An Income Sharing Agreement (ISA) gives someone capital up front, and they contribute a fixed share of future earnings, usually without interest. Because contributions follow income, the arrangement flexes when earnings are lower.
The idea is usually traced to the economist Milton Friedman, who proposed it in 1955. Today it is best known in education, where students contribute a share of their income after they graduate.
How we have adapted it
In BRiK, we apply the same principle to farming. Each participant receives small productive capital to start or strengthen an agro-enterprise. They contribute an agreed share of verified profits, with no collateral required.
- No collateral and no fixed interest
- Contributions that rise and fall with real income
- A revolving fund, so one family’s progress helps the next
We are testing this approach in our pilot and will share what we learn.