Microfinance

Micro Save http://www.microsave.org/ MicroSave is committed to providing market-led solutions for financial service providers through disseminating research, practice-based toolkits and training.

Développement international Desjardins (DID) is a Canadian corporation that specializes in providing technical support and investment for the community finance sector in countries in development or in emergence. DID is currently assisting organizations in over twenty nations in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and Central and Eastern Europe.
http://www.did.qc.ca/en/

The Canadian Gateway to Microfinance
This website serves as a gateway in Canada which was set up in 2005 by the Canadian National Committee for the UN Year of Microcredit.
http://www.microfinance.ca/

The Cambridge Microfinance and Development Venture Capital (MADVC) Network
An information and networking tool for students and professionals based in the Boston area interested in development finance worldwide. Its relationship with students and faculty at top graduate schools (Harvard Business School / Kennedy School of Government / Massachusetts Institute of Technology / the Fletcher School) contributes to its strength and prominence in the Boston area.
http://www.microfinancenetwork.org/

The Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP)
A multi-donor effort to reduce poverty by increasing access to financial services for very poor households through financially sustainable institutions. CGAP's strategy is anchored on building and strengthening the retail capacity of microfinance institutions. UNCDF is a member of this consortium of 29 donors.
http://www.cgap.org/

Financial Sector Reform and Strengthening (FIRST) Initiative
FIRST Initiative is a multi-donor program aimed at building strong and growth oriented financial systems in developing countries. FIRST provides technical assistance grants to public sector recipients in developing and transition countries for capacity building and policy development in the areas of financial sector regulation, supervision and development. FIRST has been increasingly active in microfinance supervision and regulatory work. Currently FIRST has undertaken 188 technical assistance projects around the world.
http://www.firstinitiative.org/

UNDP Bureau of Development Policy
While UNCDF specializes in local governance and microfinance , the whole UNDP Group offers support in a broader range of development areas. UNDP itself provides a range of services to governments and to UN country teams in the following practice areas: Democratic Governance, Poverty Reduction and Pro-Poor Policies, Environment and Sustainable Energy, Gender, HIV/AIDS, Information and Communication Technology, Crisis Prevention and Recovery.
http://www.undp.org/policy/

The Microfinance Gateway
The Microfinance Gateway is a collaboration between CGAP (the Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest) and ELDIS, a leading organization in on-line information gateways (based at the Institute of Development Studies, U.K.). The Microfinance Gateway maintains a database of MFIs around the world. Visit this link and type in a country, for example, and the database will present all the MFIs that it has in that particular country.
http://www.microfinancegateway.org/

The Development Gateway
The Development Gateway helps communities, organizations, and individuals build partnerships, share ideas, and work together to reduce poverty. They have a dedicated section on Microfinance.
http://www.developmentgateway.com/node/130673

Women's World Banking
The Women's World Banking network helps affiliates build their ability to provide responsive, efficient and sustainable microfinance services. Technical services and training, tailored to each affiliate's stage and potential, are provided on: organizational strategy and effectiveness, microfinance products and processes, loan tracking and MIS.
http://www.swwb.org/

Microfinance Training Program at Naropa University
Affectionately known as ‘the Boulder program,' the Microfinance Training Programme at Naropa University in Colorado is a pioneer in intensive ‘best practice' training with an alumni network of over 1,000 practitioners. It strives to provide an unparalleled learning environment within a rich community of leaders from across the field of microfinance.
http://www.naropa.edu/microfinance/

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Division (MSM) of the Inter-American Development Bank
Responsible for coordinating and implementing the Bank's microenterprise development strategy, Micro 2001.
http://www.iadb.org/sds/mic/index_mic_e.htm

MicroFinance Network
A global association of leading microfinance institutions, including BancoSol, BRI, BRAC, and K-Rep. It serves as a vehicle for leading microfinance organizations to provide each other with technical assistance and to learn from each other's methodological successes and failures.
http://www.mfnetwork.org/

The Virtual Library on Microcredit (VLM)
The VLM was set up to be a repository of information on microfinance. Its main aim is to support microfinance and related activities with information on policies, strategies, tools, case studies etc.
http://www.gdrc.org/icm/

Accion International
A non-profit organization that fights poverty through microlending.
http://accion.org

Foundation for International Community Assistance (FINCA)
This organization was launched in 1984 to support the economic and human development of families trapped in severe poverty. To accomplish this, it creates "village banks”: peer groups of 10 to 50 members, predominately women. FINCA now serves more than 110,000 poor families in 17 countries.
http://www.villagebanking.org/

The Microcredit Summit
This website features a quarterly newsletter, provides information on the Summit's regular meetings, as well as information on publications and materials.
http://www.microcreditsummit.org/

Rural Finance Program, Ohio State University
This programme, established in the early 1960s, specializes in the analysis of rural financial markets and other finance and development topics, particularly those concerning the provision of financial services to a wide variety of clientele in developing countries.
http://aede.osu.edu/Programs/RuralFinance/

Grameen Foundation USA
This non-profit organization works in partnership with the Grameen Bank to fight poverty through micro credit related projects.
http://www.grameenfoundation.org

Pole Microfinancement
Ce site est un outil de travail au service des acteurs de la microfinance. Opérateurs, organisations non gouvernementales, bailleurs de fonds, chercheurs ou étudiants y trouveront des informations utiles pour leur activité, en langue française. Il est mis en oeuvre par le Gret et le Cirad, deux organismes impliqués dans le champ du microfinancement comme opérateurs, mais aussi en recherche-action, capitalisation et communication. Il comprend trois bases de données et un espace interactif.
http://microfinancement.cirad.fr/present.html

University of Washington Microfinance Program
The Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs (ESPA) in conjunction with the School of Business, Department of Economics, and Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington (UW), Irkutsk State University (ISU), and the Siberian Academy for Public Administration (SAPA) have formed a partnership to jointly develop a unique curriculum, conduct innovative and applicable research, and promote professional training and outreach in the field of microfinance. They are supported in this endeavor by local nonprofits committed to poverty alleviation and enterprise development. The University also offers a course based on the UNCDF/SUM Microfinance Distance Learning Programme.
http://depts.washington.edu/mfinance/eng/index.html

Moksha-Yug Access - Rural infrastructure and services company focusing on Microfinance
MOKSHA-YUG ACCESS (MYA) is a rural infrastructure and services company with a primary focus on microfinance. It launched operations on 12th April 2006 in Bagalkot taluk of Bagalkot District and has 75 employees working towards creating wealth for the rural poor.
http://www.moksha-yug.in