MFC Annual Conference: Last Chance to Register!

Registration is still open – late and on-site tickets are now available. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with industry leaders, peers and partners from across the sector. Secure your spot today and make the most of this unique networking and learning experience.

The conference kicks off on the afternoon of 27 May with an exclusive Pre-Conference CEO Forum: Navigating Geopolitical Shifts, Climate Imperatives & the Future of Finance (separate registration and payment required). Review AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS.

On 28–29 May, participants will explore a wide range of critical topics shaping the future of inclusive finance:

What’s New This Year?

Venue & Travel

The conference will be held at the Paragraph Freedom Square, a Luxury Collection Hotel in the heart of Tbilisi – just steps from the historic Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


🏨 Take advantage of our exclusive hotel rates — check the accommodation options on the website.

Plan Your Participation

🗓 Dates: 27–29 May 2025
📍 Location: Tbilisi, Georgia
🔗 Register Now: https://2025.mfc.org.pl
📩 Questions? Contact the Conference Secretariat: mfc2025@pavgroup.cz

Summary: Borrow Wisely and Microfinance for Youth Entrepreneurs Campaigns 2024

In 2024, the Microfinance Centre conducted two key campaigns: Borrow Wisely and Microfinance for Youth Entrepreneurs.

Borrow Wisely, held from October 1-31, promoted global client protection standards. Led by Microfinance Centre and its members, the campaign educated microentrepreneurs, farmers and their families on wise borrowing and avoiding excessive debt.

Microfinance for Youth Entrepreneurship, running from November 1 to December 5, highlighted the microfinance sector’s role in empowering young entrepreneurs, aiming at building the visibility of the sector at the national and regional level. It featured insights from the “Missing Entrepreneurs 2023“ report (approved by the OECD’s Co-operative Action Programme on Local Employment and Economic Development Directing Committee and by the OECD’s Committee for SMEs and Entrepreneurship by written procedure on 6 November 202), which examined government policies to unlock entrepreneurial potential in under-represented groups such as women, youth, seniors, the unemployed, immigrants, and people with disabilities.

Success stories from clients of various microfinance institutions were also shared.

In 2024, we partnered with 19 organizations from 7 European markets.

Collectively, these partners reached more than 1 518 109 individuals through online and offline channels.

Partners 2024

  •  3Bank, Serbia
  • Prima Finantare, Moldova
  • Microinvest, Moldova
  • Vitas30, Romania
  • Partner, Bosnia & Herzegovina
  • Fondi Besa, Albania
  • Microsmart, Greece
  • Horizonti, Macedonia
  • Mi-Bospo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
  • AMFI, Bosnia & Herzegovina
  • FedInvest, Albania
  • EKI, Bosnia & Herzegovina
  • IUTE, Albania
  • NOA, Albania
  • BCR Social Finance IFN, Romania
  • Agro and Social Fund, Albania
  • Moznosti, Macedonia
  • AMA, Albania
  • Kredo, Albania

Obraz1 — kopia
Obraz2 — kopia
Obraz3 — kopia
Obraz4 — kopia
Obraz5 — kopia
Obraz7 — kopia
Obraz9 — kopia
Obraz10 — kopia
Obraz12
Obraz13
Obraz14

Discover the Key Social Finance Trends of 2024

We share the Key Trends in  Microfinance and Social Finance Sector of 2024! Our concise yet comprehensive report covers:

We’ve meticulously tracked and analyzed the novelties, practices, and discussions from practitioners, national sectors, and at the EU level. Don’t miss out on the best practices and new solutions that are defining this year’s crucial content.

LEARN MORE

Let’s make 2025 more innovative, diverse, and greener!

@Kelly Sikkema

2024: What a Year!

As 2025 is already underway, we take a moment to reflect on MFC’s incredible journey in 2024 and extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners and friends for empowering communities across Europe and Central Asia through sustainable finance.

We wish you resilience and success in the face of challenges this year. Together, let’s make 2025 more innovative, diverse, and greener!

Here are some standout highlights from MFC’s 2024:

2025: Let’s take small steps toward meaningful change, together!

#Microfinance #SocialEconomy #InclusiveFinance #SustainableDevelopment #MFC2024Highlights #BestMFCMoments #SIFTA

Happy Holiday Season

Wishing you light, love, and moments of relaxation during this holiday season. May the New Year bring a more inclusive, greener, and fairer world for all.

We look forward to achieving even greater milestones together in the coming year.


Happy Holidays and an Innovative New Year from all of us at the Microfinance Centre!

Thank you for Social Finance Vibe 2024

We’ve wrapped up an incredible 2 days of Social Finance Vibe filled with insights, inspiration and collaboration. From speakers and sponsors to attendees, we extend our gratitude for your invaluable support and active participation.

Social Finance Vibe 2024 Highlights:

Recordings of all sessions will be available on our website soon.

Thank you for helping make Social Finance Vibe 2024 special. We’re grateful for the opportunity to learn, connect and strengthen the visibility of the social economy and microfinance sectors with you.

We look forward to seeing you at future events.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

Microfinance for Youth Entrepreneurship Campaign 2024

The Microfinance Centre (MFC) is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for young people to start their own businesses and is launching the Microfinance for Youth Entrepreneurship Campaign 2024. Together with its partners, MFC aims to spotlight the essential role of the microfinance sector in empowering young entrepreneurs. This campaign will share key insights from the recent publication Missing Entrepreneurs 2023 and highlight success stories from various microfinance institutions across Europe.

