Discussion

Microfinance Discussion Groups DevFinance Archive (devfinance@ag.ohio-state.edu) Managed by Ohio State University's Rural Finance Program since 1994, Devfinance is the longest running discussion list in the microfinance industry. It covers development finance events, publications, research, and policy issues. Go to DevFinance Archive Site Microfinance Practice (MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com) This discussion list takes a microfinance practitioner focus and has approximately 1913 subscribers. It began in May 2001. Go to Microfinance Practice Site microLINKS Speaker's Corner microLINKS is a dynamic website created through USAID's Accelerated Microenterprise Advancement Project. The Speaker's Corner is a series of online conferences discussing issues around microenterprise and microfinance. Community Development Banking A United States-focused list serving practitioners including Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs), CD Banks, CDCs, CD Loan Funds, and non-profits. Discussions range from practical (construction, mortgage, and small business lending; job opportunities, conferences, fundraising) to legislative (CRA, HMDA, and CDFI) to the cutting edge (micro-loan funds, peer ending, local currency, targeting social impact). EDIAIS impact assessment e-mail discussion The purpose of this list is to facilitate information exchange on innovative methods of enterprise impact assessment. Portail Microfinance The French language site of the Microfinance Gateway offers a list of French discussion groups including EspaceFinance, INAISE (Liste "Social banking"), PlaNet Africa, and RAMPE. Microfinance Blogs The Bankable Frontier http://www.bankablefrontier.com/weblog/index.php Hosted on the Affordable Housing Institute website. Featured author is David Porteus. CGAP Technology Blog http://technology.cgap.org/ Run by CGAP Technology Program, providing their latest updates and observations on how technology can increase access to finance. Defeating Global Poverty http://defeatpoverty.com/ Discussion on global economic issues, ideas & data to help us become better contributors to defeating the scourge of extreme global poverty. Development Gateway - Microfinance http://topics.developmentgateway.org/microfinance?intcmp=3007 Collaborative web portal offering development content and tools to promote the exchange of knowledge. The dgCommunities allow users to share knowledge and opinions and locate resources on a variety of topics. Master of 500 Hats http://500hats.typepad.com/500blogs/microfinance_social_entrepreneur/index.html Hosted by Dave McClure, board member of Unitus, advisor to Kiva.org, and founder & board member for the Silicon Valley Microfinance Network (SVMN). MicroCapital http://www.microcapital.org News and research initiative on international microfinance investment led by David Satterthwaite, housed in Prisma MicroFinance, a for-profit microfinance institution (MFI). The site seeks to provide objective information oriented towards businesses about microfinance as an emerging investment class. The MicroEnterprise Journal Blog http://www.microenterprisejournal.com/JournalBlog/ Maintained by Dawn Rivers Baker, President and CEO of Wahmpreneur Publishing, Inc., and the editor and publisher of The MicroEnterprise Journal. Microfranchising http://microfranchising.blogspot.com/ About microfranchising, microcredit and microenterprise. Next Billion.net http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/topic/microfinance Launched as an initiative of the World Resources Institute. PSD Blog - The World Bank Group - Private Sector Development Group http://psdblog.worldbank.org Collects news, resources and ideas about the role of private enterprise in fighting poverty. It is hosted by consultants of the World Bank Group. The Silicon Valley Microfinance Network (SVMN) http://svmn.wordpress.com/ Grass-roots organization for people in the San Francisco bay area (and beyond) interested in learning about microfinance, microcredit, and related finance and economic topics. Smart Mobs http://www.smartmobs.com Tagged for microfinance, contains links/comments to microfinance news. This blog is authored by Howard Rheingold, author of the book "Smart Books" which discusses the social implications of technology. Unitus Microfinance Blog http://blog.unitus.com/ Unitus identifies the highest-potential MFIs in developing countries and helps accelerate their growth. Contains links to microfinance news items, press releases, field reports and photos. Past Discussions - Access the Archives Below Audit Discussion (mfg-audit@microfinancegateway.org) This list, created in April 2001, contains postings on diverse facts of external audits on MFIs. Examples include audit preparation, performing the audit, evaluating the audit, accounting issues, evaluations and ratings, and trainings. This list is now closed. About Audit Discussion List Archive Information Systems Services Discussion (mfg-iss@microfinancegateway.org) Since November 2001, the ISS discussion list has allowed various microfinance industry stakeholders - MFI staff, consultants, service providers, donors, and others - to pose questions, post announcements and otherwise discuss issues pertaining to the use of information technology in microfinance. This list is now closed. About ISS Discussion List Archive US Poverty Mandate (mfg-uspoverty@microfinancegateway.org) In September 2003, over 40 donors and practitioners engaged in a lively, thoughtful debate on whether donors should enact directives to ensure that significant portions of donor microenterprise funding be directed towards the very poor. Read background information, a summary of opinions, CGAP's perspective on this issue, and the actual postings. This list is now closed. About US Poverty Mandate List Archive

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