What's it like to fundraise for your U.S. business on Kiva.org?

Kiva borrowers located in the United States go through a "private" fundraising period before their loan is published on the website for lenders to contribute. In this period, they'll reach out to their community of customers, friends and family to contribute to their loan as a form of "social underwriting."

This can seem intimidating at first, but most borrowers are surprised at how willing people are to support them! CEO of Fresh to Def Collective and Kiva borrower Hope Lehman talks about her experience with the private fundraising period. She’s a borrower who felt the same way many borrowers do at first, but soon realized how eager her community was to help her business.