Micro, small and early-stage artisan enterprises typically lack the capital resources necessary for them to grow successfully. Catalytic capital is needed to support these artisan enterprises in building more effective sales distribution, more efficient operations and more timely financial reporting. Only with appropriate capital and support will these artisan enterprises be able to grow and create livelihoods in rural communities with few economic alternatives.

Artisan activity creates jobs, increases local incomes, and preserves cultural traditions that in many places are at risk of being lost. Over 65% of artisan activity takes place in developing economies.

You can join us in investing in artisan enterprises.

R.I.S.E. Artisan Fund is investing in Young Mountain Tea, a US tea company working to improve the livelihoods of small-holder tea farmers in the Kumaon region of northern India.

Young Mountain Tea (YMT) develops and markets premium tea for the growing specialty tea market, while supporting the regeneration of the farmlands in Kumaon and increasing the incomes of the tea farmers. Through YMT’s development and launch of Kumaon Tea, a tea company in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, a modern, tea processing facility will be owned by the tea farmers over time. 90% of Kumaon Tea farmers are women.

FECCEG is a federation of 17 associations and cooperatives of farmers established in 2006 to help small coffee producers in Guatemala to overcome price fluctuations and risks of the international coffee market. FECCEG provides resources, training, and technical assistance for the organic production of specialty coffee to its members.