Access to finance for women micro entrepreneurs who are members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) or clients of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) has significantly increased over the past decade. However, as the scale of operations of the microenterprises increase, women micro-entrepreneurs find it increasingly difficult to access funds from financial institutions. The IFC, World Bank group is interested in understanding the gaps on the supply side (financial institutions) as well as on the demand side (women micro-entrepreneuers) which prevent access of finance to women microenterprises, where loan demand is between Rs 100,000 and Rs 1,000,000.
Through combination of primary and secondary research, M2i 1. Assessed product offerings and lending practices of the financial institutions 2. Reviewed available trainings and capacity building offerings for the financial institutions 3. Reviewed available trainings and capacity building programs for women entrepreneurs 4. Identified gaps in capacity building resources and initiatives both for the financial institutions and women entrepreneurs 5. Assessed feasibility of offering certification program for women entrepreneurs and provided recommendations for its implementation