Women's Entrepreneurship

Women’s leadership strengthens communities and economies. CLF invests in women-led enterprises that advance culture, climate resilience, and community impact. At its core, this pillar is about helping women build businesses that reflect who they are—their heritage, their values, and their hopes for the future. It’s a commitment to creating lasting opportunities that grow from the community and support women for the long term.

Women’s entrepreneurship is a newly formalized strategy pillar at CLF, building on years of investing in women as drivers of economic resilience and community-led change. Through this pillar, CLF deepens its commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs with flexible, trust-based resources that help them start, sustain, and scale businesses rooted in local culture, care, and innovation. This work recognizes women not only as business owners, but as ecosystem builders whose leadership strengthens families, preserves heritage, and fuels inclusive growth. By formalizing this focus, CLF is expanding pathways for women to build lasting wealth, agency, and opportunity for generations to come.

We prioritize

Climate-Smart Ventures

Nonprofits, businesses, and entrepreneurs at the intersection of climate resilience and economic opportunity

Cultural Heritage Preservation

Ventures rooted in traditional knowledge and community-led practices

Community Impact

Social enterprises strengthening local economies and well-being

Systemic Support

Data-informed ecosystems addressing barriers to women's economic advancement

Gather

Investment Thesis

CLF's Gather Initiative was established in 2021 in Kenya as a strategic effort to invest in ventures at the intersection of climate resilience and asset creation for women and girls. Gather invests in:

Agriculture, as the sector employing the most women on the African continent
Construction and technology, as the two fastest growing sectors in many East African countries
Education, as the early pathway to independence, stable wages, and long-term asset creation
Workforce development, as a later stage approach to break the cycle of poverty

One example of Gather’s investment in action is Giraffe Bioenergy:

Women plant and transform cassava into ethanol cooking fuel—a clean alternative replacing toxic fuels while improving health and creating income. With Gather's investment, Giraffe established a 31-hectare farm, trained 200 women, and secured $1.1M in follow-on capital. Positioned for $28M biorefinery raise with projected revenue starting late 2025.

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Helen's Daughters

Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

From Farms to Markets: Building Regional Networks

What began as advocacy training is now a regional network strengthening women farmers with teaching, markets, and self-financing tools. Programs include Ag-cademy (agriculture training), Life Academy (business skills), and FarmHers markets—linking food security with health outcomes and economic stability.

Helen's Daughters has trained over 2,000 women in sustainable farming, financial literacy, and agribusiness. When hurricanes strike, they respond immediately with direct cash assistance and emergency relief. This partnership demonstrates how agriculture becomes a pathway to generational change, improving health, expanding education, and creating lasting economic power in rural communities.

Women's Entrepreneurship

We prioritize

Our Goal

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Gather

Investment Thesis

GRANTEE HIGHLIGHTS

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