PRATIQUES - Microfinance

Examples of training materials used by Pratiques Microfinance network organisations; links to external resources also included.

Note: the training materials are ordered by type (business, social, tips on trainings) and by alphabetical order.

Manuals, experience notes and procedures on the implementation of non financial services.

Manuals and reports on the implementation of other non-financial services in microfinance programs.

Manuals, experience notes and resource websites on microinsurance.

Manuals and Experience notes on loans and savings management.

Definition of indicators used for monitoring the activities. Templates for indicators reporting.

Tools to run market surveys and identify the needs

Tools to design adapted products and services.

Manuals describing the operational management of the products proposed, in an efficient and controlled manner.

Process to create new or improved products, services, or measures.

Tools that promote an ethical practice of microfinance that respects and protects clients / partners.

Practical tools on social performance management, how to translate social performance principles effectively in the management of a microfinance institution.

This section presents material on Poverty assessment tools (PAT). PATs aim to allow organisations to measure the poverty level of their clients (check whether they reach their target population), and to gather interesting data on the evolution of their clients' situations.

Impact assessment and impact measuring tool(s) : Tools allowing a microfinance programme to measure the socio-economic evolution of its beneficiaries/clients.

This section presents documents around measuring an organisation's social performance, and reinforcing its adequacy with organisational vision and mission as well as with the procedures in place.

Surveys conducted on the target population to measure their satisfaction with the products and/or services provided by the organisation, in terms of cost, accessibility, diversity, flexibility…

Organisational charts and job descriptions (HR, operations, finance, administration, general management).

Staff training and capacity-building.

Training plan : Document to plan trainings on a certain period of time. In general, it lists down the training needs of the employees as well as the trainings forecasted. It prioritizes the different trainings, defines budgets and expected outputs of the different trainings provided.

Precise description of the tasks and steps that all persons involved in the treatment of accounting operations have to perform so that the accounting policy is implemented  in an efficient and optimal manner. They guarantee the reliability and accuracy of the accounts and financial statements by defining various levels and steps of control of the accounting and financial operations

Precise description of the tasks and steps to perform to manage all administrative aspects of the organisation (taxes, rentals, insurance, work permit…). Precise description of the tasks and steps that the administrative teams have to perform connected to the activities of the operational team.

Procedures to follow-up and regularly measure its financial performance and compare it to the budget. These procedures and tools allow to control the progression of expenses, and to ajust the activities of the organization accordingly.

Translation of the Business plan into an anual budget and operational action plan:

These tools are the translation into concrete and short terms (1year) of the objectives set. They present detailed series of actions to be made to reach the objectives as well as the needed resources and the expected outputs. The operational action plan lists down all the necessary actions, prioritizes them and sets deadlines for each of them. The annual budget translates into financial data the resources needed and the expected financial results

These tools allow three main activities: 1) planification, 2) coordination and 3) communication among the team members. They are a good framework for delegation and motivation.

A business plan describes the future orientation of an organisation. It puts the organisation back in the context of its mission defining for the 3 next years its objectives. To do so, strengths and weaknesses as well as the environment (opportunities and threats) are being carefully studied.The BP defines the resources (both human and financial) needed for the accomplishment of the foresaid objectives as well as their origin. The sum of elements contained in the BP explains why and how the organisation will be successfull.

Process for the actualization of the business plan: Annual process by which the organisation updates its 3 years projections based on the the actual achievments to date, and of its mid terms objectives.

Procedures related to the purchase and use of IT resources (networks, computers, printers, servers), proteciton (anti-virus) and back up procedures.

Tips on choosing, configuring and implementing accounting softwares that comply with international standards and national regulations.

Tips on choosing, configuring and implementing secure softwares to monitor the different financial services (loans, savings, microinsurance…) offered by the organisation.

Choosing, configuring and using other computerised tools for the follow up and monitoring of non financial services.

