Business Model

FINCA Client Latin America

FINCA is a truly global organization with wholly-owned subsidiaries on four continents. We specialize in financial services, believing that by doing one thing well, we will have the greatest possible impact. We build sustainable programs that achieve the highest standards of financial performance. At the same time, we retain our focus on serving the poorest of the working poor.

The Microfinance Market

Today, the majority of microfinance providers are either small local organizations or international organizations who offer an array services, including microcredit. Many microfinance organizations have begun to move “up-market”—to serve a higher-income clientele to make their operations more profitable and more attractive to commercial investors.

Despite the commercial capital now entering the microfinance field, few banks or other commercial entities are willing to invest in rural markets or countries in turmoil; yet these are the areas that most need economic assistance. FINCA has built strong and successful programs in the world’s poorest countries—such as Malawi and Haiti—and in those where social and political strife has made progress difficult—Kosovo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Afghanistan. Our mission is to build the equity of these programs so that they, too, can access commercial funds.

Donations, Investment & Commercial Capital

Donations play a key role in our business model. First, they create equity that allows us to access commercial funds. Every dollar donated to FINCA leverages five dollars in commercial capital—capital that we direct to low-income families. Donations also enable FINCA to maintain ownership over its programs, even as they attract investments from other sources. And that ownership is critical to our mission: it ensures that our programs remain committed to serving the very poor—those who attempt to survive on less than $2 a day.

A Solid Track Record

FINCA strives to be a "banker with a soul." We believe we can create the best of both worlds: sustainable, financially-sound programs that serve the very poor. Our track record proves we are right.

The Microfinance Information Exchange, Inc., (MIX) Global 100 Composite Ranking of microfinance institutions has ranked four of FINCA’s affiliates in its Top 100 Best Performing microfinance providers around the world. The Top 100 ratings are based on profitability, and the balance of results achieved among three key attributes – outreach, efficiency, and transparency. High performing microfinance institutions seek to maximize performance in areas that include improving outreach, minimizing risk, reducing cost, and strengthening returns. FINCA Armenia ranked #17, followed by FINCA Guatemala at #42. FINCA Azerbaijan came in at the #55 position, while FINCA Ecuador was ranked at #75.

MicroEnterprise America and the Microfinance Information Exchange, Inc., (MIX) released their Championship League listing, a report ranking Latin America’s leading microfinance institutions in eight performance categories. Drawing on a survey of 193 MFIs, they analyzed the latest, high-quality data from auditors, regulatory agencies and other third-party sources to report on MFI performance for 2007. FINCA’s seven affiliate programs all ranked in the top 100 with Mexico leading the pack at #17, Ecuador at #28, Guatemala at #33, Nicaragua at #51, Honduras at #65, Haiti at #97 and El Salvador at #100.

FINCA Haiti also ranked #9 in overall growth, increasing lending by 123%, while FINCA El Salvador increased growth by 78 percent, coming in at #18 on the list.