GLOBAL  IMPACT  SPEAKER  SERIES

Harold Rosen launched the Grassroots Business Fund (GBF) in July 2008 as an independent spin-off of IFC's Grassroots Business Initiative (GBI).  Prior to his work with GBI, Mr. Rosen created and served as Director of the Small and Medium Enterprise department, a joint IFC/World Bank department established in March 2000. 

During his time at IFC, he has also served as an Investment Officer in IFC’s Latin America and Africa Departments; IFC’s Manager for Financial Planning and Policy; a member of task force starting IFC’s operations in the former Soviet Union; Manager in IFC’s Asia Department; and Director of IFC’s Central and Southern Europe Department. 

Mr. Rosen holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, and a Bachelors and Masters in Regional Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

About the Grassroots Business Fund     http://www.gbfund.org/

The Grassroots Business Fund was established through the restructuring of IFC's Grassroots Business Initiative. GBF is committed to creating bottom-line solutions to poverty. We help strengthen small scale entrepreneurship by building the capacity and performance of grassroots organizations that are strategically positioned to deliver strong social and economic impact.  

GBF delivers a unique blend of financing and technical assistance that helps our clients create scalable businesses, achieve sustainability, and attract socially-minded investors. Our for-profit investment fund, Grassroots Business Investors (GBI), provides grassroots organizations with access to capital that is tailored to meet their needs.  Our non-profit capacity-building arm, Grassroots Business Partners (GBP), works directly with grassroots organizations, providing grant-funded technical assistance to help them acquire the business discipline, knowledge and skills they need to scale up and succeed. 

For more information about the Global Impact Speaker Series, contact wdi-spss@umich.edu.