Through this initiative, MFC will expand its reach to engage microfinance stakeholders and underscore the sector’s critical role in supporting youth entrepreneurship. According to Missing Entrepreneurs 2023, around 40% of young people in the EU, aged 15 to 30, aspire to be self-employed. However, barriers such as limited entrepreneurial skills, constrained networking opportunities, and restricted access to finance continue to hinder young people’s ability to start businesses or become self-employed, despite increased support.

Ewa Bankowska, MFC Deputy Director, stated: The Microfinance Centre and its partners have supported the ‘missing entrepreneurs’ for over 2 years. By sharing success stories and building awareness, we advocate for microfinance as a vital bridge for young entrepreneurs facing financial barriers. Last year’s campaign highlighted the role of microfinance in supporting female entrepreneurship and this year, we’re focusing on youth. Notably, 89% of European MFIs already finance young entrepreneurs’ ventures. Our mission is to boost young entrepreneurship internationally through microfinancing.

The Missing Entrepreneurs 2023 is the seventh edition in a series of biennial reports examining how government policies can release untapped entrepreneurial potential from under-represented parts of the population of impactful entrepreneurs, including women, youth, seniors, the unemployed, immigrants and people with disabilities.

Participating organizations include:

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

The Missing Entrepreneurs 2023 is the seventh edition in a series of biennial reports examining how government policies can release untapped entrepreneurial potential from under-represented parts of the population of impactful entrepreneurs, including women, youth, seniors, the unemployed, immigrants and people with disabilities. It offers comparative data on the entrepreneurship activities and the barriers faced by each group across OECD and European Union countries. It takes a deep dive into the effectiveness of youth entrepreneurship schemes and the design of welfare bridge schemes for business creation by job seekers. It also contains country profiles for each of the 27 EU Member States showing the major recent trends in diversity in entrepreneurship and the current state and evolution of policy for each country.

Borrow Wisely Campaign 2024

Borrow Wisely Campaign 2024

How much is safe to borrow? What will I really pay for a loan? Can I spot legal pitfalls? How do I avoid losing money? These are the essential questions at the heart of the Borrow Wisely campaign. This year marks the 10th edition of this international financial education initiative, led by the Microfinance Center (MFC) in partnership with 14 organizations across Europe. The campaign aims to help clients borrow money safely, avoid over-indebtedness, and build a trustworthy reputation for the microfinance sector.

What is the “Borrow Wisely” Campaign?

The “Borrow Wisely” campaign promotes global client protection standards. Led annually by the Microfinance Center and its partners − responsible lenders committed to building a trustworthy microfinance sector − the campaign seeks to educate clients on borrowing wisely and avoiding the pitfalls of excessive debt.

Empowering Borrowers to Make Informed Choices

The campaign’s goal is to help clients understand that the power to borrow wisely is in their hands. By asking the right questions, borrowers can avoid the risks of over-indebtedness and make well-informed decisions about how much they can safely borrow.

Why Microfinance Institutions Join Forces

For over 30 years, microfinance institutions have been committed to protecting their clients by promoting responsible borrowing practices. This campaign reinforces the importance of client protection, helping to prevent over-indebtedness and empowering clients to make informed financial decisions. By working together, microfinance institutions ensure they continue to serve their clients effectively while upholding international standards for responsible lending.

What We Do

The campaign reaches out to clients and potential clients of microfinance institutions through posters, leaflets, brochures and social media communicating the importance of borrowing wisely. A simple “pre-loan” checklist of questions helps ensure that clients borrow within safe and responsible limits.

Ewa Bankowska, MFC Deputy Director, said: Microfinance acknowledges its partners for their dedication to promoting the Borrow Wisely Campaign and achieving significant results over the years. Last year alone, we reached an audience of approximately 2,423,487 individuals through a blend of online and traditional communication methods. At the Microfinance Center, collaboration is key, and together with our 14 partners, we are making a more substantial impact in promoting responsible borrowing practices.

Campaign Partners 2024:

Celebrating the Resounding Success of the 26th MFC Annual Conference Through Remarkable Images

The Microfinance Centre (MFC) is proud to announce the resounding success of the 26th MFC Annual Conference Embracing Diversity for Inclusive Finance. Held on May 14-15, 2024, in Cracow, Poland, the event gathered approximately 400+ participants from 39 countries, creating a dynamic atmosphere for insightful dialogue and networking.

The conference attracted the microfinance providers from 127 microfinance and social enterprise finance providers, 12 microfinance national associations, 28 investors, 13 consultancies, 9 policymakers and regulators, and 5 IT & digital services providers.

Attendees highlighted key aspects of the event: 64% valued meeting potential business partners, 61% found the sessions highly informative, and 71% appreciated the relevance of the sessions to their work and the professionalism of the speakers. Furthermore, 89% of participants felt they had ample time to engage with other participants, leading to numerous significant connections and discussions (*).

The conference featured a diverse array of sessions addressing pressing issues in microfinance. Participants engaged in thought-provoking conversations led by industry experts and thought leaders, exploring topics such as pathways to inclusive finance, innovative approaches to climate change, leveraging technology for greater financial inclusion, ESG reporting as a catalyst for microfinance transformation and the intersection of finance and social impact. Sessions underscored microfinance’s role in empowering vulnerable entrepreneurs, navigating trends in inclusive finance, and harnessing artificial intelligence for diverse and inclusive microfinance.

