Spending my summer with the Grassroots Business Fund (GBF) in Nairobi, I witnessed what it takes to use blended finance to invest in underserved small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in East Africa. I was tasked mainly with proposing a strategy for pursuing gender and climate outcomes through the fund’s portfolio of SMEs. This entailed setting appropriate goals and suggesting ways to pursue them within the investment process. I also gained invaluable insights from writing project proposals, talking with SME-owners, and sitting through investment deliberations. Interning with GBF allowed me to gain relevant experience in both private sector development and impact measurement. Moving forward, I am excited to build a career at the intersection of innovative finance and rigorous impact evaluations.