CGAP (the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) is an independent research and policy organization dedicated to expanding access to finance for poor people around the world. It is a global partnership of 34 leading organizations that seek to advance financial inclusion. CGAP develops innovative solutions through practical research and active engagement with financial service providers, policy makers, and funders to enable approaches at scale. Housed at the World Bank, CGAP combines a pragmatic approach to responsible market development with an evidence-based advocacy platform to increase access to the financial services the poor need to improve their lives.

AREAS OF WORK
CGAP has five core areas of work to help make their vision of permanent access to affordable and client-responsive financial services a reality.

Developing and strengthening a wide range of institutions and means, both financial and non-financial, that deliver financial services to the poor

Improving the quality and availability of information about institutional financial performance

Establishing supportive legal and regulatory frameworks

Improving aid effectiveness

Reaching poor and unserved clients and ensuring impact on their lives 

Donors and Investors
CGAP works with donors and investors to improve the effectiveness of funding for microfinance. We focus on increasing transparency within the funding landscape and help funders improve how they work in microfinance. Our vision is a world where diverse funding sources are used where they are most needed, so that all market segments are reached.

Expanding Access
The CGAP-Ford Foundation Graduation Program is a global effort to understand how safety nets, livelihoods, and microfinance can be sequenced to create pathways for the poorest to graduate out of extreme poverty, adapting a methodology developed by BRAC in Bangladesh. The CGAP-Ford Foundation Graduation Program is helping to implement nine Graduation Pilots in seven countries, in partnership with local organizations. Impact assessments and/or qualitative research are being implemented in all sites.

Financial Indicators
CGAP’s Research and Market Intelligence team coordinates research activities across the organization, and produces data on access to finance. This small but growing team is a key part of CGAP’s role as a provider of global data and evidence-based research on the industry. The team works with other experts in CGAP and the industry at large to produce a broad range of publications based on original research.

Government and Policy
CGAP's policy work focuses on building favorable policy and regulatory frameworks for financial service providers serving the billions of poor people worldwide who lack access to safe, appropriate and affordable financial services.

Regions
CGAP recently established regional representatives in several regions to improve communications and services for CGAP, funders, policy makers, financial service providers and other key contacts.

Technology
CGAP’s Technology Program aims to improve the lives of millions of poor people. We do this by helping financial institutions and others to expand access to financial services through the innovative application of technology.