The Microfinance Center had privilege of hosting distinguished speakers and moderators, including Cristina Dumitrescu from European Investment Fund (Luxembourg), Surjit Chana from Beneficial State Bank (United States), Florian Ott from Erste Group Bank AG (Germany), Elvina Garayeva from Incofin Investment Management (Belgium), Brigitte Fellahi-Brognaux from European Commission, DG EMPL  (Belgium), and many more esteemed experts (the full list of speakers is on:  www.2024mfc.org). Their insightful presentations and expertise greatly enriched the conference.

During the conference, MFC hosted a landmark roundtable with representatives from the National Banks of Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, alongside delegates from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and International Finance Corporation (IFC). Participants deliberated on strategies to promote sustainable growth in the microfinance industry, with a focus on financial stability and consumer protection. Regulators discussed addressing challenges within their respective countries, while ADB and IFC representatives shared their extensive experiences, offering valuable advice on regulatory frameworks.

The roundtable concluded with a commitment to ongoing knowledge sharing and policy discussions aimed at fostering a supportive regulatory environment. A subsequent networking lunch furthered opportunities for dialogue and collaboration, including additional representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and national microfinance associations.

The MFC Annual Conference provides a unique opportunity to establish new partnerships between funders and social finance providers. Each year, we are happy to welcome new stakeholders joining the MFC family – remarked Archil Bakuradze, MFC Council Chairman and Chair of the Supervisory Board at JSC MFO Crystal, Georgia.

Ewa Bańkowska, MFC Deputy Director emphasized:  The microfinance sector continues to diversify by welcoming new types of financial providers, funders, but most importantly by expanding the outreach to vulnerable groups such as migrants or social enterprises. The diverse and dynamic interactions during the conference underscored the importance of embracing diversity to achieve financial inclusivity.

The conference was generously supported by sponsors: European Investment Fund (EIF),  responsAbility Investments AG, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, BlueOrchard, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Finance in Motion, The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) and partners:  Agents for Impact GmbH, Accion, Aspekt, Incofin, Triple Jump, Polish Bank Association, CGAP’s FinDev Gateway.

See more remarkable images from the Annual Conference

About Microfinance Centre (MFC):  

The MFC is a social finance network that champions fairness, inclusion, equality, and responsible service. It unites over 130 organizations across 36 countries in Europe and Central Asia, collectively delivering responsible microfinance services to nearly 2,000,000 low-income clients. Together with our members – microfinance, financial cooperative systems, social finance banks, social investors, academic institutions, national and international support organizations and networks – we seek to make financial services work effectively for people, communities and the planet by embracing sustainability good practices and standards, sharing knowledge, advocacy and networking in the region of Europe and Central Asia.

END

Contact Information:

Joanna Sosnowska-Orynska, Communications Coordinator at MFC

Email: joanna.sosnowska@mfc.org.pl

(*) According to evaluation survey results

Watch SIFTA Webinar: AI powered solutions for SEFPs – Responsible AI, Machine Learning and Practical Use Cases for Microfinance and Social Finance Institutions

Watch SIFTA Webinar: AI powered solutions for SEFPs – Responsible AI, Machine Learning and Practical Use Cases for Microfinance and Social Finance Institutions

Watch this exclusive SIFTA webinar and discover how responsible AI can revolutionize your social finance institution! 

Here’s what you’ll gain: 

  • Transformative AI Strategies: Learn from industry experts Gift Mahubo (Accion Advisory), Andre Kravchenko (HES FinTech), and Mark Rudak (GiniMachine) on how to leverage AI and Machine Learning to create a competitive edge. 
  • Responsible AI in Action: Explore best practices for ethical AI development, ensuring fairness, transparency, and data privacy in your financial inclusion efforts. 
  • Real-World Use Cases: Discover practical applications of AI and Machine Learning that can empower your organization to better serve clients and stakeholders. 
  • Industry Collaboration: Gain insights on how to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape and foster collaboration for successful digital transformation. 

 

Don’t miss out: 

This webinar is designed for Data Specialists, Risk Managers, Credit Officers, and C-Level Managers at Social Enterprise Finance Providers (SEFPs) looking to harness the power of AI for positive social impact. 

Remember: 

According to KPMG’s 2023 Global Tech Report, the majority of surveyed companies (68%) consider AI and Machine Learning as vital in helping achieve their business goals over the next 3 years. Overall, an average of 63% of respondents have reported an increase in performance as a result of their digital transformation efforts over the past 24 months, with tech investment driving profit or performance improvement uplift of over 10%, up from previous year uplift of 2.5%, a fourfold increase. 

Our Experts

Andre Kravchenko – Senior Vice President of Business Development at HES FinTech

Andre Kravchenko is the Senior Vice President of Business Development at HES FinTech. In this role, Andre is responsible for the development of strategic partnerships in the financial services ecosystem, working with legacy and fintech lending institutions on driving digital transformation, innovation and financial inclusion, powered by AI and Machine Learning. Andre is also the Head of Fintech Capital Solutions Advisory at HES FinTech, bringing over a decade worth of debt and equity capital markets experience and extensive transactional track record in the impact investment space.

Gift Mahubo – Senior Director, Operations and Technology, Accion Advisory

Gift Mahubo manages the delivery of data-centered and tech-enabled services to our global partners. Gift joined Accion in 2011 and brings more than 20 years of experience working in the areas of technology, digital strategy, process automation and digital product implementation. Prior to joining the organization, he served as Chief Information Officer for Accion partner Accion Microfinance Bank. Gift holds an MBA from National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe and a degree in electronic engineering, and is certified in IT governance, information security, auditing, compliance and project management.

