United to Change the Game

USWNT Players Association launches Impact Fund to support 400+ underserved entrepreneurs to build economic justice within local communities

In partnership with Kiva, USWNTPA commits to $2.5M in loans to U.S. small businesses with 1:1 loan matching.

MARCH 2, 2022—Today, the US Women’s National Team Players Association (USWNTPA) is announcing a four-year partnership with Kiva to expand financial access to small businesses in the United States in the lead-up to Women’s History Month. The news follows the recent landmark equal pay litigation settlement, pending ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement by the USWNTPA. They are now looking to make a lasting impact in the communities they play in and champion the need for economic justice for all. By 2025, USWNTPA commits to deploying $2.5M in zero-fee, zero interest loan capital to empower more than 400 small businesses through Kiva and the USWNTPA Impact Fund.

The USWNTPA has developed a long-term social-impact strategy based on players’ passions. The partnership with Kiva is an extension of USWNT Players’ fight for equal pay, driving financial inclusion and access to opportunity beyond the pitch. USWNTPA and Kiva are united by their collective vision and have identified supporting and circulating monetary resources as the most effective way to start building more inclusive and equitable communities together.

“Our fight for equal pay is one part of the desire to see a more equitable world. Our focus on economic justice and access are key ways to extend equality beyond the realm of sport.” – Becky Sauerbrunn

“For too long the power of financial freedom has been held by very few people in this country. We are hopeful that through our partnership with Kiva, we can help change that dynamic and empower the many, not the few” – Crystal Dunn

“The need for access to both money and resources is so important to emerging business, especially those with a local focus. We are proud to be able to work with Kiva to provide these opportunities to people who would otherwise not have a way to turn their dreams into reality.” – Sam Mewis

“Kiva and the USWNTPA are united behind giving people agency in their decisions through the transformative power of loan capital. We’re thrilled that the players are teaming up to help entrepreneurs positively impact the trajectory of their communities through their work.” – Sarah Marchal Murray, Chief Strategic Partnerships Officer at Kiva

The partnership is launching in the lead-up to International Women’s Day on March 8. Just 27% of women worldwide can access formal financial services, compared to 46% of men. Kiva fills that gap with loans that support women starting their own businesses, going to school and investing in the health of their communities and families. Last year through Kiva, lenders collectively raised $5.2M for nearly 20,000 women borrowers across the week surrounding International Women’s Day, and Kiva has funded more than 3 million women entrepreneurs with $1.17B in loans since its inception. The joint hope of this partnership is to inspire fans and partners to join the USWNTPA in support of businesses in the communities they live in, and to understand that they can make a difference with a loan as small as $25.

The USWNTPA is inviting fans and partners alike to join in through their matching loans fund. For every $25 lent to the businesses highlighted on the USWNTPA’s lending page, the Players Association will match the contribution. As the year goes on the PA will highlight borrowers and encourage its supporters to patronize the small businesses as well.

About Kiva
Kiva is a global nonprofit that brings people together to invest in lasting impact. Kiva connects individuals, institutional investors, and corporations with global opportunities to invest in humanity—when and where it will make the greatest collective impact. With as little as $25, you can help women, refugees and small businesses across the globe build a better future for individuals, their families and communities. Join 2 million people who have invested $1.7 billion in real dreams and real opportunity around the world: https://www.kiva.org/

About U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association (USWNTPA)
The USWNTPA serves as a leading advocate for women’s soccer players, pioneering a new era of women’s soccer as a preeminent sport. The primary mission of the USWNTPA is to protect the rights of USWNT players and to advance the economic and social well-being of all USWNT players, both on and off the field. The USWNTPA is committed to raising the level of women’s soccer domestically and continuing to grow the game worldwide.