Social Inclusive Finance Technical Assistance (SIFTA)

8 November 2022

• Mental health of Entrepreneurs & Loan Officers in Microfinance (Webinar series 1/2)

9 November 2022 (Social Finance Vibe 2022)

• Impact Measurement Revisited
• Financing Digital Transition
• Appropriate financing instruments for social economy actors

10 November 2022 (Social Finance Vibe 2022)

• Managing Green Transition in Microfinance
• EU Funding for Microfinance and the Social Economy

15 November 2022

• Mental health of Entrepreneurs & Loan Officers in Microfinance (Webinar series 2/2)

16 November 2022, 15:30 - 16:30 CET (European Microfinance Week 2022) 

• SIFTA and meeting the needs of women-led micro and social enterprises

23 November 2022

• Social and inclusive entrepreneurship development

24 November 2022

• The contribution of loan funds to the development of the Polish microfinance market and current challenges facing institutions supporting the SME sector

29 November 2022, 11:00 - 12:00 CET

• From Strategy to Digital Roadmap: Find the right problem (Digital Strategy for smaller MFIs webinar series 1/2)

01 December 2022, 11:00 - 12:00 CET

• From Strategy to Digital Roadmap: Find the right solution (Digital Strategy for smaller MFIs webinar series 2/2)

05 December 2022, 09:30 – 14:00 CET

• Inclusive Finance, Social Economy and territory (Italian language)

08 December 2022, 08:00 – 15:00 CET

• Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti Money Laundering (AML) best practices (Romanian language)

08 December, 11:00 - 13:00 CET

• Preparing micro-businesses for the digital future

12 December 2022, 09:00 – 13:00 CET

• Responsible Microfinance: ESG and Impact Investing

15 December 2022, 09:00 – 13:00 CET

• Demand generation approaches in digital marketing for MFIs

15 December 2022, 11:00 – 13:00 CET

• Sustainable Development Goals – measuring and reporting the progress

20 December 2022, 08:00 – 15:00 CET

• Evaluation and reporting of the social and economic inclusion of microcredit beneficiaries (Romanian language)

30 March 2023, 10:00 - 12:00 CET

- Doing advocacy - how to negotiate effectively (Polish language)

2 April 2023, 10:00 - 12:00 CET

- Impact management and measurement (IMM) & the SDGs for microfinance institutions in the European Union

13 April 2023, 09:00 - 15:00 CET

- Evaluation of loan collateral (Polish language)

19 April 2023, 08:00 - 17:00 CET

- Team management and task delegation (Polish language)

10 May 2023, 10:00 - 12:00 CET

- MFI good practice in financing social economy: EU case studies (Polish language)

11 May 2023, 11:00 - 13:00 CET

- Risk management framework applied to inflation, energy prices and interest rate risk

30 May 2023, 11:00 – 13:00 CET

- Financial planning, modelling and stress test

How much stress can you absorb as an institution? What is the impact of energy prices on your business model? In this webinar you will have the opportunity to advance your knowledge of risk management for microfinance providers and learn about financial planning, modelling, and different stress test instruments in risk management.

07 June 2023, 11:00 - 13:00 CET

- MFI good practice in financing social economy: Romanian and Polish cases

The webinar will inspire microfinance providers to diversify their products and services, with an offer to social enterprises. It will provide opportunity to learn from two organizations, TISE from Poland and AFIN from Romania, about their experience supporting the development of the social enterprises in their countries, regulatory environment, characteristics of business model, available financial instruments for the sector, identifying the leading factors to succeed, sharing, and exchanging on challenges and barriers, and indicating way forward. 

08 June 2023, 09:00 – 11:00 CET

- Digital Marketing Strategy Approach in the Microfinance and Social Enterprise finance sector (Digital Marketing Webinar series 1/4)

How can a well-defined marketing strategy enhance your operations?  How can digital marketing be integrated within your organization’s marketing strategy?  Join us to learn more about Digital Marketing Tactics & how to transition from Strategy to Planning in digital communications in this first webinar of the SIFTA Digital Marketing Series for Microfinance and Social Enterprise Finance Providers.