Mark Rudak – Machine Learning Product Owner, GiniMachine

Mark Rudak holds the position of Machine Learning Product Owner at HES Fintech, where he plays a key role in the planning and development of a cutting-edge machine learning-based platform – GiniMachine, a no-code AI solution for Data Driven Decisioning.
With a deep understanding of the industry landscape, Mark is a driving force behind the transition towards responsible deployment of AI and strategic utilization of alternative data sources.

Our partners

Watch SIFTA Webinar: How to analyze social enterprises – Demystifying Financing Social Enterprise: Analysis, Risks & Rewards

Social enterprises play an increasingly important role in the European economy. By linking economic activity with social impact, these businesses offer solutions to pressing social challenges. The financial sector often views social enterprises as high-risk and non-bankable. However, this doesn’t mean their financial credibility can’t be assessed. We need to consider both their social impact goals and their financial sustainability to ensure they can deliver lasting impact.

This webinar will explore:

  • Key factors for analyzing social enterprises beyond profit and cash flow.
  • Strategies for loan collateralization.
  • The growing demand for investment in social enterprises in Europe.
  • Successful examples of social enterprises generating a “double bottom line” of financial and social impact.
  • Metrics used to assess social enterprises, compared to traditional MSMEs.

Who should attend:

  • Social enterprise funds
  • Microfinance institutions and other funds financing MSMEs
  • Other financial intermediaries interested in financing the social enterprise sector such as cooperative, ethical or mainstream banks
  • Anyone who wants to learn how social enterprises combine economic activity with social good.

The Opportunity

Social enterprises are a growing sector in Europe, particularly in Western Europe, while countries of Central and Eastern Europe show increasing interest.  This sector represents a growing demand for investment and working capital, while its strong social mission, driven by committed entrepreneurs makes them attractive investment opportunities.

By watching this webinar, you’ll gain valuable insights into social enterprise financing.

Our Experts

Teresa Zagrodzka – senior expert in the field of financing social enterprises as well as being a professional advisor and trainer for the NGOs sector.

She headed the Social Economy department in TISE – Polish microfinance institution which implemented pilot program: preferential loans for social enterprises in Poland, then continued with the developed financial instruments for these entities also in other countries: Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary.  As an expert, trainer and adviser she participated in the project creating the social enterprises’ support ecosystem in North Macedonia in terms of reinforcement already existing entities, encouraging potential partners to finance them (including loans, donations, contracts).

In the role of MB member or financial director she was and still is in charge of finance management in few organizations that run economic activity.

She wrote many articles and publications on finance management, basic accountancy for non-accountants, dedicated to NGO managers. She is also co-author of manual on an innovative social impact bonds concept, report on financial sources for innovative projects in Poland or several reports on the Macedonian social entrepreneurship needs, condition and development directions.

Beata Biela – Advocacy Manager.

Beata has professional experience both in social economy sector and in business entities. She worked in TISE within social economy division both in grating loans to social economy entities and in Social Venture Capital. Before that she worked in Caritas Somalia in Africa, at Finance Commission of Caritas Internationalis in Rome, PAH. In the past, she worked in business entities like PKN Orlen (capital investments), PKP (capital group controlling), Pfeifer&Langen – previously BSO Polska (controlling and business development), Ernst&Young (due diligence, corporate finance, audit). She graduated from Warsaw School of Economics in the line of Finance and Banking as well as Management and Marketing. She also completed postgraduate studies of Geopolitics and Geostrategy, Global Development, MBA. She is a CFA charterholder.

Our partners

Watch SIFTA Webinar: How to give employees constructive feedback

Feedback, especially constructive feedback, is something that should not be feared, on the contrary, can be treated as a gift. However, it is not easy to receive or give it. This valuable and effective tool to support our development requires flexibility and empthy in communication. During the webinar you will have the opportunity to learn and practice Feedforward a new method of giving feedback. 

During our webinar we will talk about new ways to solicit, receive, give feedback in your team and organisation. 

The webinar targets managers and team leaders of microfinance and social enterprises finance providers. 

RECEIVE, ACCEPT, PROVIDE  feedback is an effective feedback model. It is time to refresh our feedback tool so that it is: 

  • Quick and frequent (as teams need nowadays) 
  • Honest and authentic – which builds trust and psychological safety 
  • Encouraging the inclusion of diverse points of view (diversity)  
  • Future-oriented and growth-oriented – which builds ownership and empowerment 

 

At the webinar you will learn:

  1. How important feedback is for the culture of an organisation and for teams that care about an extraordinary workplace experience ( Emloyee Experience EX)
  2. We will introduce you to a very interesting and well-received (especially by the younger generations in teams) Feedforward feedback model.
  3. How to use the new feedback communication tool.
  4. We will also talk about what pitfalls to avoid when giving feedback. 

Our Experts

Bożena Olszewska, Servant Leadership trainer, coach and emphatic communication trainer

Bożena for over 15 years has been practicing the use of modern forms of education such as coaching, career counselling, Career Compass and behavioral style profiling. 
She supports people and organizations in following and discovering direction and empowering strategies that flow from their values and needs. 
Throughout her career, she has been in charge of distribution, developing contractor networks and sourcing new markets in Europe, Asia and the USA. At the same time, she led groups and teams in non profit organizations. She also supports artistic communities, aimed at the personal development of artists. 

