MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Imp-Act Consortium, Social Performance Management Network Seek Microfinance Elements Adding Most Value for Clients

Imp-Act Consortium, a UK-based network of microfinance organizations interested in social performance management, has launched an initiative to discover: “What works for clients?”. Imp-Act Consortium is seeking to identify the elements of microfinance that add the most value to microfinance borrowers partially as a reaction to a perceived lack of evidence of the effectiveness of microfinance and concerns about the over-indebtedness and increased vulnerability of some microfinance borrowers.

The project is intended to unite leaders across the industry in examining current microfinance practices and linking client outcomes to the choices microfinance institutions make. Imp-Act Consortium plans to bring the debate to online platforms including the Social Performance Management (SPM) Network, a group of 1,600 people interested in the social mission of microfinance, which will serve as the convening space for this initiative.

By Courtney Snelling, Research Associate

About Imp-Act Consortium: Established in 2006 and housed at the Institute of Development Studies at Britain’s University of Sussex, the Imp-Act Consortium was formed through the collaboration of seven organizations concerned about social performance management (SPM). Since then, the consortium has developed resources for the training of trainers, mentoring guidelines and microfinance institution management. As of 2012, the consortium consists of twelve members and is supported by donor funding from organizations that include the Ford Foundation, Concern Worldwide, the UN’S International Fund for Agricultural Development and MicroNed. The Social Performance Task Force (SPTF), an initiative of CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), defines social performance as operating “in line with accepted social values that relate to serving larger numbers of poor and excluded people.”

Sources and Additional Resources:

[1] Imp-act.org, “Imp-Act Consortium announces major new intellectual agenda to find out: “What works for clients?”, http://www.imp-act.org/news/march-2011-imp-act-launches-new-intellectual

MicroCapital.org Brief, December 3, 2011, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: New Imp-Act Website Goes Live, Covering Social Performance in Microfinance”, https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-new-imp-act-website-goes-

MicroCapital.org Event, October 10, 2011: “MICROFINANCE EVENT: What Are the Key Barriers to Effective Group Lending? Online Discussion Hosted by Social Performance Management (SPM) Network through October 14, 2011”, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinance-event-what-are-the-key-barriers

MicroCapital.org Brief, March 14, 2011: “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Imp-Act Consortium Announces Release of Social Performance Management (SPM) Guidance Notes”, https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-imp-act-consortium-announ

MicroCapital.org Brief, July 18, 2011: “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Imp-Act, MicroSave Launch Guidance Notes on Social Performance Management for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)”, https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-imp-act-microsave-launch-

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Social Performance Management (SPM), https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Social+Performance+Management

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Imp-Act Consortium, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Imp

MicroCapital Universe Profile: SPM Helpline, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=SPM+in+Microfinance+24%2A7+Helpline

Browse the MicroCapital Universe and add your entry to the wiki at: https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/

 

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