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Microfinance Resources

Members of the Opportunity International Network can expand their knowledge and resource base by tapping into resources offered by leading microfinance organizations. The following list represents a select group of organizations that Opportunity is pleased to partner and collaborate toward the collective goal of alleviating poverty worldwide.

 

The Boulder Institute of Microfinance
The Boulder Institute for Microfinance is a nonprofit organization, founded to create a platform for dialogue and critical thinking in microfinance. Building on the foundation of the Boulder Microfinance Training program, it aims to extend the same spirit of learning into a broad range of programs.

 

Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP)
CGAP is a resource center for the entire microfinance industry, where it incubates and supports new ideas, innovative products, cutting-edge technology, novel mechanisms for delivering financial services, and concrete solutions to the challenges of expanding microfinance.

 

Imp-Act Consortium
This collaboration between leading organisations seeks to develop and support appropriate social performance management (SPM) systems at a microfinance institution (MFI) level, on-going implementation of these systems, and the linkages between internal information use and external reporting.

 

The MicroBanking Bulletin
The MicroBanking Bulletin (MBB) is the premier benchmarking source for the microfinance industry. Its benchmarks are widely used by investors, donors and other service providers to facilitate greater standardization and a better understanding of the development of the microfinance sector.

 

Microcredit Summit Campaign
The Microcredit Summit Campaign brings together microcredit practitioners, advocates, educational institutions, donor agencies, international financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and others involved with microcredit to promote best practices in the field, to learn from each other, and to work towards reaching our goal.

 

Microfinance Gateway
The Microfinance Gateway is the most comprehensive online resource for the microfinance industry. It includes research and publications, specialized resource centers, organization and consultant profiles, and the latest news, events, and job opportunities in microfinance.

 

microLINKS
microLINKS is a knowledge-sharing family of applications and tools designed to improve the impact of USAID microenterprise programs and activities.

 

The MIX MARKET ™
The MIX MARKET ™ is a global, web-based, microfinance information platform.  It provides information to sector actors and the public at large on microfinance institutions (MFIs) worldwide, public and private funds that invest in microfinance, MFI networks, raters/external evaluators, advisory firms, and governmental and regulatory agencies.

 

Rural Finance Learning Center
Rural Finance is about providing financial services for people living in rural areas. This Learning Centre aims to assist organisations in developing countries to build their capacity to deliver improved financial services which meet the needs of rural households and businesses.

 

The SEEP Network
The Small Enterprise Education and Promotion (SEEP) Network is a global organization whose membership is committed to reducing poverty through the power of enterprise.  Its mission is to advance the practice of microfinance and micro and small enterprise development among our members, their international partners, and other practitioners.

 

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes investments in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). These investments are designed to help the LDCs reduce poverty and achieve the objectives of the Brussels Programme of Action for the LDCs and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). UNCDF’s investment capital is flexible, high-risk, and innovative, and its development approach seeks the long-term development of human, institutional, and financial capacity in the poorest countries.