Inter-American Development Bank

The Inter-American Development Bank helps foster sustainable economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean through its lending operations, leadership in regional initiatives, research and knowledge dissemination activities, institutes and programs.
The Bank assists its Latin American and Caribbean borrowing member countries in formulating development policies and provides financing and technical assistance to achieve environmentally sustainable economic growth and increase competitiveness, enhance social equity and fight poverty, modernize the state, and foster free trade and regional integration.
Public entities eligible to borrow from the Bank include national, provincial, state and municipal governments, and autonomous public institutions. Civil society organizations and private companies are also eligible.

Founded in 1959, the IDB was originally a partnership between 19 Latin American countries and the United States. Over the next several decades, the Bank expanded its membership. Today, the IDB is owned by 47 member states, of which 26 are borrowing members in Latin America and the Caribbean.