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The Next Financial Inclusion Revolution: The Transformative Potential of Scaling Small Group Savings in the World’s Poorest Communities
Despite $52 billion invested in financial inclusion in 2019 alone, nearly 2 billion people – many of them among the world’s poorest – still lack access to formal finance. As Jeffrey Ashe at Grassroots Finance Action points out, these communities often turn to informal savings and credit groups to meet their financial needs – but there are many who are too poor and marginalized to be invited to be part of these groups. He explores a proposal that aims to expand access to informal savings groups to reach these financially excluded individuals around the world.
- Categories
- Finance
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European Investment Bank Publishes Unique Analysis of Impact of COVID-19 on Financing Across Africa
The new report explores how access to finance provided by banks, microfinance and private equity sectors have been affected and what long-term trends may impact private sector investment.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Second COVID Wave Batters Microfinance, Lenders Positive on Outlook in India
The gross loan portfolio of microfinance companies in India fell in the first quarter of FY22 as demand for credit dropped due to restrictions imposed during the second COVID-19 wave.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Kinara Capital Secures $9.3 Million From Invest in Visions GmbH
Classified as an ESG Impact Fund by the European Union, Kinara Capital will further IIV’s microfinance fund mandate of enabling credit access to small businesses.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Investing
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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The Democratization of Sustainable Investing: Navigating the New World of Impact Options for Retail Investors in the U.S.
As impact and ESG investing have gained momentum, they have attracted the attention of retail investors, resulting in a bewildering array of new funds and products available to the general public. But as Lana Khabarova at SustainFi explains, the quality of these products varies widely, and some may not be as "sustainable" as they seem. She highlights several sustainable investing options available to retail investors in the U.S., providing information that can help investors choose the right products and strategies to achieve their financial and impact goals.
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Shifting from Financial Inclusion to Financial Health: Strategic Focus Areas for Providers and Other Stakeholders
In the past decade, 1.2 billion people around the world have obtained a financial account. But according to Nishant Kumar and Sonal Agrawal at Lakshya, this growing financial inclusion isn't leading to similar gains in financial health – and addressing this challenge will require stakeholders to boost engagement on the demand side rather than just maximizing supply-side efficiency. They propose three key strategic focus areas for improving global financial health, and explore how they differ from the approaches taken to boost financial inclusion.
- Categories
- Finance
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The Pandemic is Not Over for Social Enterprises: Here’s How Impact Investors and Other Funders Can Help Them Survive COVID-19
Social enterprises are developing innovative, sustainable and scalable solutions to the world's deepest economic and social issues, but many of these businesses are at risk of disappearing due to COVID-19. According to Alethia Kang at Acceso and Luke Seidle at Kiva, impact investors and other funders must step up to keep the social enterprise field afloat. They share five steps funders can take to bolster these businesses, and discuss how the partnership between their two organizations illustrates the value of flexible funding support during a crisis.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Coronavirus, Entrepreneurship, Investing
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Asian Development Bank and BlueOrchard Sign a $50 Million Risk-Sharing Agreement to Bolster Microfinance
ADB's flagship fund, BlueOrchard Microfinance Fund, will invest in selected microfinance institutions (MFIs) and banks.
- Region
- Global
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