U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is the U.S. Government’s development finance institution. DFC partners with the private sector to finance solutions to the most critical challenges facing the developing world today. We invest across sectors including energy, healthcare, critical infrastructure, and technology. DFC also provides financing for small businesses and women entrepreneurs in order to create jobs in emerging markets. DFC investments adhere to high standards and respect the environment, human rights, and worker rights.
Our Mission
DFC launched in December 2019 with a mission to confront the most urgent issues facing developing countries across the globe. Today, emerging markets need significant investment to generate electricity for growing populations, expand access to modern technology, confront climate change, provide quality healthcare, and increase manufacturing capacity, including the capacity to manufacture lifesaving vaccines.
DFC’s tools are helping businesses pursue promising opportunities that improve lives across the developing world, helping address critical development challenges as well as advance U.S. foreign policy and national security. The agency’s porfolio spans over 100 developing countries across Africa, Latin America, the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and DFC prioritizes investment in low and lower middle-income countries to deliver inclusive growth among underserved populations.
DFC investments are also helping advance development finance institution collaboration on infrastructure development to bolster private sector investment in shared priority sectors including climate, health, gender equity, and digital connectivity.
DFC INVESTS IN DEVELOPMENT
Debt Financing
Direct loans and guaranties of up to $1 billion for tenors as long as 25 years, with specific programs targeting small and medium U.S. businesses
Equity Investments
DFC direct equity investments can provide critical support to companies committed to creating developmental impact
Feasibility Studies
Support for the analysis of a potential DFC project
Investment Funds
Support for emerging market private equity funds to help address the shortfall of investment capital
Political Risk Insurance
Coverage of up to $1 billion against losses due to currency inconvertibility, government interference, and political violence including terrorism. DFC also offers reinsurance to increase underwriting capacity
Technical Assistance
Support to increase the developmental impact or commercial sustainability of existing DFC projects or develop potential DFC projects
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Our Focus Global Health
DFC responded quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic and supports multiple projects that are expanding vaccine manufacturing capacity across the developing world. The agency is also prioritizing investments in other areas including water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and food security, which contribute to improved health outcomes.
Climate
DFC is a leader in financing projects that generate power from renewable sources and is focused on advancing climate mitigation as well as adaptation and resilience to help developing countries adapt to the severe weather and other impacts they are experiencing due to climate change.
Our Impact Gender Equity
DFC’s 2X Women’s Initiative has catalyzed more than $13.5 billion and is working to catalyze an additional $12 billion by 2025 toward women’s economic empowerment by investing in projects that are owned by or led by women, or which provide a product or service that delivers a strong benefit to women.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
DFC recognizes ICT as an important tool for advancing development and supports investments that expand access to affordable technology, strengthen infrastructure such as data centers and subsea cables, and support critical services such as fin-tech, telemedicine, and online learning.
Expanding access to clean water in El Salvador
Financing to Azure Source Capital is supporting loans to small cities and rural communities for investment in new and rehabilitated water pumps, pipelines, and storage tanks to improve water supply for 300,000 people.
Bolstering vaccine manufacturing capacity in India
DFC’s financing to woman-led Indian manufacturer Biological E. Ltd. will help the company expand capacity to produce at least one billion COVID vaccine doses by the end of 2022.
Protecting vulnerable populations against natural disasters
A DFC loan is helping the InsuResilience Investment Fund work with financial institutions to develop and expand insurance to protect climate-vulnerable and low-income populations against extreme weather.
Advancing ICT infrastructure in Africa
Financing is helping Africa Data Centres build and expand data centers in South Africa, Kenya, and other countries to meet a growing demand for information and communications technology.
Helping refugees access financial services
DFC financing will help Kiva Refugee Investment Fund LLC support microfinance lending to refugees, internally displaced persons, and impacted host populations in 13 countries, with a focus on women and youth.