At Beneficial Returns, we provide loans to social enterprises in Latin America and Southeast Asia that operate at the intersection of poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability. These are the kinds of businesses traditional funders often overlook — yet they deliver community-led solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges: food insecurity, waste, poor infrastructure, and lack of access to essential services.
Our flagship fund, the Beneficial Returns Fund, addresses a core gap in global finance: catalytic debt for high-impact social enterprises. Our loans — ranging from $30,000 to $500,000 — enable social entrepreneurs to grow and scale their impact, while giving philanthropists a way to put dormant capital to work through recoverable grants.
In May, our CEO Ted Levinson and Latin America Manager Maria Luisa Chávez Azpiri joined the Impact Innovations podcast by UI Charitable, which manages donor advised funds — several of which have supported our work. In the episode, they shared what drives our mission, what catalytic capital really means, and how we measure impact beyond financial returns. They also discuss how we’re bridging the gap between impact-first investors and the capital needs of social entrepreneurs in the Global Sout
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Spotlight on Colombia: Investing Where It Matters Most
With a growing presence in Latin America, we’re proud to support two Colombia-based social enterprises tackling some of the region’s most urgent challenges — digital inclusion and environmental sustainability — while improving lives in overlooked communities.
Fibrazo
Fibrazo is Colombia’s first internet service provider dedicated exclusively to low-income communities. By installing fiber optic networks in underserved neighborhoods and offering flexible, prepaid plans, Fibrazo has connected over 3,000 households around Cartagena — giving families access to education, economic opportunity, and digital inclusion.
Trofica
Trofica partners with over 600 waste collectors in Cartagena — some of the city’s most marginalized workers — to improve plastic recycling. The company provides collection carts, sorting and compacting equipment and contracts with producers of waste such as restaurants and hotels, and buyers of recycled materials. This allows recyclers to earn higher incomes and recycle more material. In just six months, Trofica’s waste collectors have increased their aggregate income by 73%.