Our partners

FEBEA and MFC Join Forces to Strengthen Microfinance and Ethical Finance in Europe

Microfinance Centre (MFC) and European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks (FEBEA) are thrilled to announce their strategic partnership, aimed at advancing the cause of microfinance and ethical finance in Europe. This collaboration will focus on policy and advocacy activities, communication, and events to promote these vital tools for the development of the Social Economy in Europe. 

By actively engaging in EU policy discussions, working together on European Financial Instruments, and addressing common challenges in relationships with European Institutions and stakeholders, FEBEA and MFC seek to create a stronger and more unified voice for microfinance and ethical finance within Europe. 

As two leading organizations in their respective fields, FEBEA and MFC bring extensive expertise and networks that will greatly benefit their customer bases and the wider community. This partnership will provide an opportunity to drive positive change, foster innovation, and strengthen the impact of microfinance and ethical finance on social and economic development. 

As part of this collaboration, FEBEA and MFC have established a framework partnership agreement, outlining their shared objectives and areas of cooperation. This agreement will serve as a solid foundation for their joint efforts and ensure a coordinated approach towards achieving their common goals. 

Both organizations are excited about the opportunities this partnership will bring and are committed to working together to drive positive change and support the growth of microfinance and ethical finance in Europe. 

About Microfinance Centre (MFC):  

A social finance network that promotes fairness, inclusion, equality and responsible service. MFC unites over 120 organisations across 36 countries of Europe, Central Asia, who together deliver responsible microfinance services to almost 2,000,000 low-income clients. 

About FEBEA – European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers: 

A non-profit association based in Brussels gathering 33 members whose aim is to finance social and solidarity economy (SSE) and projects with social, environmental and cultural value in 17 European countries, serving more than 700,000 people. Its objective is to support the exchange of experiences and promote cooperation between social economy and social finance practitioners. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

Setting up financial instruments supporting migrant integration.

Practical guide part 1

This fi-compass practical guide aims to assist Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) Managing Authorities and other stakeholders as they begin exploring the use of financial instruments to support third-country nationals’ integration in the EU. It explains how shared management financial instruments work and who can benefit from their support. The guide covers advantages of using financial instruments, implementation options, opportunities to combine grants and financial instruments, key stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities and well as key milestones in the financial instrument lifecycle.

Read the publication

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

Watch Webinar: MFC and Tech to the Rescue

As you may already know, MFC and Tech To The Rescue (TTTR) – a global platform that connects nonprofits with tech companies – have established a cooperation in August this year. The goal of this cooperation is to assist and support MFC Members in their digital transformation to help them achieve their mission and vision more effectively and efficiently.

As part of this cooperation, we are inviting you to a webinar on how MFC Members can benefit from TTTR collaboration systems.

During this webinar, you will learn about:

  • What are TTTR’s goals, who are TTTR’s partners
  • What is the nonprofit organization journey with TTTR- process explanation of how to register and submit a project and what the crucial elements of well-written projects are
  • Examples of solutions and available technologies.
  • Q&A session

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

Green Index 3.0: case studies for each Essential Practice

Read the case studies which illustrate how the Green Index framework can be useful to the institutions looking for learning about good practices in green inclusive finance and willing to share their own good practices.

The “Green Essential Practices Case Studies Series” highlights the experience of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) with good practices in the 8 key areas identified in the Green Index 3.0. The Case studies under this series offer practical examples of how an FSP developed its practices to inspire and facilitate the journey of others.

The 8 Green Essential Practices (EPs) provide a roadmap for FSPs to maximise their green impact:

  • EP1: Define their environmental strategy 

Assilassimé Solidarité (Togo)     

Chamroeun (Cambodia)

  • EP2: Implement their environmental strategy

Fortune Credit (Kenya)     

Fundación Génesis Empresarial (Guatemala)

  • EP3: Identify client or portfolio-level environmental risks and opportunities

COMUBA (Benin)     

Bancamia (Colombia)

  • EP4: Identify institutional-level environmental risks and opportunities

Tamweelcom (Jordan)     

CACMU (Equador)

  • EP5: Manage client or portfolio-level environmental risks and opportunities

Caurie MF (Senegal)     

Muktinath (Nepal)

  • EP6: Manage institutional-level environmental risks and opportunities

RENACA (Benin)     

Banfondesa (Dominican Republic)

  • EP7: Offer green financial products and services

Pula (Global)     

Annapurna (India)

  • EP8: Offer green non-financial products and services 

ASKI (Philippines)

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

Microfinance in Europe: Survey Report (2024 edition)

This is the 12th edition of the Survey Report on Microfinance in Europe, produced by the European Microfinance Network and the Microfinance Centre. For the sixth consecutive year, this partnership enables the survey to capture the vast majority of the European microfinance sector, providing the most comprehensive dataset available. This edition highlights the social performance of business loans and the impact measurement approaches adopted by microfinance institutions. 

 The study covered 191 institutions from 30 countries and captured data for 2023. 

READ THE FULL REPORT




With the contribution of 

Call for a Consultant (evaluation of reports)

MFC is looking for a consultant who has proven experience in checking narrative and financial reports of organizations, who were implementing grant based projects, financed by European Commission.

Job description

  • Checking and providing feedback to 9 final reports (narrative and financial) of organizations that were implementing 15-months projects funded from EU grants.

  • Checking whether the reports are aligned with submitted applications and proposed budgets; checking and evaluating submitted documents, invoices, timesheets, etc.

