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Innovations in Light

A fifth of the world's population lives without electricity. This article showcases a few simple ideas that are helping to bring light to them and others who can't afford it. ...

(caselet/profile, webpage, 2012)

On the Ground with Comprehensive Community Initiatives

This publication summarizes the major programs of the 10 initiatives studied in the area of neighborhood revitalization. It discusses program issues including sources and amounts of funding as well as positive individual and neighborhood impacts. This ...

(case/model, text, 2000)

Too Good to Fail: The closing of ShoreBank Corporation

In August 2010 the US government closed ShoreBank, one of the country’s leading social enterprises. Why did ShoreBank fail? And what lessons can be learned from its 37-year record of innovation? This article recounts the bank's history, wider economic ...

(caselet/profile, text, 2011)

Making Tractor Markets Work for the Poor in Nigeria: A PrOpCom Case Study

Aware of the unmet, increasing demand for farm mechanisation, PrOpCom (Promoting Pro-Poor Opportunities in Commodity and Service Markets) sought to redress the scarcity of tractors available for land preparation in Nigeria, and in so doing engage with the ...

(case/model, document (pdf), 2011)

Making Fertiliser Markets Work for the Poor in Nigeria: A PrOpCom Case Study

From 2008–2011 PrOpCom facilitated interventions aimed at improving the commercial marketing and distribution of fertiliser to the poor in Nigeria. When PrOpCom first contemplated whether or not to intervene in the fertiliser market, industry experts ...

(case/model, document (pdf), 2011)

The Next Billions: Unleashing Business Potential in Untapped Markets

In 2008, the Forum initiated a new project to assess commercially viable business models that can improve livelihoods and strengthen food value chains in poor regions - and to define the actions needed to scale up such approaches. This project was ...

(research/study, document (pdf), 2009)

Strengthening SMEs: A Guide to Business Management and Governance for Small and Medium Enterprises in East Africa

Most small and medium enterprise (SME) owners across the world consider business management and governance systems (or corporate governance) as an issue relevant only to large companies. In many African countries, the concept is still new and unfamiliar ...

(toolkit/manual, text, 2010)

Making Markets Work for the Poor: DCED Knowledge Portal

This site managed by The Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) provides an overview of Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P), a poverty reduction approach that has gained popularity in recent years amongst major development organizations and ...

(toolkit/manual, webpage)

Municipal Revolving Loan Funds: Initial Summary Findings

This brief document outlines Social Enterprise Associate’s findings from informal field research on behavior and qualities of Municipal Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs). Research was conducted via publicly available documents and interviews (phone and ...

(research/study, text, 2009)

Models of Business Services: Case Studies and Lessons Learned from Financial Intermediaries

This paper looks at leading practices in the profitable delivery of financial business services to SMEs in several countries with the goal of applying those lessons to promote SME sector growth in South Africa. ...

(case/model, text, 2009)

Microenterprise Contribution to Economic Growth through Forward Linkages with Large Firms in Peru

This microREPORT presents the results of micro-level research conducted in Peru by surveying medium and large enterprises to examine if MEs contribute to economic growth through forward linkages with medium and large (LEs) firms. Data sets include: (i) ...

(research/study, text, 2008)

M4P Synthesis Paper: Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach

This document explains the essence of the M4P approach – its rationale, including evidence of impact, and key features in implementation. Combined with the related documents M4P Perspectives and M4P Operational Guide , these resources are intended ...

(research/study, document (pdf), 2008)

M4P Perspectives: Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach

M4P Perspectives introduces the conceptual underpinnings of M4P and explores its application in different markets including finance, agriculture, water, labour, land, and climate change. Combined with the related documents M4P Synthesis and M4P ...

(research/study, document (pdf), 2008)

The M4P Operational Guide: Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach

The M4P Operational Guide provides a substantial operational resource on how to implement M4P, including an overview of good practices, common management challenges and the main lessons from experience. Combined with the related documents M4P Synthesis ...

(toolkit/manual, document (pdf), 2008)

Making Value Chains Work Better for the Poor: A Toolbook for Practitioners of Value Chain Analysis

This toolbook provides value chain practitioners with an easy to use set of tools for value chain analysis, with a focus on poverty reduction. Building on the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach, each of the tools presented has a clear focus on ...

(toolkit/manual, document (pdf), 2008)

The Next Four Billion: Market Size and Business Strategy at the Base of the Pyramid

Four billion low-income consumers - a majority of the world's population - constitute the base of the economic pyramid. New empirical measures of their aggregate purchasing power and their behavior as consumers suggest significant opportunities for ...

(research/study, text, 2007)

Value Chain Program Design: Promoting Market-Based Solutions for MSME and Industry Competitiveness

The approach presented in this paper is an attempt to combine the strengths of value chain analysis with the promotion of sustainable, market-based solutions that respond to the recurrent needs of micro, small, and medium scale enterprise (MSME). ...

(toolkit/manual, text, 2007)

Innovative Financing for Sustainable Small and Medium Enterprises in Africa

This packet presents case studies of innovative financing models investing in sustainable small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Africa, including a summary of Acumen Fund's model. ...

(case/model, text, 2007)

The New Generation of Private-Sector Development Programming: The Emerging Path to Economic Growth with Poverty Reduction

Part of the Accelerated Microenterprise Advancement Project (AMAP) Business Development Series (BDS) to assess the impact of private-sector development programs, this report presents a conceptual framework for understanding the new generation of ...

(research/study, text, 2006)

What Works: Thamel.com (Diaspora-Enabled Development)

This case study is part of the World Resources Institute "What Works" series on effective social enterprises around the globe. The case offers a comprehensive overview of Thamel.com, a Nepali-based social enterprise that offers the Nepali ...

(case/model, document (pdf), 2005)