Many advances have been made in Latin America and the Caribbean to improve access to financial and nonfinancial services for microenterprises over the past 10 years; however, it is estimated that less than 10% of the sector is adequately serviced. Significant financial resources and improved technologies will be required in the future in order to bridge this gap between supply and demand for services in the sector. Although international donor organizations will continue to play an important role in funding microenterprise programs, service providers must also find ways to increase the participation of private capital. Significant amounts of such financing will not be forthcoming unless service providers further their capacity to deliver high quality, efficient, and cost effective financial and non financial services to the sector.

The Second Inter-American Forum on Microenterprise was a two-day gathering of microenterprise service providers from the Latin American and the Caribbean region and other parts of the world. The Forum provided unique opportunities for practitioner institutions to learn about new approaches in the delivery of services to the sector, shared experiences and gathered information on new institutional development tools available in the market, and expanded their contacts with other practitioners, donors, and private sector entities.

The forum was attend primarily by microenterprise service providers from Latin America and the Caribbean, including nonprofit NGOs, commercial banks, cooperatives, and community-based organizations. Participants also comprised donor organizations, government representatives, microenterpreneurs, international development agencies and other representatives from the private sector interested in microenterprise. Total attendance was 600 persons approximately.

The forum was structured around three main activities: discussion and best practices panels, institutional development workshops, and an exhibit center. Click on Agenda above for additional details, including links to speeches and slide presentations.