Application Guide
How to Apply for Associate Strategic Partnerships
at Kiva
🏢 About Kiva
Kiva is unique as a pioneering nonprofit that connects lenders with entrepreneurs in underserved communities worldwide through interest-free microloans, creating a direct, transparent impact model. Working here means contributing to a mission-driven organization that has facilitated over $2 billion in loans across 80+ countries, offering the chance to empower sustainable livelihoods while collaborating with a passionate, globally-minded team.
About This Role
This Associate role supports Kiva's Strategic Partnerships team across the full partnership lifecycle, from researching corporate and foundation prospects to stewarding existing donors. It's impactful because you'll directly contribute to securing funding that enables microloans for entrepreneurs in developing countries, blending business development with social impact.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve researching high-potential corporate partners for Kiva's pipeline in the morning, then drafting proposal materials for an upcoming donor meeting. In the afternoon, you could coordinate contract details with Legal for a smaller partner and facilitate a cross-functional meeting to align on partnership deliverables.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Kiva Is Looking For
- Has 3+ years in partnerships/fundraising with hands-on experience in prospect research, pipeline tracking, and drafting proposals or decks for corporate/foundation audiences.
- Demonstrates proactive ownership—able to independently manage smaller partners while identifying new opportunities aligned with Kiva's Corporate Social Impact strategy.
- Excels at cross-functional collaboration, with experience coordinating between teams (e.g., Legal, Impact) to ensure smooth partnership execution.
- Shows genuine passion for Kiva's mission, with knowledge of microlending, social impact metrics, or sustainable development goals.
📝 Tips for Applying to Kiva
Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience in corporate/foundation fundraising or partnerships, quantifying results like pipeline growth or proposal success rates.
Mention any familiarity with Kiva's existing partners (e.g., Google, Visa, foundations) or microlending models in your cover letter to show targeted research.
Include examples of drafting high-quality materials (e.g., decks, grant proposals) and coordinating due-diligence processes, as these are core to the role.
Emphasize remote collaboration skills, as this is a US-remote role at a globally distributed nonprofit.
Use Kiva's language—reference 'Corporate Social Impact' or 'Impact Philanthropy strategies' from the job description to align with their priorities.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Explain why Kiva's mission resonates with you, linking it to past work in social impact, partnerships, or fundraising.", 'Detail a specific example of supporting a business development cycle (e.g., researching prospects, drafting outreach, tracking pipelines).', 'Highlight cross-functional experience, such as collaborating with legal or operations teams to manage partnerships.', 'Note your ability to exercise judgment in evolving environments, like adapting strategies for new partnership opportunities.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Kiva's current corporate and foundation partners (e.g., on their website) to understand their partnership models and impact stories.
- → Review Kiva's recent impact reports or blog posts to grasp their key metrics (e.g., loan repayment rates, geographic focus).
- → Learn about microlending trends or challenges in developing countries to discuss knowledgeably in interviews.
- → Study Kiva's 'Corporate Social Impact' and 'Impact Philanthropy' strategies mentioned in the job description.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application without mentioning Kiva's mission or microlending—this role requires passion for social impact.
- Overemphasizing sales or for-profit partnerships without tying it to nonprofit fundraising or stewardship experience.
- Failing to provide specific examples of business development cycle support (e.g., vague descriptions of 'helping with proposals').
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!