  • Providing feedback and comments to the reports in Word and Excel documents.

  • Sending feedback and comments to MFC staff member.

  • Evaluating corrections made by grant organizations on the basis of first comments.

Requirements

  • Proven experience in checking financial and narrative reports of projects financed by

  • European Commission.

  • Familiarity with the field of microfinance and social finance.

  • Fluent English.

Timeline:

Majority of the reports will be submitted by grant organizations by the end of May. The checking process must begin on June 2, 2025. The comments to the first part of the reports must be provided by June 9, 2025. The second part of the reports will be submitted by grantees by mid- June. MFC staff member will be available to inquire about additional documents and explanations of the organizations that are needed to proceed with evaluation of the reports.

Payment

Please, provide your fee together with your resume. We anticipate that checking one report may take from half a day to up to one working day.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact Maria Salamon at maria@mfc.org.pl and send your resume with expected fee by 18 May 2025 to the same address.

Confidentiality

The Employee acknowledges that during the course of their employment, they will have access to and be entrusted with confidential information, including but not limited to reports, data, and other proprietary information. The Employee agrees to maintain the strictest confidentiality regarding all such information and to use it solely for the purpose of performing their job duties.

Join SIFTA Webinar on Internal Audit in MFIs and SEFPs

Why Attend?

A strong internal audit function is essential for ensuring good governance, effective risk management and operational resilience − particularly in non-bank financial institutions. The integration of AI can further enhance audit efficiency and oversight. At the same time, internal audit remains one of the most commonly cited areas of misalignment with the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision.

 

This webinar is designed to support microfinance and social enterprise finance providers in strengthening their internal audit systems. It will offer practical, experience-based guidance drawn from many years of MFC expert involvement in building the capacity of financial institutions across Europe.

What you will learn?

The webinar will cover:

  • Objectives and scope of internal control and internal audit
  • Models for organizing internal audit functions in NBFIs
  • Strategies for conducting effective audit activities
  • Best practices from across the sector
  • How to integrate technology and AI into audit processes

Who should attend?

Risk Managers, Compliance Officers, Internal Auditors, and C-Level Executives at MFIs and Social Enterprise Finance Providers.

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Our Experts

Albana Gjinopulli seasoned financial expert with over 20 years of professional experience in auditing. She currently serves as Chair of the Supervisory Council of Fondi BESA and Director of the Directorate of Internal Audit Harmonization at the Ministry of Finance and Economy in Albania. Her extensive expertise covers both internal and external audits within the public sector. She previously held the position of Chair at PEMPAL Internal Audit Community of Practice and served as Director of the Department at the Supreme Audit Institution of Albania. Her skill set includes Enterprise Risk Management, Internal Audit, Audit Management, Intelligence, and CISA certification.

 

Piotr Koryński is a development finance and economic development specialist with significant field experience working in more than 40 countries globally. For over 10 years, he led the efforts of Soros Economic Development Fund, a social investment vehicle of the Open Society Institute to develop microfinance globally. He helped to initiate and operate 10 microfinance institutions as well industry infrastructure projects such as MIX and Microfinance Management Institute. He was also involved in microfinance policy programs to create appropriate legal and regulatory framework for access to financial services for low-income people in specific countries of Eastern Europe.

 

Our partners

Join the SIFTA Webinar Series with Artur Munteanu

Are you working in microfinance or supporting MSMEs in Europe? Don’t miss this webinar series designed to help your institution grow, adapt and innovate.

🧠 Led by expert Artur Munteanu, a finance executive with 24+ years of experience across Europe and Central Asia, these sessions will provide actionable insights and practical tools for your team.

You don’t need to attend every session − feel free to join those most relevant to your organization and portfolio.

Webinar Schedule

🔹 May 12 | 11:00–13:00 CET

New product development: Micro equity products for MFIs

The majority of MFIs have the mission to create jobs; however, after close monitoring, they observe that microloan is a good safety tool but not a booster of jobs. Microfinance should not be expected to have a significant impact on job creation and unemployment reduction.  Some studies show that one microenterprise creates, on average, 1.1 jobs, that is, one in ten hires an employee beyond the self-employed founder. 

During the webinar, you will find answers to several questions:  

  • How can private equity and venture capital be adjusted to the needs of micro and small entrepreneurs? 
  • What MCPs/MFIs can learn from private equity and venture capital?   
  • How can revenue participation loans be adjusted to the MSEs’ needs? 
  • How can micro-equity investment in MSEs help job creation have a social and environmental impact?  
  • What business model is best for your strategy?  
  • How to structure an impact micro-equity fund?  
  • How do you apply micro-equity in microfinance institutions?

 

During the session, you will find out the differences between private debt and private equity as well as different equity-type instruments that can finance MSEs, which will create more jobs and develop sustainable communities. We will define micro-equity, impact micro-equity, and present convertible loan and revenue participation loan characteristics.  

Different organizational models to provide equity (like classical equity funds, crowdfunding platforms, angel investors, and accelerators).  

During the session, participants will find practical insights on the ideal management team, fundraising strategy, and efficient fundraising process for micro-equity. 

Application to microfinance institutions will be discussed. 

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🔹 May 13 | 11:00–13:00 CET
Financial Planning and Modelling

Do you have a strategic financial model and an operational financial model that can be realistically implemented and easily adjusted? Do you have a financial plan that can be used for a test stress test to quantify the growth or slowdown impact on profitability and capital adequacy? 

