We support key players in their efforts to extend a diverse array of financial services in markets across the globe. Our collective years of experience, combined with creativity and thought leadership enables us to apply unique perspectives towards overcoming the toughest barriers to financial inclusion.
Featured BFA Project:
Gateway Financial Innovations for Savings (GAFIS)
Description:
BFA has been retained by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) to manage RPA’s special project called the “Gateway Financial Innovations for Savings”(GAFIS), which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. GAFIS will seek to promote useful savings behavior among poor households by leveraging certain “gateway-type” products or cash flows which may support the development of small savings by regulated deposit-taking institutions. The study will take place over multiple countries and will focus on five commercial institutions with an existing financial service or product specifically targeted at the poor which may or may not be being leveraged to its full potential - in other words, the accounts were opened, but saw limited to no usage thereafter.
The intentions of GAFIS are therefore to support these five institutions to develop a new savings product that is linked to the existing gateway flow or product. GAFIS will provide a tailored combination of market research support throughout the product cycle, technical assistance for demand and supply-side support to each, peer-support among partners, and grant assistance.
For a brief program overview please see: GAFIS program overview November 09 
For more information, please visit: www.gatewaytosavings.org
New BFA Publication:
GAFIS Focus Note #1Developing market-appropriate and financially inclusive—and sustainable—banking products
Description:
We see a pattern repeating worldwide—the poor often accumulate astonishingly high amounts of savings, but they hold these savings in informal vehicles, not formal bank accounts. And even if an informal saver opens a bank account, they usually don’t use the account for meaningful savings or as a way to take advantage of payments, credit, insurance, or other offerings. This Focus Note is the first in a series of shared learnings from GAFIS—the Gateway Financial Innovations For Savings project. The GAFIS project will create market-based, sustainable solutions to financial inclusion.
Hot Off The Press:
(Intriguing literature from the market place)
Portfolios of the Poor
The book tackles the fundamental question of how the poor make ends meet.
Over 250 families in Bangladesh, India, and South Africa participated in this study of financial practices of the world's poor.
Upcoming Events:
Mobile Money Summit
Singapore
27-30 June 2011:
www.mobilemoneysummit.com
Global Policy Forum
Mexico
28-30 September 2011:
www.afi-global.org
top of page
©
2005 - 2012, Bankable Frontier Associates