Frequently Asked Questions

Rabo Foundation is Rabobank’s independent corporate foundation (ANBI-certified) founded in 1974. We provide early-stage finance and support to organizations that work to improve financial resilience, strengthen livelihoods of people in underserved positions, and stimulate inclusive and sustainable economies—both internationally and in the Netherlands.

Our mission is to promote social and economic development by supporting organizations that improve opportunities for people in vulnerable positions—such as smallholder farmers globally and people with distance to the labor market in the Netherlands. We aim to build sustainable livelihoods and increase financial and climate resilience.

Rabo Foundation is legally independent but was founded by Rabobank in 1974. We receive an annual financial contribution from Rabobank and benefit from the bank’s global network, expertise, and strong cooperative heritage.

This heritage shapes our way of working. Rabobank was established as a cooperative to strengthen the self‑reliance of smallholder farmers, enabling them to improve their livelihoods together. We continue that mission globally: we support organizations that cannot yet access traditional finance and that work to improve the livelihoods of people in underserved positions — such as smallholder farmers.

By providing finance and support to these organizations, we help them build the resilience and independence they need to grow sustainably, contributing to stronger communities and better opportunities for people who are often overlooked.

We support organizations, not individuals.
Eligible applicants include:

International applicants in Africa, Asia and Latin America

Eligible organizations include farmer-based organizations, agri-SMEs, and financial service providers that work directly with smallholder farmers to improve access to finance, markets, and knowledge. At the moment, Rabo Foundation works with call for loan proposals for our international program. This means that it is not possible to submit an unsolicited funding request.

Applicants in the Netherlands

We finance social enterprises that create job opportunities for people facing barriers to employment, or circular and sustainable frontrunners that are not yet bankable.

To qualify for financial support, your organization should:

Rabo Foundation is headquartered in the Netherlands and active in over 15 countries worldwide. Our international work spans 14 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where we focus on strengthening smallholder farmers’ access to finance, markets, and knowledge.

In the Netherlands, we support social enterprises that promote inclusion and circular solutions, particularly by creating employment opportunities for people facing barriers to the labor market.

At Rabo Foundation, we use several different forms of financing to ensure that organizations get exactly what they need to grow and thrive.

Internationally:

In the Netherlands:

We provide a range of financial support in line with the development stage, type of organization, and impact potential.This includes loans, guarantees, and—where appropriate—donations or technical assistance. Typically, our investments are as follows: loans and guarantees usually range from €200,000 to a maximum of €1 million per client internationally, and from €50,000 up to €500,000 in the Netherlands. In addition, technical assistance or donations are available, typically from €20,000 up to €250,000.

Our strong preference is to offer loans, as they stimulate self-reliance and responsibility. In addition, loan repayments ensure that funds return to our revolving capital, allowing us to finance new projects. This creates a virtuous circle that increases our overall impact while supporting long-term, sustainable development.

At Rabo Foundation, impact means creating lasting social and economic change for people and entrepreneurs in vulnerable positions. It is about ensuring that our support leads to real, meaningful improvements that continue over time—not only during our involvement, but also after it ends.

In practice, this can mean for example:

Impact management helps us understand whether these kinds of changes are actually happening. By continuously measuring, monitoring, and learning, we aim to maximize positive outcomes—such as stronger livelihoods, resilience, and inclusion—while identifying and reducing unintended negative effects. Impact, for us, is therefore not a one-time result, but an ongoing process of learning and improvement.

Impact is measured through continuous monitoring and in-depth learning, combining data and real-life insights.

We measure impact at two levels:

1. At the organizational level, using annual surveys with a small set of key indicators. These indicators follow global standards (such as GIIN IRIS+) to ensure consistency and comparability.
2. At the beneficiary level, through in-depth impact studies with the people behind the numbers, such as smallholder farmers and individuals facing barriers to employment. These studies explore changes in areas like income, financial resilience, quality of life, and climate resilience.

By combining quantitative data with qualitative insights, we gain a richer and more realistic understanding of how lives are changing over time.

Rabo Foundation manages impact through a structured and integrated approach called the Impact Management Cycle, which is fully aligned with our financing process. This ensures that impact is considered before, during, and after we provide support.

A key element of this approach is our own designed Potential Impact Performance (PIP) model. Before financing, the PIP model helps us assess the potential impact a project can create. The PIP model is used alongside financial checks and due diligence, helping us make well‑informed, balanced decisions about where our support can have the greatest potential impact.

After financing, we continue to manage impact by tracking progress, sharing what we learn, and using insights to improve future decisions. Together, this approach helps us focus on interventions that strengthen organizations, enable them to scale responsibly, and support outcomes that are sustainable—contributing to long‑lasting change that continues beyond our direct involvement.