PRACTICE AREAS

1. INVESTMENTS AND FUND RELATED SERVICES

>> Fund Preparation and Structuring
- Structuring of funds (eg access to finance, renewable energy)
- Information Memorandum or PPM Preparation
- Fund Management (apex / regional, challenge fund / debt fund / equity fund)
- Apex fund restructuring
- Investment opportunities
- Responsible Finance

>> Facilitation of Transactions
- Identify deal pipelines
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Sale of Portfolios
- Negotiate, document and complete transactions
- Investor readiness tools

>> MFI Assessments
- MFI valuations
- Due diligence / performance analysis
- Risk assessments and management

2. POLICY, LEGISLATION AND REGULATION

>> Support to government and / or central banks
- MFI supervision & regulation
- Branchless banking regulation development
- Supporting policy dialogues
- MFI database and reporting
- Training, development of chart of accounts, indicators, etc.

>> Strategy and policy development
- Facilitating national inclusive finance strategy / policy drafting
- Microfinance association support
- Credit referencing

3. BANK DOWNSCALING

>> Strategy
- Bank strategy for lower income markets
- Risk management strategy
- Market research

>> SME Department Set-up or Strengthening
- Product development
- Credit policy, processes and procedures
- MIS
- Portfolio Due Diligence

4. ACCESS TO FINANCE

>> Inclusive financial sectors
- Financial sector / access to finance diagnostics
- Apex and challenge fund design
- Project management

>> Training Academy
- Human Resources needs identification
- Delivery of SPM, ILO Making Microfinance Work and all CGAP Modules (Accounting, Financial Analysis, Business Planning with Microfin, Delinquency Management and Interest Rate Setting, Information Systems for Microfinance Institutions, Product Development, Operational Risk Management, Governance, Loan Portfolio Due Diligence, etc) in 4 languages.
- Delivery of tailored training modules
- ToTs course design & delivery

>> Resident Technical Advisor Placement Service
- Technical assistance needs identification
- Candidate selection, induction, training and placement
- On-the-job coaching and capacity building services
- Monitoring and reporting

>> MFI transformations
- Transformation feasibility / strategy
- Business process re-engineering / change management / product diversification
- Business planning and forecasts
- Accessing funding, including equity, debt and hybrid capital
- MIS system transitions

>> Product Development
- Savings product development
- Microfinance and SME product development
- Remittances services for low income markets
- Low-income housing finance
- Microinsurance
- MSME leasing
- Mobile phone and e-banking services
- Access to finance and health, energy and welfare solutions

>> Disadvantaged and marginalized communities
- Rural finance and value chain finance
- Finance for displaced / returnees / youth
- Microfinance in areas with high incidence of HIV/AIDS
- Microfinance and clean water
- Microfinance and Poverty Grants
- Cash transfers (emergencies, orphans, etc)

5. RESEARCH AND EVALUATIONS

>> Independent evaluations
- Large, multiple country independent institutional and sector evaluations
- Research into areas of industry interest and journal publications

>> Impact assessments
- Project monitoring and evaluation
- Assessing program and MFI impact, including quantitative and qualitative proven methods

>> Research and Tool development
- Research on gender, financing private health sector, housing finance, property rights
- Developing tools for accreditation, divestment, disaster preparedness, youth finance, etc.