The following list includes some of the most influential publications in the microcredit and microfinance investment industry.
Featured Articles:
Customer Service Highlights: Exploring Customer Service Excellence Around the World of Microfinance
MicroRate provided case studies from our microfinance institution (MFI) clients on best-in-class customer service examples. MicroRate congratulates all the MFIs featured in this publication. The publisher, Deutsche Bank, intends to produce a second edition of the study.
The Impact Investor’s Handbook- Lessons from Microfinance
The Impact Investor’s Handbook , published by Charities Aid Foundation, features several citations of MicroRate and a case study highlighting MicroRate’s efforts to enhance transparency in the microfinance market (see page 17).
“Long the darling of development institution, the media and, yes, even or private investors, microfinance suddenly finds itself on the defensive: are microfinance institutions really helping the poor or are they exploiting them? A rating agency provides a unique vantage point from which to search for answers. …”Read more of Damian’s foreword on page 7.
General Articles:
Garbage in, garbage out: Data quality in the microfinance sector (2013)
The Tipping Point- Over-indebtedness and Investment in Microfinance (MicroRate and MIX)
Inter-American Dialogue-Outlook on Microfinance in Latin America (2012)
Microfinance Banana Skins 2011: Losing its Fairy Dust
Financial Access 2010:The State of Financial Inclusion Through the Crisis CGAP
Global microscope on the microfinance business environment 2011 An index and study by the Economist Intelligence Unit
“Banks Making Big Profits From Tiny Loans” New York Times featuring MicroRate’s founder and chairman
Microfinance Banana Skins Follow-Up: A Different World (2010)
Microbanking Bulletin No. 20 MIX Market (2010)
Microfinance Investment:
Risky Business: An Empirical Analysis of Foreign Exchange Risk Exposure in Microfinance
MFX Solutions (2011) Resources from MFX Solutions (2011):
CGAP Focus Note 44 Foreign Capital Investment into Microfinance: Balancing Social and Financial Returns (2008)
Microfinance: An Emerging Investment Opportunity Deutsche Bank (2007)
Tools for MFIs:
CGAP and Grameen Foundation published 3 Guides to help microfinance institutions (MFIs) better understand loan guarantees, securitization and equity investments. The Guides include annotated sample agreements, as well as tips and recommendations that MFIs can use to address their funding needs and concerns.