19 June 2023, 09:00 – 12:00 CET

- Train the Trainers (ToT) for Digital Learning

This hands-on online course is primarily aimed at professionals that intend to conduct or improve their online trainings. Frankfurt School master trainer Mr. Helmut Grossmann will explain and demonstrate various online training methods and tools, including session planning, ice breakers, powerful presentations, and engaging interactions with participants.

After the webinar on 19 June, the participants will be split into small groups and everyone will have to prepare a 15-minute online training session on any topic of their interest. The Master Trainer and the other participants will give feedback to the person who was on stage which will enable participants to learn by doing and from direct feedback. The second part is scheduled for the week of 18 to 20 July 2023 with each group meeting for a 3-hour online session.

21 June 2023, 11:00 – 13:00 CET

- Leaders in sustainable agriculture

The webinar targets microfinance providers which finance the smallholder farmers and support rural communities. We will discuss approaches and examples of inclusive rural finance practices that support sustainable agriculture.

22 June 2023, 13:45 - 16:45 CET, Sofia, Bulgaria

- Enhancing the social entrepreneurship ecosystem (Bulgarian language)

29 June 2023, 09:00 – 11:00 CET

- The importance of Digital Communication Planning in an increasingly digital world (Digital Marketing Webinar series 2/4)

How can digital communication elevate your organisation’s reach, engagement and impact? What are the tools for an effective planning of digital communication activities? Join us to learn more about monitoring and managing performance of online marketing efforts in the second webinar of the Digital Marketing Series for Microfinance and Social Enterprise Finance Providers.

29 June 2023, 11:00 - 13:00 CET

- All you need to know about ESG as a new reporting standard

This webinar targets microfinance providers as well as investors, supervisory and management board members and staff from risk and compliance organizational units. The participants of the webinar will learn from CERISE+SPTF (https://cerise-sptf.org/) how the microfinance providers could approach ESG risk management using ESG tool, aimed primarily at demonstrating compliance. During the webinar Partner MKF will share their up-to-date path of ESG system implementation into their business model and will present how ESG risk is assessed with each microcredit, procurement, and assets management.

11 July 2023, 10:00 - 12:30 CET

- The Green Transition in Inclusive Finance: Sustainable Finance & Energy Transition – The Opportunities and Ways Forward (Green Finance Webinar series 1/3)

Why should MFIs and SEFPs develop and follow an environmental strategy? How can MFIs and SEFPs actively participate in addressing climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts to enhance the resilience of their institutions and clients? Join us to learn more about Green Transition in Inclusive Finance and gain insights into the opportunities and ways forward to enhance the financial and non-financial offer with a triple-bottom-line impact in this first webinar of the SIFTA Green Finance Series for Microfinance and Social Enterprise Finance Providers.

19 July 2023, Oradea, Romania (Romanian language)

Marketing: Sales Channel Management – best practice reaching targeted MFIs customers (part 1)

20 July 2023, Oradea, Romania (Romanian language)

Marketing: Sales Channel Management – best practice reaching targeted MFIs customers (part 2)

24 July 2023, 15:00 - 16:00 CET

- Sustainable integration practices for Third Country Nationals (TCNs)

Join us to discuss together the ways of sustainable integration practices for Third Country Nationals (TCNs), and to share good practices related to financial and non-financial services through multi-stakeholder approaches and conducive ecosystems. How can microfinance increase its role in this through financial and non-financial services?

31 July, 15:00 - 16:00 CET

- The Relationship Between Mental Health and Wellbeing

Mental Health and Wellbeing are often used as an overall term but they are actually two different areas which influence each other. Come and learn more about their distinct differences and how you can understand and take steps towards improving both and integrate this learnings in your daily work life.

05 September 2023, 10:00 - 12:30 CET

- Environmental Strategy Assessment and Development for MFIs and SFPS – Planning with the Latest Standard (Green Finance Webinar series 2/3)

Join the second session of the SIFTA Webinar Series on Green Microfinance to discuss methods and tools for evaluating environmental performance, and learn how to interpret results to ensure a successful implementation and establish an action plan alongside SIFTA Sustainable Finance Expert Dr.-Ing. Natalia Realpe Carrillo.

