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New Era, New Data: Why ‘Financial Inclusion 2.0’ Will Require a Different Approach to Measurement
Financial inclusion is entering a new era, says Grant Robertson at FinMark Trust. The movement’s first era focused largely on boosting financial access – but its impact on poverty and wellbeing was limited. The new era – "financial inclusion 2.0" – will focus more on expanding real economic opportunity. But to support this goal, the sector will need a new approach to data.
- Categories
- Finance, Impact Assessment
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Research During a Pandemic: Leaner and Faster Poverty Measurement in the Time of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is pushing research projects around the world to move from face-to-face data collection to shorter, phone-based methods. But as Elliott Collins and John Branch at Innovations for Poverty Action point out, these changes can present challenges for researchers studying how the pandemic affects poor and vulnerable households. They explore some strategies for measuring poverty under these constraints, based on IPA’s experience with lean, remote research.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Impact Assessment
- Tags
- COVID-19, data, poverty alleviation, research
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Expanding Impact and Emerging Risks in Off-Grid Energy: 10 Customer Insights – And Five Calls to Action
Social impact measurement is often a balancing act between generating rich, meaningful insights – and getting lost in the details. 60 Decibels aims to strike that balance with its first impact performance report, “Why Off Grid Energy Matters,” based on over 35,000 interviews with customers of 49 off-grid energy companies in 17 countries. Kat Harrison and Sasha Dichter explore some highlights, ranging from hyper-specific insights on customer impact, to sector-wide risks and gaps.
- Categories
- Energy, Impact Assessment
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Progress and Frustration: How Investors are Pushing Impact Investing Toward Greater Transparency
Impact investments are likely to top $1 trillion in the not-too-distant future. But as the sector grows, so does the need for greater transparency about who is benefiting, in what ways, and to what degree, says Paige Chapel at Aeris Insight. And though institutional investors are moving toward more accountability, 80% of retail investors still find it difficult to measure the impact of their portfolios. She explores this challenge – and some emerging, tech-based solutions.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
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Press Release: Impact Investors Growing Increasingly Sophisticated at Impact Measurement and Management (IMM), Even Amid Challenges
The new report, which surveyed the GIIN’s largest respondent pool, captures data from 278 impact investors and 109 two-year repeat respondents. It provides the most comprehensive view of how impact investors assess their social and environmental impact, and the trends that have shaped IMM practices in the past two years.
- Source
- Press Release
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
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Learning is an Afterthought at Most Donor-Funded Programs: Here’s How to Make it a Priority
Despite the millions of dollars funders spend on it each year, learning remains a low priority within donor-funded programs. Why? According to Anne Maftei at the Mastercard Foundation Rural & Agricultural Finance Learning Lab, it's because these programs are built for implementation rather than knowledge creation. But while this is understandable, it's not ideal – Maftei explores ways funders can make learning less onerous and more useful for their partner organizations.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
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And the Winners of NextBillion’s Most Influential Article of 2019 Contest Are …
Tough questions and tougher answers: NextBillion's most influential articles of 2019 – as rated by our readers – confronted some confounding new realities in emerging markets business, and the potential futures they portend. And here are the winners! Thank you to the hundreds of readers who cast their ballots during the holiday period – and especially to the guest writers who shared these insightful pieces.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Education, Energy, Environment, Finance, Health Care, Impact Assessment, Investing, Technology
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