Leveraging Effective Applications of Direct (LEAD) Investments 2011-2017 Final Report

The Leveraging Effective Applications of Direct (LEAD) Investments project was a six-year USAID-funded program (2011-2017) implemented by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) to support Haiti's post-earthquake economic recovery. The project focused on two main components: supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through capital and technical assistance, and engaging the Haitian diaspora to increase the development impact of remittances.

The project operated in three geographic corridors - Port-au-Prince, Saint Marc, and Cap Haitian - using a Business Plan Competition model to identify promising SMEs. Through matching grants combined with technical assistance, LEAD supported 45 businesses across various sectors. The project's approach aimed to unlock private investment capital and encourage financial institution participation in economic growth activities.

LEAD achieved significant results, creating over 18,000 jobs and generating more than $33 million in sales while leveraging over $10 million in private equity, business assets, and debt funds. The project also worked extensively with diaspora groups to promote engagement in Haiti's economy through various initiatives including roadshows, social development funds, and remittance enhancement programs.

The success of LEAD demonstrated that supporting SMEs with the right combination of capital and technical assistance can create transformative effects on the Haitian economy, establishing clusters of private enterprise in key value-chains and industrial hubs that boost domestic production and enhance competitiveness.