During the webinar, you will find out about: 

  • An ideal structure of a strategic financial model and operational financial model, depending on your financial institution’s development stage  
  • Department or function input tables  
  • Financial statement and indicator tables   
  • Stress testing inputs and outputs  
  • Templates to present the result of the model to the Board and or Stakeholders  
  • You need to develop or adjust the financial model because you may want to build on the opportunities in good times and lose less in different crises, and get out faster from crises. Find out how to build a flexible financial model for financial institutions financing SMEs during the financial planning and financial modelling webinar by registering at Zoom. 
  • Financial planning and modeling are not only for financial analysts, but also for top management, who will also use the financial model as a management instrument.  
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🔹 May 14 | 11:00–13:00 CET
Credit Scoring for Small MFIs

During this session, you will find answers to several questions:  

  • Shall we develop scoring internally or buy a scoring instrument? 
  • Shall we buy a score from independent data aggregators, or shall we buy credit history info from credit bureaus? 
  • How many groups of variables do we need when building a credit score?  
  • Should you rely only on financial data, or is non/financial data important too?  
  • How do we weigh different groups of variables in the total score?  
  • Credit scoring for different economic sectors.   
  • During the session, we will also be discussing credit decisions, which should be based on credit scoring only or should be at the discretion of credit committee members within the line of authorization.  
  • Creditor scoring is addressed for credit risk managers (junior and senior), but also to top managers who intend to change the credit analysis policies, intending to prepare a new credit worthiness analysis tool or credit scoring tool. 
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🌍 Attendance is free of charge for all webinars. You don’t need to attend every session − feel free to join those most relevant to your organization and portfolio.

The sessions target microfinance institutions (MFIs), including greenfield MFIs, banks, funds, NGOs, or other institutions and individuals working in the microenterprise development sector in Europe.

Our Experts

Artur Munteanu is an entrepreneur, finance executive, and enterprise development consultant with more than 24 years of experience in the financial and MSME development sectors. Artur has developed his expertise through his role as the CEO and Board Member of Microinvest, a leading non-bank financial institution in Moldova. Today, Microinvest manages more than 250 million Euros in assets and has more than 200 staff members. He was and is a Board Member and Advisor in several important companies from the agro-food, finance, and ICT sectors. Artur holds an MBA from the University of Hull, the UK. Artur organized trainings for more than 4000 participants in several subjects, including strategy and business planning, active sales, risk management, human resource management, corporate governance, and internal audit.

Mr. Munteanu has experience in Central and Eastern Europe as well as Central Asia. He structured and fundraised more than 100 million Euro in different transactions. He worked and is working with clients in Moldova, Romania, Spain, Greece, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia.

Mr. Munteanu trained and consulted in sales staff of several institutions: Mikrokapital Romania and Mikrokapital Moldova. Rocredit Romania, Seed Capital Bizkaia from Spain, MicroSmart from Greece, CAR Vest Romania, Realist from Romania and Moldova, Microinvest Moldova, and Salym Finance, Kirgizstan.

 

Our partners

Join the SIFTA Webinar on Improving digital and green skills of microfinance clients

 
 Explore how digital and green strategies are reshaping the future of inclusive finance.
 

This webinar, based on a compelling case study from Partner – a leading MFI in Bosnia & Herzegovina- will equip microfinance and social enterprise finance providers with practical strategies to empower their clients with essential digital and green skills. Partner is a regional pioneer in offering energy efficiency and renewable energy loans. Their innovative green financial products are strategically paired with ongoing client coaching and advisory support. Partner leverages digital technology, including their own platforms, to provide clients with digital tools that are essential for effectively utilizing their green products.

Representatives from Partner will explain how this integrated approach works in practice, demonstrating how they simultaneously provide crucial green financial products and improve clients’ digital literacy, knowledge, and green competencies through consistent coaching and the use of digital tools.

Participants will learn about:

✅ Partner’s green financial products and their key parameters.

✅ Digital calculation tools can be used to support the effective utilization of green products.

✅ Implementing coaching and advisory strategies that enhance both digital and green skills simultaneously.

✅Utilizing digital platforms and tools to deliver green products and services.

✅ Enhancing the economic and environmental impact of client businesses through integrated skill development.

This webinar targets:

❇️Microfinance and social enterprise finance practitioners,

❇️Non-financial services providers partnering with MFIs or providers of social enterprise finance,

❇️Development professionals involved in financial inclusion.

📣  Join us for an engaging session on how to empower microfinance clients with the digital and green skills they need to succeed in a sustainable, tech-driven world!


Experts profiles:

 

👩‍💼 Selma Jahic

     Head of Development   and Projects, Partner   Microcredit   Foundation & Partner Microcredit   Company

 Selma Jahic holds a B.Sc. in Economics and an MBA         from International Burch University in cooperation with Texas A&M University-Commerce, USA. With over 27 years of experience in the microfinance sector, Selma has been a driving force at Partner since 1998. Throughout her career, she has held several leadership roles including Head of Marketing, Director of Credit Operations, Director of Support, and Executive Director for Credit Operations. Her expertise spans sales, operations, marketing, product development, project management, and institutional support—making her a key figure in advancing innovative microfinance practices in the region.


👨‍💼 Adnan Omerbegovic

 Head of Marketing and Customer Care     Department, Partner Microcredit Foundation

  Holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Banja Luka, specializing in Financial, Banking, and Stock Exchange Management. With over 11 years of experience in the microcredit sector, he currently serves as the Head of Marketing and Customer Care at a Partner microcredit organization. Throughout his career, Adnan has held various roles, including managing digital sales channels, developing marketing strategies, and improving customer engagement.

