Over the last decade, the emergence of partnerships in the philanthropic sector has grown dramatically. The concept of chequebook philanthropy is no longer as popular as it once was; funders want to be more active and organizations are more willing (and if they are not, they should be) to accept the expertise of partners in lieu of cash.

The punts are lined up in a row, hugging the shoreline behind Pete Decker’s home, the sun’s last glint marking its descent upon their bows and tracing a shadow into the cool Atlantic waters. In July, these traditional wooden boats will be making their way into the clear blue for the annual Great Fogo Island Punt Race to There and Back, and event coordinator, Decker is a busy man. The award-winning race is designed to breathe new life into the once-ubiquitous punt and all it represents to the heritage of Fogo Island. One of many innovative projects created by the Shorefast Foundation—the brainchild of resident social entrepreneur Zita Cobb—the hope is to revitalize a community that’s faced its share of challenges.

After decades of work in the nonprofit and educational sectors, I find myself in a role I never imagined, the CEO of a private tech company. I have never been so bold or so vulnerable.

When it comes to microfinance, one organization has proven itself particularly worthy of the term pioneer. Eschewing conventional fundraising models for a unique peer-to-peer microlending website, Kiva has been alleviating poverty and empowering entrepreneurs around the globe since 2005. It’s hard to imagine that such a young company has already facilitated more than $100 million in loans. But it has. In honour of their recent fifth anniversary, SEE Change spoke with CEO and co-founder, Matt Flannery about the organization he started, its successes, growing pains, and what we can expect from this microlending leader in the future.