Donor Strategies for Advancing Social Performance through Microfinance Associations
This technical note provides directions for donors to support MFI associations in promoting social performance.
Associations represent and serve a varied constituency of financial service providers, and can, therefore, develop knowledge of individual members’ experience and establish appropriate social performance initiatives. They can design social performance initiatives that are locally relevant and flexible enough to meet diverse needs. Microfinance associations can expand and improve the practice of Social Performance Management by:
- Serving as local ambassadors and implementers of global initiatives;
- Requiring transparency from members;
- Developing and promoting standards of practice;
- Developing member capacity in social performance through training and technical assistance;
- Building social performance knowledge base.
Donor organizations can support microfinance associations interested in social performance through capacity-building programs to increase their knowledge and portfolio of tools in social performance, training programs for association members, capacity building in market awareness and advocacy, information systems, knowledge management, innovation grants, association planning and certification systems.
