Guarantee Fund Best Practice
Connexus partnered with Rudo International and Guarantco/Frontier Markets to provide support to the West African regional guarantee fund Fond de Solidarité Africain (FSA), based in Niger. The Rudo International/Connexus team traveled to Niger to assess FSA’s systems, products, and human resources, and provided FSA with key recommendations for improvements to better approach international best practice. […]
Financing Agricultural Value Chains in Central America
Connexus conducted a study of dairy and horticultural value chains and their access to finance in Nicaragua and Honduras for the Inter-American Development Bank. Connexus presented the findings at an Agricultural Value Chain Finance workshop in Costa Rica.
Haiti Integrated Financing for Value Chain and Enterprise (HIFIVE)
Connexus worked with ACDI/VOCA on the USAID Haiti Integrated Financing for Value Chain and Enterprise (HIFIVE) project to draft training modules for a one-day workshop for actors in the mango value chain and representatives from financial institutions. Connexus tailored the training to local needs.
Farmer Access to Credit
Connexus assessed ACDI/VOCA’s Farmers’ Access to Credit Project to identify the key elements in the design, implementation, and evolution of the project and extracted lessons learned for stakeholders interested in delivering or facilitating expanded access to finance for horticultural producers. Connexus presented the findings at a Millennium Challenge Corporation workshop in Tegucigalpa.
Program Progress Review of Apex Institution for USAID in Afghanistan
Connexus conducted a financial and operational review of the Microfinance Investment Support Facility of Afghanistan (MISFA), a wholesaler investment fund that lends to financial institutions. The review included an assessment of its social and financial performance and impact, on-site due diligence, and interviews with management, staff, partners, donors, and board members. Connexus also provided USAID […]
Program Progress Review of Microfinance Institutions for USAID in Afghanistan
Connexus conducted progress reviews of FINCA Afghanistan and World Council of Credit Unions Afghanistan (WOCCU), which included on-site due diligence with a focus on institutional, financial, and operational performance. The reviews included interviews with senior management, staff, and donors and discussions on plans for sustainability. Connexus provided USAID Afghanistan with recommendations on how to deal […]
Governance Training
Connexus developed a governance development program for the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA Ltd), the apex microfinance investment and promotion agency in Afghanistan. The purpose of the assignment was to strengthen and adjust MISFA’s governance structure to support its board and senior management in realizing its ambitious and challenging agenda. Connexus designed a […]
Review of Financial System Design for USAID Afghanistan
Connexus conducted a research study for USAID Afghanistan, resulting in a paper entitled, “Designing a Financial System from the Ground Up: Review of USAID Financial Sector Programs in Afghanistan from 2002-2009.” The research study documents the role that USAID played in building Afghanistan’s financial sector in a conflict environment. The research includes a comprehensive review […]
CGAP Microfinance Funder Survey
Connexus was contracted by the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) to collect and analyze data from over 60 microfinance funders and investors to present a broad picture of cross-border funding flows into microfinance for 2009.
Institutional Evaluation of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)
Connexus worked with Universalia and Ayani to evaluate CGAP’s FY2009-FY2013 performance in relation to its strategy and priority objectives. Connexus designed and conducted multiple interviews and focus groups with stakeholders involved with the rapidly evolving landscape for microfinance and financial inclusion. Connexus then analyzed the responses and drew conclusions to include in the final evaluation […]
Interest Rates and Implications for Microfinance in Latin America and the Caribbean
Connexus conducted research for the Inter- American Development Bank on interest rate structures and implications for microfinance institutions in Latin American and Caribbean Countries. The research surveyed 30 Latin American and Caribbean microfinance institutions over four years on their financial data.
Training of Trainers: Building Analytical Skills for Microfinance Decision-Making
Connexus designed and delivered a training of trainers for microfinance institution managers and network and support organizations to build analytical skills in improved risk management and decision-making in a time of global economic crisis. The training included modules for analyzing financial, operational, and social performance and portfolio quality. It was delivered to more than 50 […]
Social Performance Management Standards
Connexus worked with the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) to define the Universal Standards for Performance Management, a set of standards to help financial service providers achieve their social goals. The purpose of the standards is to establish clear expectations for social performance and reporting to be used by microfinance institutions, investors, donors, and social […]
Integrating Social Performance Management (SPM) into Middle East and North African MFIs
For Sanabel, The Microfinance Network of Arab Countries, Connexus managed a project aimed at providing guidance, tools, and technical assistance to develop comprehensive social performance management systems in Sanabel Network microfinance institutions. Activities included an action planning workshop with regional consultants, social performance management training for 20 MFIs, follow-up technical assistance, and a training to […]
Social Performance Management Policy Templates
Connexus collected draft policies from microfinance institutions related to social performance management and converted them into generic templates to guide microfinance institutions in setting policies for the Social Performance Task Force.