The five-year history of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia Foundation’s (LGF) involvement in international development has been one of constant evolution and refinement - in both conception and execution – from initial support for developing small energy infrastructures, to integrating those infrastructures into income-generating ventures, to supporting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for the elimation of poverty.

In 2001, LGF developed the Preparation Facility for Sustainable Small-Scale Infrastructures - PREPASSIST, to provide project preparation assistance and investment banking services for renewable energy and energy efficiency entrepreneurs. It became clear that provision of energy infrastructure is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for sustainable development of rural communities. Such development must foster meaningful economic activity that is both environmentally sensitive and socially appropriate.

PREPASSIST demonstrated the feasibility of this approach and the Blue Moon Fund supported the creation of an international network - MOSAICO (mobilizing sustainable agriculture, infrastructure and capital) to demonstrate it in Brazil, China, and India. LGF, with its MOSAICO partners, creates access to financing for sustainable agriculture and infrastructure ventures by demonstrating their financial viability: by supporting multiplier groups with technical assistance and training; by financing small pilot projects; by mitigating bank risk through training, guarantees, and bundling; and by developing and supporting innovative financial mechanisms.

LGF is now working to develop a mechanism to integrate health and other development services into the institutional structures it supports to achieve local economic self-sufficiency, and thereby to address the Millennium Development Goals. This cooperative effort with Italian civil society organizations and UN agencies will complement the work of national governments toward achievement of the MDGs, while bringing important new resource flows to bear on them.