Collaborators

The Center for Financial Inclusion works with a wide variety of actors – microfinance experts, banks, investors, regulators, technology firms, universities and others – to address challenges related to financial inclusion. Center staff collaborate with experts across industries, many of whom have not yet applied their strengths to microfinance or worked at the same table, to develop solutions that enhance the lives of the world’s poor. Research, events and field piloting will focus on areas such as the double bottom line, microfinance investing, and product and process breakthroughs.

If you, your company or your organization are interested in collaborating with the Center, please contact Charlotte Connors at cconnors@accion.org.

Advisory Council – Composed of leaders from the microfinance industry and the financial sector, the Center’s Advisory Council counsels the Center on development of new program areas, projects, and research.

Faculty Council – The Center’s Faculty Council consists of academics from premier national and international professional schools and aims to embed the study of microfinance and financial inclusion in the curriculum of professional schools so that all students have some exposure to the field.

Microfinance and Climate Change Working Group – The Microfinance and Climate Change Working Group is a forum for learning, information exchange and advocacy on the role of microfinance institutions in combating climate change. The steering committee consists of representatives from the Academy for Educational Development, ARC, Microenergy International, Grameen Shakti, and FINCA.

Beyond Codes Working Group – Why should consumer protection be a challenge for financial institutions whose purpose is to benefit their customers? Competition, desire to achieve profitability and internal incentives may all play a role in pushing financial institutions into practices that do not coincide with pro-consumer ideals. This project is about understanding incentives and creating incentives for good practice. The steering committee consists of representatives from Kiva, the Council of Microfinance Equity Funds, the Microfinance Network, the Consultive Group to Assist the Poor, World Council of Credit Unions, MFC, Consumer Protection Expert, ACCION International and MIX.

The Council of Microfinance Equity Funds (CMEF) is the first membership organization bringing together the leading private entities that make equity investments in microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the developing world. The Council’s members seek both social and financial returns from their investments in these institutions, all of which provide a range of financial services to poor households in developing countries.

Since its inception in 1984, the ACCION Network and its members have dedicated their efforts to serving microentrepreneurs worldwide by providing financial services, continuously improving these services and systematically developing strong microfinance institutions through investment and governance. Together, the Network and its members are active leaders in the commercialization of microfinance, integrating microfinance institutions into the international capital markets to harness their considerable financial power to alleviate world poverty.

MicroFinance Network (MFN) is an international association of leading microfinance institutions. Through the MFN, 37 members from 31 countries share ideas, experiences, and innovative solutions to the challenges they face in search of continuous growth and progress. MFN members seek to be models of what is possible in the industry.