In almost every part of the world, limited access to finance is considered a key constraint to private sector growth. This is especially true of smaller firms that have minimal influence on policy reform.

Developing financial markets is one of our core strengths. We address the supply of financing through investments and use technical assistance to make their operations more efficient and to improve the regulatory environment.

Investments. This year, we committed $641 million in financial markets investments targeting SMEs, including microfinance institutions, leasing companies, banks, and private equity funds. In some cases, we created new financial intermediaries.

Technical assistance. Our technical assistance programs in the sector, totaling $33 million for small business programs this year, build and strengthen financial institutions, improve the policy environment for financial markets, and provide financial management training for small businesses. Over three-quarters of these programs are in frontier countries, where small businesses make up most of the private sector.

To learn about our support for financial intermediaries or sources of small business financing in your country, contact the IFC Regional Facility in your region. You can also find IFC investment projects in the financial markets sector.