Moncada, Angie [NAM-CR]

From: Sent: To: Subject: Microfinance Monday, August 13, 2012 10:30 AM Microfinance Citi Microfinance Update

Citi Microfinance Update

Comments to microfinance@citi.com

About Citi Microfinance

INNOVATION
Scaling Microfinance to Achieve Financial Inclusion Around the World Citis $350 million partnership with the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) which has helped to create loans for nearly 1 million microborrowers, approximately 95% of whom are women garnered the top prize in the International Award category at the Business in the Community Awards for Excellence 2012 in London. Learn more. Watch video. Read blog post by Bob Annibale, Global Director of Citi Microfinance, and Francesco Vanni d Archirafi, CEO of Citi Transaction Services. Strong Praise for Safe Accounts Time magazine reports that unbanked people are being well-served by the safe accounts that were piloted for the FDIC by Citi and other financial institutions since January 2011. The accounts provide access to mainstream financial services and increase peoples capability to manage their money wisely. Read the Time article. Learn more about the FDIC Model Safe Accounts Pilot.

OPPORTUNITY
Nominations Open for 2012 Citi Micro Enterprise Awards The ninth annual Citi Micro Enterprise Awards will recognize rural and urban community microenterprises; innovation; and organizations that nurture microenterprise. The Awards, which are sponsored by the Citi Foundation, will focus on enterprises that are collectively owned or benefit larger community groups. Applications are welcome through August 31. Learn more and apply. Read related MoneyLife article.

Wanted: Evidence for Financial Capability The $3.4 million Citi IPA Financial Capability Research Fund, an initiative of the Citi Foundation and Innovations for Poverty Action, will support research teams evaluations of the effects of products and services on financial capability. The aim of the Fund is to increase
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peoples ability to make informed financial decisions apace with the tremendous global expansion of access to financial services. Apply for research funding. Visit the program website. Read the press release.

MyMoneyAppUp The first ever MyMoneyAppUp Challenge, sponsored by the Citi Foundation, is an opportunity for American entrepreneurs, software developers, students and the public to propose ideas and designs for next-generation mobile applications to help Americans control and shape their financial futures. Submit and vote on ideas at www.MyMoneyAppUp.challenge.gov.

REPORTS & RESEARCH

Impact Investing Investings Most Important Evolution? The future of investing for profit and social impact impact investing is the subject of a new Euromoney roundtable featuring leading investment sector experts including Bob Annibale, Global Director of Citi Microfinance. Read the discussion.

Microfinance: A Risky Business; A Time for Strong Leadership Microfinance is no longer the low-risk business that many people once saw it asand while the risks are growing, the MFIs ability to handle them is being put to the test. So says David Lascelles, senior fellow and joint founder of the Center for the Study of Financial Innovation, in a new paper on microfinance risk, published by the Center for Financial Inclusion and funded by Citi. Read the paper. Read related blog.

Microfinance Barometer 2012 The Microfinance Barometer, published by Convergences 2015 and sponsored by Citi, synthesizes key trends in microfinance around the world. The main trends of microfinance in developing countries are explored in an article by Bob Annibale, Global Director of Citi Microfinance, and Morten Leuon, CEO of Mix Market (see p.2). Read the report. Learn more.

Financial Inclusion: A Study on the Efficacy of Banking Correspondent Model A Citi Foundation-sponsored study by Sa-Dhan, The Association of CDFIs, analyzes the efficacy of Indias Financial Inclusion Programme through which small microfinance institutions serve as business correspondents for large financial institutions. Read the report.

Microfinance for Small Businesses; Savings Opportunities for Youth Two new papers by CGAP, an independent policy and research center housed at the World Bank, provide interesting analysis: Financing Small Enterprises: What Role for Microfinance Institutions? builds on a survey of more than 300 MFIs in 69 countries to examine the role of MFIs in enabling small businesses to grow and create jobs. Emerging Perspectives on Youth Savings examines the usefulness of providing savings opportunities for low-income youth in developing countries.