Coronavirus Pandemic – Good Practices, Resources & Tools Centre

How an MFI can act best during the time of the pandemic? We have started compiling all relevant initiatives that could benefit your businesses. Learn from the others’ practices & share yours! On this special resources page you will learn also about institutional and organizational solutions. We will be updating this webpage as new ideas come up, so do not forget to check it regularly. We are doing best to support the sector, You are not alone during this troublesome times!

If you want to add your good practice to this resource database contact Kinga Dąbrowska at kdabrowska@mfc.org.pl

Summary

MFC & EMN resources

How MFI’s are dealing with COVID-19 repercussions?

Actions and opportunities from institutions and private sector

MFC RESOURCES

Webinars:

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on European MFIs and Their Clients – watch the recordings

– 30 September 2020 and 7 October 2020

The results of the MFC research were presented by Kinga Dąbrowska and Justyna Pytkowska

” How to Build a Corporate Immune System in Response to COVID-19″

More about the series

In ENGLISH – sessions are over, watch the recordings below

in RUSSIAN – sessions are over, watch the recordings below

past webinars recordings

“How to cope with the pandemic effects on MFI’s businesses” – 1^st Webinar, good practices by Adie, OBS and microStart (26 March 2020) – watch the recording
“Business continuity” (series: How to Build a Corporate Immune System in Response to COVID-19) – watch the recording
“Stress Test for Success” (series: How to Build a Corporate Immune System in Response to COVID-19)( 15 April 2020) – watch the recording
“Loan Restructuring and Refinancing Agreements” (series: How to Build a Corporate Immune System in Response to COVID-19) (16 April 2020) – watch the recording
“Amendments to lending policy for new products and online channels” (series: How to Build a Corporate Immune System in Response to COVID-19) (22 April 2020) – watch the recording
“Risk management for beginners and back-up staff “(series: How to Build a Corporate Immune System in Response to COVID-19) (23 April 2020) – watch the recording
“Financial planning and financial modelling” (series: How to Build a Corporate Immune System in Response to COVID-19) (29 April 2020) – watch the recording
1-я сессия: Непрерывность работы бизнеса (22 April 2020) – watch the recording
2-я сессия: Стресс-тест на успешность(30/04/2020) – watch the recording
3-я сессия: Политики и соглашения по реструктуризации и рефинансированию кредитов(4/05/2020) – watch the recording
4-я сессия: Поправки к кредитной политике для новых продуктов и онлайн-каналов(7/05/2020) – watch the recording
5-я сессия: Управление рисками для начинающих и резервного персонала(11/05/2020) – watch the recording
6-я сессия:Финансовое планирование и финансовое моделирование (15/05/2020) – watch the recording

Must reads:

MFC CEO FORUM Talk: Leonard Marcus and Eric McNulty – You’re It. Crisis, Change, and How to Lead When It Matters Most (prepared by Piotr Koryński) – read it
Home office tips for employers and employees (prepared by Kinga Dąbrowska) – read it
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Microfinance Sector in Europe : an MFC publication – read it

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HOW MFIs ARE DEALING WITH COVID-19 REPERCUSSIONS

Protect your staff

Work from home

microStart HR solutions for the time of pandemic: In microStart all of the employees work from home. For parents flexible working hours are ensured. All of the teams have daily meetings with managers. Every day crisis team meet. Each employee has to be sure they have a back-up.

– for detailed description of the actions taken see the presentation from microStart (presented during the 1st good practices webinar)

Work remotely whenever possible, when impossible..

Opportunity Bank Serbia Number of clients in the branch is limited to two. Crisis team meets every day to decide about necessary actions. Antibacterial soap, gloves and masks are provided at every branch.

– see the presentation from OBS (presented during the 1st good practices webinar)

UTCAR: One person designated in charge of health protection. There is a constant rotation of front and back office

Protect your business and clients

Adie: Remote loan appraisals, adapted loans procedures to allow remote underwriting and disbursement. Adie introduced also Emergency Loan and is conducting e-mail and phone campaigns.

– see the presentation from Adie (presented during the 1st good practices webinar)

microStart: Coaching available online & e-learning replacement for trainings. E-mail and phone calls campaigns. Consolidate data in risk follow up document. Suspension of instalments.

Microfinance Ireland: New COVID-19 Business Loan introduced. Loan reimbursement plan and additional funding.

Qredits: Bridge Loan introduced. Setting up Helpdesks. Grace period of 6 months.

