BOSTON, MA, December 18, 2006-ACCION® International today announced that it has received Charity Navigator’s coveted four-star rating for demonstrating efficiency and sound fiscal management in its microfinance work around the world. A pioneer in the industry, ACCION’s mission is to give people the financial tools they need "“ loans as small as $100, business training, and other financial services "“ to work their way out of poverty.

Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest independent evaluator of charities, annually applies data-driven analysis to charities and nonprofits, ranking them for efficiency and fiscal management. Four stars is its highest rating, indicating that an organization excels, as compared to other charities in America, in successfully managing its finances in an efficient and effective manner.

"Less than a quarter of the charities we evaluate have received our highest rating, indicating that ACCION International outperforms the majority of nonprofits in America with respect to fiscal responsibility," said Trent Stamp, Charity Navigator’s executive director. "This ‘exceptional’ designation from Charity Navigator differentiates ACCION International from its peers and demonstrates to the public that it is worthy of their trust."

"Informed donors demand greater accountability, transparency and quantifiable results from the charities they choose to support "“ all cornerstones of ACCION’s approach," said María Otero, ACCION president & CEO. "A rating of four stars recognizes the rigor of our work "“ rigor that last year enabled us to leverage a $14.9 million budget into $2.63 billion in loans for the poor, disbursed through partners in 23 countries."

For full details on Charity Navigator’s analysis, please go to the ACCION International rating page on the Charity Navigator website: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/3211.htm.

About ACCION International

ACCION International is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission of giving people the financial tools they need "“ microenterprise loans, business training, and other financial services "“ to work their way out of poverty. A world pioneer in microfinance, ACCION was founded in 1961 and issued its first microloan in 1973 in Brazil. ACCION International’s partner microfinance institutions today are providing loans as low as $100 to poor entrepreneurs in 22 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, and in the U.S. In the last decade alone, ACCION partners have disbursed more than 14 million loans totaling more than $9.4 billion; 97 percent of the loans have been repaid. Selected for the fourth consecutive year for its pioneering approaches to poverty alleviation, ACCION is among 43 organizations awarded the 2007 Social Capitalist Award by Fast Company magazine. For more information, visit www.accion.org.

ACCION International

ACCION International

ACCION International is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission of giving people the financial tools they need―microenterprise loans, business training and other financial services―to work their way out of poverty. A world pioneer in microfinance, ACCION was founded in 1961 and issued its first microloan in 1973 in Brazil. ACCION International's partner microfinance institutions today are providing loans as low as $100 to poor men and women entrepreneurs in 25 countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa and the United States. In the last decade alone, ACCION partners have disbursed more than 17.9 million loans totaling more than $12.3 billion; 97 percent of the loans have been repaid. Selected for the fourth consecutive year for its pioneering approaches to poverty alleviation, ACCION was among 43 organizations awarded the 2007 Social Capitalist Award by Fast Company magazine. ACCION has also been awarded Charity Navigator's highest rating―four stars―for efficiency and sound fiscal management. For more information, visit www.accion.org.

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