12 September 2023, 14:00 - 16:00 CET

- Sustainable finance in the EU – A Focus on how Microfinance Institutions & Social Finance Providers can approach sustainability-related risks and opportunities (ESG Webinar series 1/3)

The inaugural webinar of the SIFTA ESG Series will explore sustainability risk & opportunities for Microfinance and Social Enterprise Finance Providers. Gain in-depth insights into the latest EU regulations and frameworks driving sustainable finance practices shared by SIFTA Impact Investing & ESG Finance Expert Dina Lorentz.

14 September 2023, 08:00 – 15:00 CET, Bucharest, Romania / Hybrid

- Financial products and business development support services (BDSS) for green finance customers/beneficiaries (Romanian language)

The workshop targets Romanian MFIs and will highlight and debate case studies, along with examples of best practices in green microfinance financial products and customer support services from both Romania and Europe.

19 September 2023, 09:00 – 15:00 CET

- Economic analysis of business projects of clients (Polish language)

20 September 2023, 09:00 – 14:00 CET, Budapest, Hungary

- Presentation of the available InvestEU financial instruments and services under the InvestEU Advisory Hub (Hungarian/English language)

The workshop targets Hungarian MFIs and will cover the application process to the available InvestEU financial instruments and services under the InvestEU Advisory Hub for Microfinance organisations and SME banks.

20 September 2023, 09:00 - 11:00 CET

- Delivering marketing messages to the target audience through online advertising (Digital Marketing Webinar series 3/4)

Join the third session of the SIFTA Webinar Series on Digital Marketing to explore effective strategies for reaching your target audience and select the right messages in online advertising shared by SIFTA Digital Marketing Expert Calin Biris.

21 September 2023, 10:00 - 12:30 CET

- Design of a Green Loan: Assessment of Energy Needs and Energy Access at the Client and MSMEs Level for Market Assessment (Green Finance Webinar series 3/3)

The last session of the SIFTA Webinar Series on Green Microfinance will highlight the stages and actions in designing green products and services with a focus on understanding the needs of the clients.

28 September 2023, 11:00 - 13:00 CET

- Building teams focused on innovation

With AI revolution and digital transformation storming the enterprise world and finance segment, building the innovative potential of every organisation becomes inevitable. All organisations will have to adapt, and every leader needs to understand what it takes to prepare teams for this challenge. The webinar should be attended by all team leaders that seek tools and tips for building the best out of their teams.

3 October 2023, 11:00 - 13:00 CET

- Digital Marketing

Learn about the trends that will impact your business, driven by societal changes and new technologies, disruptive innovations like hyper-personalization, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in marketing, Generative AI, and evolving payment methods. We will also discuss the specific impact of digital transformation on Marketing, Finance, and Customer Service departments

10 October 2023, 09:00 – 15:00 CET, Bucharest, Romania / Hybrid

- Evaluation and reporting of the environmental, socio- economic and governance standards of microcredit institutions in Romania (Romanian language)

12 October 2023, 11:00 – 13:00 CET; registration link to follow

- ESG as new reporting standard (continuation)

18 October 2023, 09:00 – 11:00 CET; registration link to follow

- Social media best practices to build and improve online presence for MFIs (Digital Marketing Webinar series 4/4)

08 November 2023, 09:00 – 15:00 CET, Athens, Greece

- Avoiding excessive regulatory burden: new Trends in microfinance Regulation (Greek language)

14 November 2023, 14:00 – 16:00 CET; registration link to follow

- Approaches to Climate Governance for Microfinance and Social Enterprise finance providers (ESG Webinar series 2/3)

16 November 2023, 09:00 – 15:00 CET, Bucharest, Romania / Hybrid

- Digitalization of the MFIs relationship with customers: online lending services and provision of BDSS  (Romanian language)

5 December 2023, 14:00 – 16:00 CET; registration link to follow

- ESG and Social Impact related approaches for Microfinance and Social Enterprise finance providers (ESG Webinar series 3/3)

12 December 2023, 11:00 – 13:00 CET

- Risk management (Romanian language)