Accion International

EstablishedSolid SupportSocial ButterflyImpactful Reach

Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a pioneering legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. Accion catalyzes financial service providers to deliver high-quality, affordable solutions at scale for the three billion people who are left out of – or poorly served by – the financial sector. For nearly 60 years, Accion has helped tens of millions of people through our work with more than 160 partners in 55 countries.

All over the world, hardworking business owners like Bhavna struggle to find and gain access to basic financial tools that can help them compete effectively and grow their businesses. It is a struggle that is particularly acute during times of economic downturn and crisis. Your philanthropic support can help to remove that struggle and help small business owners to be resilient. Bhavna, who owns and operates a children’s gift store in Mumbai, India, benefits directly through Accion partner, ftcash. Accion helps ftcash scale its current business and develop new product lines to empower business owners like Bhavna. Small business owners need access to an affordable and secure way to process transactions as they become less cash based. Thanks to the payment processing platform from ftcash, Bhavna can now accept debit cards, credit cards, and e-wallet payments from her customers, which translates to increased sales and greater security for her small business. ftcash also helps its clients establish formal credit. Having her own track record and credit history will help Bhavna manage her future.

8.3 Million
Accion's advisory services reached 8.3 million clients around the world.
160+
Accion has helped tens of millions of people through our work with more than 160 partners in 55 countries.
$1.9B
Savers deposited $1.9 billion at Accion's microfinance institution partners.

Financials

$32.9M
2021 Budget
76%Program Spend
19%Management Spend
6%Fundraising Spend
76%
19%
6%

Programs

Venture Lab

Accion’s seed-stage investment initiative Accion Venture Lab provides capital and extensive support to innovative fintech startups that improve the reach, quality, and affordability of financial services for the underserved and have the potential to scale. Backed by commercial and impact investors since the launch of its third-party fund in 2019, Venture Lab has invested in more than 40 early-stage startups that operate in 30 countries worldwide. These startups collectively provide critical financial services to over 2 million people that include smallholder farmers, small business owners, women, migrants and refugees; helping them to change their lives for the better. For most of these people, these fintech startups are their first touchpoint to access affordable and convenient credit, savings, and insurance products that serve their needs.

Global Advisory Solutions

Accion Global Advisory Solutions partners with financial service providers around the globe to better meet the financial needs of underserved individuals and small businesses. Leveraging innovations in technology and financial services, we provide strategic and operational support to our partners to help them remain the providers of choice in their dynamic markets. We combine decades of on-the-ground experience with insights into new technologies.

Center for Financial Inclusion

The Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) is an independent think tank housed at Accion that works to better serve, protect and empower clients. We learn, test and share insights; promote concrete solutions; and advocate for inclusive, responsible finance that helps – not harms – individuals. We collaborate with stakeholders globally to achieve our goal of enabling 3 billion people who are left out of – or poorly served by – the financial sector to improve their lives.

As an industry-facing body, our business model is intentionally participatory, collaborative and consultative. We focus on inclusive finance needs that are directly related to improving outcomes for the poor. While we will continue our work on improving consumer protection and empowerment and on important market infrastructure issues, we are also elevating work in three key areas of focus: climate change, gender inequality and data opportunities and risks.

Global Investments

Accion Global Investments invests in established financial institutions and innovative financial service providers that leverage technology to support underserved entrepreneurs, families, and individuals in emerging markets. We work closely with Accion Global Advisory Solutions and Accion’s regional teams to provide strategic and operational support to each of our portfolio companies, with the goal of developing commercially sustainable businesses that realize social and financial returns.

Over more than twenty years, we have founded, invested in, and helped operate some of the world’s leading microfinance institutions and innovative financial service providers, building demonstration models for the market and catalyzing the capital markets to transform financial services for the underserved.

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