access to capital and expertise
  • Identify and screen new investment partners

USAID Partners Forum

PCM established the Partners Forum to bring greater private capital expertise to USAID's development priorities. The group is composed of business leaders and industry experts from both the United States and developing countries. Members of the Partners Forum meet quarterly with USAID senior leadership, sharing insights and highlighting emerging opportunities in sectors that are of interest to the private sector and align with USAID priorities. Read More (PDF 118KB)

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Contact Us

Agnes Dasewicz, Acting Director
David Cohen, Deputy Director
pcminfo@usaid.gov