Kiva Reviews 707

Reply from Kiva

Feb 9, 2026

Hello Weevil, thank you for taking the time to voice your concerns about defaulted loans.

I’m really sorry that you experienced defaults on your Kiva loans. We know this can be disappointing, and we appreciate you sharing your feedback.

To provide some context, in microfinance it’s common to first attempt rescheduling delinquent loans to allow for eventual repayment. At Kiva, defaults are typically processed on a quarterly basis and are defined as the point at which collection of funds from a borrower or Lending Partner becomes doubtful. This may occur when the cumulative amount repaid during a quarterly reconciliation is less than what was expected as of 360 days prior, and no repayments have been reported to Kiva during that time.

When a default occurs at the borrower level, we rely on Lending Partners to share additional details with lenders when possible, though they may not always have the capacity to do so. In the case of a partner-level default, Kiva will post an update on the partner’s profile page, which can be accessed by clicking the partner’s name on the loan page or by visiting kiva.org/partners.

While defaults are an unfortunate reality of lending to underserved communities, we want to assure lenders that Kiva takes significant steps upfront to responsibly vet both borrowers and partners before loans are funded.

Borrowers on Kiva are vetted or endorsed by a local Lending Partner, a Trustee, or members of their community. For partner loans, Kiva conducts due diligence on Lending Partners, including reviewing leadership information, financial documentation, and plans for using Kiva capital to support high impact lending. Partners posting higher volumes of loans undergo additional review, including on site visits and interviews with leadership, staff, and borrowers.

For direct loans, Kiva staff verify borrower identity and use a process called social underwriting. Borrowers must be endorsed by a Kiva Trustee or successfully invite members of their own networks to support their loan before it is posted publicly. Because friends, family, and community members are also lending their own funds, we believe this process increases accountability and commitment to repayment.

You can learn more about Kiva’s due diligence process here: https://www.kiva.org/about/due-diligence

I hope this addresses your concerns, but if you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to email us at contactus@kiva.org.

Reply from Kiva

Feb 9, 2026

Hi Tim, we appreciate you taking the time to voice your concerns about your experience with Kiva.

We apologize that you experienced defaults on your Kiva loans. We know this can be disheartening, and we appreciate you sharing your feedback.

To provide some context, in microfinance it’s common to first attempt rescheduling delinquent loans to allow for eventual repayment. At Kiva, defaults are typically processed on a quarterly basis and are defined as the point at which collection of funds from a borrower or Lending Partner becomes doubtful. This may occur when the cumulative amount repaid during a quarterly reconciliation is less than what was expected as of 360 days prior, and no repayments have been reported to Kiva during that time.

When a default occurs at the borrower level, we rely on Lending Partners to share additional details with lenders when possible, though they may not always have the capacity to do so. In the case of a partner-level default, Kiva will post an update on the partner’s profile page, which can be accessed by clicking the partner’s name on the loan page or by visiting kiva.org/partners.

While defaults are an unfortunate reality of lending to underserved communities, we want to assure lenders that Kiva takes significant steps upfront to responsibly vet both borrowers and partners before loans are funded.

Borrowers on Kiva are vetted or endorsed by a local Lending Partner, a Trustee, or members of their community. For partner loans, Kiva conducts due diligence on Lending Partners, including reviewing leadership information, financial documentation, and plans for using Kiva capital to support high impact lending. Partners posting higher volumes of loans undergo additional review, including on site visits and interviews with leadership, staff, and borrowers.

For direct loans, Kiva staff verify borrower identity and use a process called social underwriting. Borrowers must be endorsed by a Kiva Trustee or successfully invite members of their own networks to support their loan before it is posted publicly. Because friends, family, and community members are also lending their own funds, we believe this process increases accountability and commitment to repayment.

You can learn more about Kiva’s due diligence process here: https://www.kiva.org/about/due-diligence

I hope this addresses your concerns, but if you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to email us at contactus@kiva.org.

Reply from Kiva

Feb 9, 2026

Hi Elaine, thanks for taking the time to provide us with a review about your experience with Kiva US loans.

Kiva U.S. loans support entrepreneurs from diverse and often systemically marginalized backgrounds, including formerly incarcerated individuals, veterans, immigrants, and refugees. Many borrowers are excluded from traditional financing and/or operate businesses with a clear social mission that benefits their communities. Through Kiva U.S., our goal is to expand access to capital, rethink traditional creditworthiness, and help borrowers build the foundation needed to access more conventional loans in the future. You can learn more about this work here: https://www.kiva.org/impact/systemically-marginalized-communities

With this potential for impact comes increased risk. Kiva U.S. funds inherently riskier loans, including those to startup businesses, borrowers with lower credit scores, or individuals without a credit history. Unlike Kiva’s Lending Partner model, (which relies on local organizations to disburse loans and collect repayments) Kiva U.S. loans do not use intermediaries for oversight, so a higher default rate is expected. You can find out more about Lending Partners here: https://www.kiva.org/blog/kiva-101-whats-a-field-partner

To balance inclusion and risk, Kiva U.S. uses a holistic underwriting process that evaluates applicants’ business and personal finances to determine minimum loan eligibility. Our aim is to ensure loans support long term financial health while responsibly assessing repayment capacity.

Borrowers must also demonstrate community support by securing a set number of lenders from their personal networks before their loan is posted publicly on Kiva.org. This often increases accountability and motivation to repay. When borrowers fall behind, the U.S. team prioritizes clear, compassionate communication and offers alternative repayment options or loan restructuring when possible, recognizing that life circumstances can change.

If borrowers remain unresponsive and miss repayments, loans may eventually default. Kiva’s policy is to default a U.S. loan after 180 days without repayment and six missed monthly payments. We also offer up to three default exemptions and restructuring opportunities to help borrowers avoid this outcome.

We understand that this level of risk may not be right for everyone. For lenders who wish to continue supporting Kiva U.S., reviewing the Trustee section of each loan can be helpful. Trustees with stronger repayment histories or lending to repeat borrowers may increase the likelihood of repayment. You can learn more about Trustees here: https://www.kiva.org/lp/faq-kiva-us-trustees-faqs

Please reach out to us via email at contactus@kiva.org if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Reply from Kiva

Feb 4, 2026

Hi B, thanks so much for taking the time to leave us a review.

We're sorry for the confusion caused by possible auto-lending and donations on your account.

In November 2019, Kiva notified lenders about a change to its Terms of Use that would take effect in February 2020. For lenders who did not opt out, the change to our Terms of Use made funds that had not been used for loans in 90 days eligible for auto-lending in May 2020.

This change directed idle funds to borrowers in need of support. Before updating the Terms of Use, we sought input and feedback from lenders. Many inactive Kiva users found auto-lending helpful in reducing the time and energy needed to support borrowers continuously.

We communicated this change far in advance of any action, starting with the pre-announcement in November 2019, then with the Terms of Use change in February 2020, and again in May 2020 before any funds were lent. In each notification, we gave lenders instructions to opt out of auto-lending and encouraged lenders to take action that best suited their preferences.

It sounds like your Kiva account may have been opted into auto-lending, which is why your credit was used to support borrowers as well as Kiva's operating funds.

To turn off auto-lending, sign into your Kiva account and go to: kiva.org/settings/autolending

Then, you will need to update "Auto-lending status" to "Off" and click "Save" before exiting out of this screen.

Additionally, we apologize for the difficulty you experienced attempting to withdraw your funds. We'd be more than happy to further assist if you could please email us at contactus@kiva.org.