We are the ReCirculate Collective.

Values-led, action-oriented, changemakers.

Our journey has been anything but ordinary—from community-rooted infrastructure work in India to catalyzing circular impact in the U.S. Through every step, we’ve stayed true to our values and made space for thoughtful, lasting change.

  • Where We Come From



    S3IDF was founded in 2001 to challenge “business as usual” in development finance—especially the top-down systems and exclusionary capital models that leave too many people behind.

    In our early years, we worked alongside underserved communities in South India, supporting practical solutions across clean energy, sanitation, waste, and livelihoods. Our approach—what Dr. Russell deLucia called the Social Merchant Bank Approach®—combined catalytic capital, local partnerships, and targeted technical assistance to help microentrepreneurs and small enterprises break through market and financing barriers.

  • How We’ve Grown

    As we learned what it actually takes to shift systems, we expanded from on-the-ground work to helping shape larger efforts—advising international development programs and bringing inclusive entrepreneurship and last-mile delivery strategies into broader energy access and market systems initiatives.

    In recent years, we launched an impact-first investing initiative in India—backing early-stage startups in clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and circular waste management with flexible, risk-tolerant financing and hands-on support. While we are no longer investing in new Indian startups, the entrepreneurs we supported continue to grow their operations and impact.

  • Why Circularity?

    The challenges we face—climate change, extractive economic systems, and widening inequality—are deeply interconnected. We see circularity not just as an environmental approach, but as a systems-level strategy for resilience, equity, and sustainability: redesigning value chains, reimagining ownership and access, and building models that restore rather than deplete.

    To us, “circular and regenerative” is a mindset that shows up in many forms, including reuse and repair, waste-to-value innovation, regenerative agriculture, shared-use models (tool libraries and reuse hubs), and workforce approaches that link environmental goals with economic justice.

  • What We’re Building

    In recent years, we began applying our values to a new context—the United States—where community-rooted circular solutions face familiar barriers: not enough early, flexible, non-dilutive capital—exactly the kind of gap we exist to close.

    In 2026, we launched the ReCirculate Collective: a member-powered initiative supporting U.S.-based nonprofit and for-profit efforts advancing circular and regenerative solutions. It’s built on S3IDF’s core approach—creative, catalytic capital paired with values-driven partnership—with a focus on 0% interest loans and non-financial support.

Big Ideas,
Real Impact.

Catalytic Capital

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Community-Powered

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Catalytic Capital 〰️ Community-Powered 〰️

Questions? Meet Answers.

All about S3IDF:

  • S3IDF (aka The Small-Scale Sustainable Infrastructure Development Fund - yes, we know its a mouthful!) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. S3IDF was founded in 2001 on the belief that economic development should improve lives while restoring and preserving the systems we depend on — and ReCirculate Collective carries that commitment forward by backing circular, regenerative approaches that expand opportunity. Learn more about S3IDF.

  • S3IDF was founded in 2001 and has over two decades of experience delivering impact in clean energy, inclusive entrepreneurship, circular economy innovation, and development finance—initially through direct investing in India and South Asia, as well as global advisory engagements with partners such as USAID and the Asian Development Bank. Our recent work has expanded to include new initiatives in the United States.

  • Yes. S3IDF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States. All donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

  • Yes. S3IDF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are fully tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. This includes donations made to the ReCirculate Collective, which operates as a wholly owned LLC of S3IDF and is treated as a disregarded entity for tax purposes—meaning contributions to ReCirculate Collective also qualify as tax-deductible charitable gifts under S3IDF’s nonprofit status.

  • We blend philanthropic discipline with financial tools—like 0% interest loans—to fill critical gaps in early-stage support. We prioritize flexibility, trust, and collaboration, backing initiatives that are often overlooked by conventional investors and funders.

  • Our mission is to support high-impact initiatives advancing circular and regenerative solutions to build a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient society.

  • Our current focus is in the United States, particularly through the ReCirculate Collective. Historically, our work has included direct investments and programmatic support in India and South Asia, as well as global advisory services for multilateral and development institutions. These efforts have spanned inclusive market systems, entrepreneurship support, and energy access—always with an emphasis on social and environmental impact.

  • We receive support through a mix of philanthropic donations, institutional funding, and earned revenue from advisory engagements. For ReCirculate Collective, our member donations directly support pooled lending capital and operations.

  • We publish annual financials and undergo regular audits. Our governance structure includes an experienced Board of Directors, and we maintain clear separation between operational funds and pooled lending capital. For ReCirculate Collective, members receive regular updates and reporting.

  • Yes. We love to collaborate with aligned nonprofits, development agencies, foundations, and mission-driven companies to co-create solutions, deepen local impact, and share learning. We welcome partnership inquiries.

  • Visit the S3IDF-US website. 

All about ReCirculate Collective:

  • ReCirculate Collective is an initiative of S3IDF—a member-powered program S3IDF launched to support U.S.-based circular and regenerative solutions through 0% loans and non-financial support.

    Behind the scenes, S3IDF provides the governance, oversight, and final decision-making needed to keep the work aligned with S3IDF’s charitable purpose.

    ReCirculate Collective also operates under S3IDF’s nonprofit umbrella (via a wholly owned, single-member LLC structure) so the program can stay focused and financially distinct while still benefiting from S3IDF’s 501(c)(3) status—meaning contributions remain tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

  • Both are deeply meaningful—and both help power 0% loans.

    A donation is a direct way to support the work and expand the pool of capital we can deploy. A membership contribution is simply the “stay closer to the work” option: it includes year-long access to The Inner Circle (member portal) and optional opportunities to engage more directly (events, borrower check-ins, and—during review windows—participating in application reviews).

    Either way, your dollars matter. Membership adds connection and access; donations still move capital and make loans possible.

  • Yes. donations made to ReCirculate Collective are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Contributions are routed through ReCirculate Collective’s LLC, which is treated as a disregarded entity for tax purposes, means that donations qualify under S3IDF’s 501(c)(3) charity status.

  • You betcha. Membership fees made to ReCirculate Collective are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Contributions are routed through ReCirculate Collective’s LLC, which is treated as a disregarded entity for tax purposes, means that donations qualify under S3IDF’s 501(c)(3) charity status.

  • Yes—absolutely. You can donate without becoming a Collective member, and your tax-deductible gift matters a lot: it directly helps us make more 0% interest loans to the circular and regenerative initiatives doing the real on-the-ground work. We could do this without you! description

  • Member curious? Check out our “Join the Collective” page and then schedule a one-on-one call with a member of our team. We will walk through the details of membership and answer any questions you have. No pressure or expectation - we always love talking about our work.

  • We take impact tracking seriously. Borrowers share structured updates so we can understand what’s being built, what outcomes are emerging, and what’s being learned along the way.

    We share these insights in a few ways:

    • Public-facing impact highlights and periodic reports (so anyone can see what the work is achieving), and

    • Donor updates by email with news, milestones, and stories from funded initiatives.

    Members also receive access to additional detail through The Inner Circle—such as deeper project updates, borrower check-ins, and other behind-the-scenes learning—while donors still receive meaningful updates that show how their support is being put to work.

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