Grameen Foundation : What we do : Microfinance Support : Technical Assistance : Program details
Technical Assistance Program
As a leading microfinance network serving many members of the Grameen family of organizations and numerous microfinance institutions around the globe, Grameen Foundation impacts the lives millions of families through its partner MFIs in 22 countries. In addition to providing loans, grants, loan guarantees and equity, we provide technical advisory services with the following objectives:
- We provide technical assistance customized to each MFI’s needs, from those in the start-up phase to mature, large organizations, with a focus on promoting sustainable expansion, enhanced anti-poverty impact, and breakthrough applications of technology.
- We offer our network of partners pioneering financing strategies and creative information technology solutions, always moving them toward access of commercial capital.
- We are committed to making our tools and learning, and those of our partners, available to the wider microfinance movement, through adhering to an “open source” philosophy of sharing successful strategies.
Grameen Foundation helps microfinance institutions as they move through stages in their lifecycle. Each tier has a set of unique characteristics that typically shapes the types of products and services we provide.
| Category | Characteristics | Goals of Grameen Foundation Support |
| Tier 4 |
Mature microfinance institutions with strong financial and operational track records. Most are regulated. |
Support the institutions to improve efficiency, expand the geographic breadth of program and the depth of program to reach all levels of poor, especially the poorest, with a wide portfolio of products and services. |
| Tier 3 |
Successful yet smaller, younger, or simply less well-known microfinance institutions that are at or near profitability. Mostly NGOs considering conversion. |
Support the institutions to become sustainable and profitable, to expand in scale, and to transform into regulated entities. |
| Tier 2 |
MFIs approaching profitability, yet have a lack of capital, a weak MIS, or other needs. Nearly all are NGOs. |
Support the institutions to improve capacity, build systems, establish policies and procedures in line with sound practices, and diversify sources of capital. |
| Tier 1 |
Start-ups or microfinance institutions operating in post-conflict/post-disaster settings. |
Support the institutions to set up a microfinance program suitable to its context, focusing on making financial services available to the poor. |
Grameen Foundation assists MFIs with this evolution through our Toolbox of relevant products and services.
Grameen Foundation : What we do : Microfinance Support : Technical Assistance : Program details
Grameen Foundation uses microfinance and innovative technology to fight global poverty and bring opportunities to the world's poorest people. With tiny loans and financial services, we help the poor, mostly women, start businesses and escape poverty. Our global network of 55 microfinance institution (MFI) partners including our Growth Guarantee partners has touched more than 34 million people in 24 countries. In addition, we introduced and now sustain technology initiatives (Mifos and Village Phone) in Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, bringing our total country outreach to 28.
+1-202-628-3560 www.grameenfoundation.org
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