Microfinance Focus, April 14, 2011: A sound Strategic Business Plan (SBP) is one of the crucial ingredients for the success of microfinance institutions.  How to prepare and implement a clear strategy to drive the healthy growth of your microfinance institutions? We introduce you to two excellent toolkits. If there are other toolkits that you find worthwhile to introduce here, please send us email (link) or post a comment.

01. CGAP: Business Planning and Financial Modeling Handbook with “Microfin”

The creators of Microfin and authors of the CGAP Business Planning and Financial Modeling Handbook are Chuck Waterfield and Tony Sheldon. The BP Handbook was developed under contract with Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP) starting in 1997.  The companion projection software, Microfin, was jointly funded by CGAP and by Women's World Banking (WWB).  WWB also supported the development of the on-line help system.

Microfin, an excel based software is designed is to serve as an integrated part of a comprehensive business planning framework, which addresses both strategic and operational issues. 

Download the Document: Click
Visit Microfin Website: http://www.microfin.com

02. MicroSave : Strategic Business Planning - Toolkit

This toolkit assists financial organisations to review/develop their Mission, Values and Vision statements; and then develop a strategy on the basis of market, competition, institution and macro-environment analyses. This strategy outlines the financial institution’s market and scope, its strategy towards the competition, and how it will develop and maintain a competitive advantage in the market place.

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