PerMicro: Published government decrees on social media translated in main customer languages

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ACTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FROM INSTITUTIONS AND PRIVATE SECTOR

International organizations and institutions

European Commission DG EMPL: Social economy – Solidarity Corona initiatives – SEE THEM
European Commission mobilises all of its resources to protect lives and livelihoods – CHECK HOW
European Investment Bank: The EIB Group has proposed a plan to mobilise up to €40 billion of financing – READ THEIR COMMUNICATION
European Council: Council adopts measures for immediate release of funds – READ ABOUT IT
International Labour Organization : ILO: e-Campus – ENTER THE CAMPUS HERE
CGAP – FinDevGateway : CHECK OUR THE RESOURCE CENTRE
CGAP – FinDevGateway :Urgent: A Rescue Plan for the Microfinance Sector – READ IT
CGAP – FinDevGateway : Treating Staff Responsibly During the Pandemic: Three Things to Do Today – READ IT
International Monetary Fund: Key economic responses governments are taking to limit the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic – GET TO KNOW THEM

Public administration

Italian Government: Raised the limit of microcredits to 40k euro – LEARN MORE ABOUT IT
Serbian Government : Introduced a 3-month moratorium on loan repayments for all clients of all banks
Central Bank of Azerbjian: Coronavirus protection guidelnes –READ THE GUIDELINES
Government of Luxembourg : Recommendations for Businesses – GET TO KNOW THEM
CHECK OUT Global dashboard of government measures

Microfinance national associations summaries and reports (as of 6th May)

AMA Albania – READ THE SUMMARY REPORT
Romanian MF Working Group – READ THE SUMMARY REPORT
AMFI Bosnia and Herzegovina – READ THE SUMMARY REPORT

Funders, Platforms

Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation: How Coronavirus affects Microfinance sector – READ THE PAPER
Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation: International microfinance institutions anticipate the first effects of a recession – READ THE PAPER
Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation: For some microfinance institutions, the health crisis is an opportunity to improve their operational performance through digital technology – READ THE PAPER
Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation: The microfinance sector is organising itself in the face of the effects of the health crisis – READ THE PAPER
Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation : Une reprise sous contraintes operationnelles et financieres READ THE ARTICLE
EFSE Development Facility: COVID-19 Impact on MSEs Report – READ THE EFSE DF REPORT
ADA : COVID-19 Crisis Resource Centre: ENTER HERE
Inpulse, ADA, GCAF: New Opportunities After COVID19: a Joint Assessment – SEE THE RESULTS
Facebook: Small Business Grants Program – LEARN ABOUT THE PROGRAM
e-mfp (European Microfinance Platform): COVID-19 Financial Inclusion Compass – GET THE DIRECTIONS
e-mfp, SPTF, Accion : forum for the financial inclusion sector to discuss responses to COVID-19 – JOIN THE FORUM
SPTF: customer centric response to pandemic – CHECK THE RESPONSE
The Financial Access Initiative: Global pandemic meets microfinance: Impact on poor households, and what the industry needs to do now – WATCH THE WEBINAR RECORDING
The Financial Access Initiative: Resources from the faiV webinar (recording’s link above) – LEARN FROM THEM
Next Billion: Coronavirus Resources for the Social Impact Sector – READ MORE
AFI: COVID-19 Policy Response – CHECK IT

Get more help from

CHECK OUT A List Of Fintech Firms Providing Free Technology During The Coronavirus Crisis
PILnet: Pro-bono legal help
USE THE TOOL : video to assist those who are already using Microfin to help identify areas of primary impact as they relate to business disruptions due to the pandemic of the Coronavirus
Business & Finance Consulting (BFC) is offering a series of webinars, in English and in Russian – Past webinars recordings and all the necessary information are accessible in the Webcase Library
BFC: advice and expertise to support financial institutions and their clients during these challenging times in the COVID-19 crisis technical assistance response package
BFC: Regular updates on digital trends, best practice tips, and insights into how institutions are coping through weekly FinTech Bulletin.
BFC : Ask BFC. The Q&A sessions are taking place every other Thursday (EN and RU).
Toptal: Tips for remote working – The suddenly remote playbook
Cotswold Co: remote working guide – Working from Home: A Guide to Creating a Healthy and Productive Workspace
EU4Business Initiative: EU support to small and medium enterprises in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova to withstand the crisis – LEARN ABOUT THE OFFER

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Our Resources Library will be expanding with new initiatives, assistance possibilities and information on how to cope with the pandemic effects. This Library would not be possible to create without your participation.

If you have questions concerning the practices mentioned above please contact Kinga Dąbrowska at kdabrowska@mfc.org.pl

If you would like to add to our resources database some solution you implemented in your institution, please contact Aleksandra Karabon at aleksandra@mfc.org.pl