Clinton Bush Haiti Fund

The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund was a United States 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created on January 16, 2010, by former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in response to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 of that year. The initiative followed a request from President Barack Obama that the two former presidents help support the national and international rescue and recovery effort. Rather than concentrating only on immediate relief, the fund developed a longer-term economic-recovery mandate. Its programs were designed to help restart, expand, and create micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises; improve access to formal business services and financing; support job creation; strengthen workforce development; and provide life-skills and employment training, particularly for young Haitians. The fund also emphasized activities with broader social benefits, including employment connected with health and education. Women’s participation in enterprise and microfinance was an important consideration because women were major contributors to many Haitian businesses and household economies. The organization raised $54.4 million from more than two million individuals, businesses, and organizations. It distributed support to more than 50 organizations through a combination of grants, loans, and equity investments. Its funding portfolio covered business finance and entrepreneurship services, job training and workforce development, critical unmet needs, and the recovery and expansion of microfinance institutions. According to the fund’s December 2012 estimates, its programs had sustained or created 7,350 jobs, trained 20,050 people, and positively affected the conditions of more than 311,000 Haitians. The fund was governed by a board that included former senior officials from both presidential administrations and was led operationally by Gary Edson, a former deputy national security adviser in the George W. Bush administration. Its board structure included two co-chairs, Laura Graham and Joshua Bolten, alongside Bruce Lindsey, Bill Frist, Henrietta Fore, and Alexis Herman. Formal operations ended on December 31, 2012. Programs that had not yet been completed were transferred to the Multilateral Investment Fund, a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group. The Multilateral Investment Fund also became responsible for receiving repayments from outstanding loans and reinvesting those funds in initiatives consistent with the original mission of expanding economic opportunity in Haiti. The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund therefore operated as a time-limited reconstruction and development vehicle rather than as a continuing charitable institution.

The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund emerged from the international response to the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti. The disaster caused extensive loss of life and damage to homes, public infrastructure, businesses, and essential services. President Barack Obama asked former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to assist with the broader American effort to support Haitian rescue and recovery. They established the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund on January 16, 2010, as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping earthquake victims and contributing to Haiti’s reconstruction. The fund’s approach developed beyond emergency relief. Its principal emphasis was economic recovery and the creation of sustainable livelihoods. It sought to help micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises restart operations, expand, or launch new businesses. The organization also aimed to connect people and enterprises with the formal economy, improve access to business services and capital, and encourage employment in areas such as health and education. Training programs focused especially on youth, providing job skills and life skills intended to help Haitians participate in future economic opportunities. Support for microfinance institutions was another important component, with attention to the role of women among their clients and beneficiaries. Governance was formally announced on March 5, 2010. Gary Edson became chief executive officer. The board had two co-chairs, Laura Graham and Joshua Bolten, and included Bruce Lindsey, Bill Frist, Henrietta Fore, and Alexis Herman. The group brought together former officials associated with both the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, along with experience in government, development, business, health, labor, and nonprofit management. The organization financed its work through contributions from individuals, businesses, and organizations. It ultimately reported raising $54.4 million from more than two million donors and supporters. Rather than operating only through direct charitable activity, it supported more than 50 other organizations using grants, loans, and equity investments. Its allocation priorities were business finance and entrepreneurship services, job training and workforce development, critical unmet needs, and microfinance recovery and expansion. The fund reported that, by December 2012, its programs had sustained or created 7,350 jobs, trained 20,050 individuals, and improved conditions for more than 311,000 Haitians. The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund was conceived as a finite response organization. Formal operations ended on December 31, 2012. The Multilateral Investment Fund, part of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, assumed responsibility for incomplete programs and began receiving repayments from remaining loans. Those repayments were to be reinvested in projects aligned with the fund’s original objective of expanding economic opportunity in Haiti. The organization consequently closed as an operating fund while leaving some of its financial and programmatic work under successor management.

• 2012

  Formal operations end

  [1]Clinton Bush Haiti Funden.wikipedia.org

  The fund concluded formal operations on December 31, after reporting its fundraising, employment, training, and beneficiary results.

• 2012

  Program management transferred

  [1]Clinton Bush Haiti Funden.wikipedia.org

  The Multilateral Investment Fund assumed management of unfinished programs and responsibility for reinvesting repayments from outstanding loans in initiatives supporting economic opportunity in Haiti.

• 2010

  Fund founded

  [1]Clinton Bush Haiti Funden.wikipedia.org

  Bill Clinton and George W. Bush established the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund on January 16, following the earthquake in Haiti and a request from President Barack Obama for their assistance.

• 2010

  Board and CEO announced

  [1]Clinton Bush Haiti Funden.wikipedia.org

  On March 5, the fund announced its board structure, co-chairs, directors, and chief executive Gary Edson.

A time-limited, presidentially backed humanitarian and economic-recovery fund focused on long-term livelihoods, enterprise development, employment, and economic opportunity in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.

• Economic development · 2010

  Enterprise finance and business services

  The fund supported Haitian micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises through grants, loans, equity investments, access to financing, business services, and entrepreneurship assistance. The objective was to help businesses restart after the earthquake, expand existing activity, or enter the formal economy and create employment.

• Training and employment · 2010

  Workforce development and job training

  Workforce initiatives provided vocational, employment, and life-skills training, with a particular focus on young Haitians. The programs were intended to improve employability and connect participants with economic opportunities, including jobs with potential social benefits in fields such as health and education.

• Financial inclusion · 2010

  Microfinance institution recovery

  The fund supported the recovery and expansion of microfinance institutions affected by the earthquake. This work helped preserve access to financial services for small businesses and households, including women who represented a significant share of microfinance beneficiaries.

• 2010Haiti earthquake recovery initiative

  Haiti

  The fund’s central initiative combined fundraising with longer-term reconstruction support. It directed resources toward enterprise recovery, employment, skills training, microfinance, and critical unmet needs rather than limiting its role to immediate emergency assistance.

  Outcome. The fund reported raising $54.4 million, supporting more than 50 organizations, sustaining or creating 7,350 jobs, training 20,050 people, and positively affecting more than 311,000 Haitians by December 2012.

  Source

• 2012

  Close the fund and transfer unfinished workStrategy

  Background

  The organization was established as a time-limited response to the 2010 earthquake, and its formal operating period ended at the close of 2012.

  Action taken

  The fund ended formal operations on December 31, 2012, transferring incomplete programs and loan-repayment management to the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank Group.

  Aftermath

  Remaining repayments were designated for reinvestment in programs consistent with the original mission of promoting economic opportunity in Haiti.

  Source

• 2010

  Prioritize long-term economic recoveryStrategy

  Background

  The fund was created after the earthquake but defined its role around rebuilding livelihoods and economic capacity in addition to addressing immediate humanitarian needs.

  Action taken

  It directed support toward small and growing businesses, entrepreneurship, job creation, workforce training, youth skills, microfinance, and critical unmet needs.

  Aftermath

  The organization reported measurable employment, training, and beneficiary effects before closing its formal operations in 2012.

  Funds raised. $54.4 million (By December 2012)

  Source

1. 1Clinton Bush Haiti Funden.wikipedia.org