Grassroots Business Organizations (GBOs) are socially driven ventures, organized as either for-profit or not-for-profit entities, that reach out to those at the ‘base of the pyramid’ as partners,suppliers, consumers and/or beneficiaries. GBOs do business with an explicit social mission - helping poor and marginalized people to participate in sustainable business opportunities. For these groups, GBOs can be an important source of jobs, income, training, business mentoring, and technical input.
- Businesses that act as hubs, servicing large numbers of small, poor, often rural suppliers. Examples: Irupana, Honeycare
- Businesses that introduce affordable, much-needed products or services that improve the living standards of the poor. Example: Playpumps
- Businesses that support charitable activities while training/employing the poor. Example: Hagar
- Financial intermediaries that broaden their reach to include GBOs. Example: K-Rep
- Non-financial intermediaries that provide services to multiple GBOs, such as export design centers.
- Business associations that provide mentoring or other services to GBO entrepreneurs.
- Technical expertise that expands activities in high-impact sectors, such as small-holder agriculture and handicrafts.
- Business expertise that disseminates and helps to replicate sustainable business models, such as micro-franchising.