He has extensive expertise in digital marketing, project management, customer service, and financial management, with a strong focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

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Advocating For The Future Of Microfinance: Key Talks With DG EMPL

In April MFC has held important meetings with Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL). We had discussions with Mario Nava, Director-General, Andriana Sukova, Deputy Director-General, Brigitte Fellahi-Brognaux, Head of Unit for Social and Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Jaime Duran Navarro, from Microfinance and Financial Instruments.

The discussion centered on the important advocacy topics like the crucial role of the InvestEU instrument for the microfinance sector and concerns about its future funding. MFC emphasized InvestEU’s positive impact on job creation and its role in reducing the banking gap. MFC also highlighted its network’s contribution to various EU priorities, including competitiveness, poverty reduction, skills development, employment, support for vulnerable groups, financial literacy, regional focus, and the green and digital transition.  

MFC was represented by Martina Grigorova, MFC Council Member, Ewa Bańkowska, Deputy Director of MFC; Executive Director of SIS Credit, and Beata Biela, MFC Advocacy Manager. 

Driving Inclusive Green and Digital Transitions: Highlights from the Transform Together Fund Final Meeting

On 1–2 April 2025, MFC and our partner Cerise+SPTF hosted the final meeting of the Transform Together Fund Project in Brussels — a key milestone in supporting the digital and green transformation for vulnerable communities across Europe.

Through the ESF+-funded initiative, nine social finance and support organizations received grants of up to €50,000 to develop and pilot innovative tools that build digital and environmental skills among clients, particularly rural entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers.

The first day of the meeting featured dynamic peer-to-peer exchanges on lessons learned, challenges, and best practices in reaching underserved clients. The second day brought together key EU stakeholders, including representatives from the European Commission (DG EMPL), European Investment Fund (EIF), FEBEA, and EMN, to discuss the role of social finance institutions in supporting inclusive, skill-based transitions.

A strong emphasis was placed on the need for continued collaboration, strategic funding, and knowledge sharing to ensure no individual or community is left behind in Europe’s digital and green shift.

Learn more about the grantees and their innovative solutions

Upcoming Roundtable on Financial Inclusion in Warsaw, in Poland 

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

MFC has joined forces with International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank and  the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in co-organizing the roundtable dedicated to financial inclusion for Ukrainian Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs) and FDP-Owned MSMEs scheduled for May 13, 2025. 

This event, by invitation only, will bring together private and public sector stakeholders to reflect on progress and challenges in supporting the financial inclusion of Ukrainian Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDP) in Poland, three years after the onset of the full-scale invasion as well as their unique financial needs and challenges for achieving financial inclusion.  

Within this event there will be also a session/roundtable discussion on “Financial inclusion through entrepreneurship. Focus on microfinancing” moderated by Beata Biela, Advocacy Manger from MFC. We will discuss lessons learned from past experiences from Poland’s financing options for entrepreneurship for the vulnerable groups including Ukrainian refugees, women etc., challenges and barriers as well as examples of financial solutions for the future. 

We sincerely thank the speakers for the above session for accepting our invitations to represent microfinance sector, namely: Sergii Demchuk, CEO, Novalend Sp. z o. o., Taras Karpenko, cofounder of Royal Tribute,  Simone Petrillo, Transaction & Relationship Officer, MFIs, Alternative Lenders & Fintech Unit, EIF, Katarzyna Sabarańska, Vice President of the Management Board of Polish Union of Loan Funds, Vice President of the Management Board of the Foundation for the Development of Polish Agriculture. 

We drive Green Change: Climate & Microfinance Working Group Meeting

On 17 April 2025, MFC hosted the second meeting of the Climate and Microfinance Working Group, bringing together sector professionals to exchange experiences and strengthen climate action in financial inclusion.

The session featured a keynote presentation by Ms. Nangizi Ngoma, Coordinator for Sustainable Finance at Zambia Industrial Commercial Bank Limited. Ms. Ngoma shared insights from the bank’s journey in establishing a Sustainable Finance Unit. She highlighted partnerships with external stakeholders to boost climate impact, product offerings designed to help clients adapt to climate challenges, and efforts in measuring CO₂ footprints and launching a carbon credit trading desk.

Participants also received updates on upcoming climate-focused activities, including the dedicated climate panel and CEO Forum at the MFC Annual Conference 2025. Members were encouraged to continue sharing their feedback on climate-related needs and ideas, and to support promotion of the Microfinance Workshop at COP30—especially by connecting with national representatives and assisting with joint applications.

Together, we are building a stronger, greener microfinance sector—one that empowers clients to face environmental risks with resilience and opportunity.

SIFTA Peer to Peer Visit of MicroSmart to Partner MFI

MFC recently conducted a peer-to-peer visit as part of the SIFTA Program. Partner from Bosnia and Herzegovina hosted Microsmart from Greece.

Participants discussed, among others:

  • evaluation criteria for selecting financial institutions and external advisors
  • the process of finding investors
  • risk management strategies and investor relations
  • exploration of potential opportunities and challenges for Microsmart in pursuing microcredit based on Partner MFI’s experience.

 

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the participants from Microsmart and from Partner, as well as Suncica Hadzic and expert Dzenita Kicic, for their engagement in organizing this visit.