Money Under 30

The Advanta Kiva BusinessCard: A Credit Card for the Socially-Conscious Entrepreneur

Advanta, proprietors of super low-rate credit cards specifically marketed to small business owners, recently introduced the Kiva BusinessCard, a 7.99% APR credit card that will match users’ grants to Kiva, the Web’s first person-to-person micro-lending site.

For non-Kiva users, the Advanta Kiva BusinessCard is just another business credit card with good terms, like a 0% APR on balance transfers and 1% cash back (in the no-B.S. form of a statement credit). Once you get involved with Kiva, however, this card helps your charity go further.

Kiva finances entrepreneurs in developing countries with small loans (usually $1,000 or less) to buy a used taxi, a sewing machine, or lease a restaurant. When you lend through Kiva, you give people the money they need to succeed, and you get your principal returned. (Interest paid on the loans support operational costs).

The Advanta Kiva BusinessCard will match all Kiva grants you make using the card up to $200 each month. Plus, you’ll earn 5% cash back as a statement credit for all Kiva grants you make with the card.

Update (12/29/08): Unfortunately, Advanta, like many credit card issuers, has temporarily limited new card applications due to the economic situation, and the Advanta Kiva BusinessCard isn’t currently available. I will provide an update here when this changes.