Blog

The SEEP Network co-host the Social Enterprise Case Profile Competition with Beyond Profit this fall, collecting stories of international social enterprises about growth, scale, and transition to highlight organizational successes and challenges.

Harshika Errangani blogged about the SEEP 2010 Annual Conference.

SEEP Conference participants hear Shari Berenbach, new director of USAID’s Microenterprise Development office, discuss her strategic vision and priorities.

Last night, the panel of speakers at USAID’s Microfinance Learning and Innovations After Hours Seminar #46 offered three important perspectives on financial inclusion.

This blog post by Aude de Montesquiou was originally posted on the CGAP Microfinance Blog. Aude, along with William Abrams of Trickle Up, will be presenting at the USAID After Hours Seminar on December 8, 2010.

This post analyzes various views on the microfinance crisis in India and suggested solutions.

Interesting discussions and articles on microfinance

Mercy Corps has utilized a participatory, youth-led approach in several countries to enhance youth employment programming.

Driving interoperable payments in Latin America through the mobile platform BICOO to address key barriers facing the unbanked.

A partnership with USAID, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, and the Visa Foundation aims to address barriers that women entrepreneurs face by building supportive entrepreneurial ecosystems in emerging markets.

USAID/Mozambique engaged in programming, assessing, and leading critical climate change technical assistance activities that support low-emission development strategies (LEDS), building climate change resilience, and strengthening local capacity.

The ILO Toolkit is a practical resource for organisations and projects to support small and medium enterprises (SME) decide what aspects of SME performance (productivity, working conditions, etc.) to measure, as well as how to measure them.

This report introduces INVEST, a mechanism that uses USAID funding to mobilize private capital for development and overcomes barriers to private sector engagement. INVEST works to build the capability of new and underutilized firms (new partners) by awarding and managing subcontracts.

Power Africa teamed up with USAID INVEST to increase access to solar home systems and mini-grids across Kenya. Through Azuri Technology's pay-as-you-go-model, they are projected to provide 390,000 new connections and 6,000 upgraded connections across the country.

This post summarizes key themes and takeaways from the 2019 Cracking the Nut conference held in Dakar, Senegal from October 14-15.

This post is the fourth in a series exploring how a partnership facility can be an interface between donor-funded programs and the private sector. It reflects on how FTF Inova's experience is relevant for other MSD programs.

The AVANSE Program—the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Feed the Future program in Northern Haiti (2013–2019)—shows the value of integrating political economy analysis (PEA) in agricultural programming.

Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II is a five-year project, now at its halfway point, working to help Cambodia accelerate horticulture sector growth and strengthen the horticulture market system. This case study describes Harvest II’s blended buyer-led and market systems development approach, citing examples of progress to date and posing several learning questions about the project moving forward.

In Pakistan, promising small and medium-sized enterprises are turning their innovative ideas into reality — and improving livelihoods — with a boost from a special grant fund.

Using a decentralized water treatment and distribution system, Jim Chu, the founder and CEO of dloHaiti, is bringing safe, affordable water to thousands on the island. Chu recently participated in diaspora engagement roadshows hosted by USAID INVEST, which encouraged members of the Haitian diaspora to invest in the country’s private sector. Jim Chu loves flying. The Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor began paragliding in 1993. Over the last two decades, he’s participated in the sport all around the world.

The Feed the Future Malawi Ag Diversification Activity worked with partners to develop an input bundle and a loan package to help farmers increase their soybean and groundnut yields.

It is essential that markets actively engage people, regardless of gender, to increase the likelihood of generating value-added solutions for society. In this context, gender inequities are not secondary but are of primary concern.

Nearly 75% of the Guatemalan population is employed through small- and medium enterprises, yet local laws restrict credit unions' abilities to provide loans to SMEs.

This month, Marketlinks is focused on seed-related enabling environment and market systems. Share your submissions to be included in our round-up.

Feed the Future, a USAID program that invests in private-sector partnerships to commercialize agricultural innovations in smallholder markets, conducted a study in 2016 that distilled lessons learned on commercializing seed in smallholder markets in sub-Saharan Africa