Precise description of the tasks and steps to perform to give a reasonnable guarantee that the organisation's activities are being managed in a rigourous and efficient manner. All the functions of the organisation are being concerned and involved in its implementation. The identification and analysis of the risks (and as a consequence the way to reduce them) are part of the internal control procedures. They are supposed to describe the different risks incurred by the organisation and the procedures and systems designed to reduce or eliminate them.

Validation by an external autority of the accuracy of the accounts and audit of certain crucial processes of the organisation.

Constitution of the General Assembly and Board of Trustees: GA and BOT are the two governance bodies of the organisation guaranteeing the respect of the social mission. They are in charge of appointing/firing the executive director.

The quality of the GA and the BOT refers to the level of commitment and competence of these two management bodies (and their members)  in the monitoring and follow up of activities and the definition of strategic orientations.

Transfer of competencies: Strategy and action plan to transfer the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes to the GA and BOT members in order for them to fullfill their obligations correctly.

List down and assess the different possible legal structures to choose the most adjusted one.

By-laws: Rules and regulations adopted by the board of trustees/directors in a non profit organisation  to govern the internal affairs or action of an association. Bylaws include procedures for holding meetings, electing the board of directors and officers and setting out the duties and powers of the officers. It also include the name and objective of the organisation, its mains resources, its main decision making and management bodies with their roles and responsabilities.

The vision is the written expression of the main general goal of the organisation, what it aims at. A mission is the translation of the vision into concrete terms. It remains a short statement and specifies the objectives of the organisation and the priorities of the institution to fullfill its vision.

Agreement defining the roles and responsabilities of the different partners involved in a program (EDM and local NGO for exemple).

Examples and templates for external communication (presentation brochures, websites, newsletters...)

Networks of operating NGOs (Uplift network, Uplift India...) : external communication tools

Fundraising policies; tools to identify and follow-up donors...

The West Africa Regional Workshop 2011 took place in Burkina Faso, in Ouagadougou, from November 15^th to 18^th. It brought together finance and MIS teams of 11 partners of Entrepreneurs du Monde in the region, and focused mainly on the management tools:  budget process, activity projections, accounting, Management and Information Systems, follow-up, indicators, information flows.

The West Africa regional meeting 2011 took place in Accra, in September 2011, bringing together Entrepreneurs du Monde's partners in the region. Here are all the presentations made during this workshop. Please log on to the website (login on the top right hand corner of the screen).

The Asia regional meeting 2011 took place in Calcutta in August 2011, bringing together Entrepreneurs du Monde's partners in the region. The main theme developed during this meeting was "Non financial services": what services we should offer, how can we make them more impacting, how can we monitor them more effectively. Here are all the presentations made during this workshop.

Tools related to the organisation of seminars / regional meetings. This includes feedback from seminars organised previously within the Entrepreneurs du Monde and Inter Aide networks. Please log on to the website (login on the top right hand corner of the screen).

The West Africa regional meeting 2010 took place in Cotonou, in September 2010, bringing together Entrepreneurs du Monde's partners in the region. Here are all the presentations made during this workshop. Please log on to the website (login on the top right hand corner of the screen).

The Asia regional meeting 2010 took place in Phnom Penh, in August 2010, bringing together Entrepreneurs du Monde's partners in the region. Here are all the presentations made during this workshop. Please log on to the website (login on the top right hand corner of the screen).

The West Africa regional meeting 2009 took place in Ouagadougou, in September 2009, bringing together Entrepreneurs du Monde's partners in the region. Here are all the presentations made during this workshop.

Entrepreneurs du Monde's week long workshop took place in Decembre 2007 in Vouillé (France), bringing together the whole team, head office and field staff, for a work session on the main topics linked to social microfinance as EdM promotes it.

The International Microfinance workshop was organized by Inter Aide, Uplift India and EdM in Pune (India), in December 2006, bringing together the partners of all three NGO's. Please log on to the website (login on the top right hand corner of the screen).

The International Microfinance workshop was organized by Inter Aide and Entrepreneurs du Monde in Manila (Philippines) in February 2004, bringing together all their partners.

Here are several experience notes submitted by Entrepreneurs du Monde and Inter Aides partners worldwide.