WaterPartners International recently announced the launch of our WaterCredit Initiative.  We have a US$ 1.5 million loan fund available for water and sanitation projects.  This loan fund is made possible with support grants from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and the Agora Foundation (a donor-advised fund of the Peninsula Community Foundation). The WaterCredit Initiative is designed to bring additional financial resources to NGOs working to address water and sanitation needs in poor communities in the developing world.

We are now accepting initial applications from NGOs interested in creating innovative solutions to meet the needs of people who lack access to safe water and sanitation services, especially those working in the urban slum areas of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. 

We would appreciate if you can you please forward this to your NGO network in Mumbai so that they can be made aware of this funding opportunity.

The initial application is available on our website at: http://www.water.org/watercredit.  This website will allow you to:

-  Learn more about the WaterCredit Initiative
-  Read through our criteria for selecting NGOs to receive loans
-  View frequently asked questions about the WaterCredit Initiative
-  Complete an initial application to receive funds

We are planning a May visit to India to interview potential credit partners.  Therefore, to be eligible for the initial round of loans in India, applications must be received no later than 31 March 2005.

WaterPartners International is a US-based nonprofit organization that has been supporting partner NGOs in the water supply & sanitation sector in the developing world since 1990.  Through our grant-based support and program evaluations we have helped NGOs around the world strengthen their programs and expand the financial resources needed to reach more people with safe water.

Best regards,

Marla Smith-Nilson
msmith@water.org
Director of International Programs
WaterPartners International
--------------------------------------------------
msmith@water.org    www.water.org
--------------------------------------------------
We envision the day when everyone in the world can take a safe drink of water.