Recently the Mifos team, in collaboration with volunteers from Accenture, Citi and Dow completed an 8-week accounting system evaluation project for our flagship Mifos customers, Grameen Koota and Enda.  This project focused on documenting requirements and delivering recommendations for ERP solutions for both institutions to enable them to integrate with Mifos and to support their management information needs as they continue to expand their operations to reach more low income customers. 

Accenture, Citi and Dow are piloting a joint effort that enables employees from multiple companies to work together on dedicated skills-based projects with global nonprofits and social enterprises.  Based on its successful track record of partnering with corporations and leveraging volunteers, Grameen Foundation‘s Bankers without Borders initiative was selected as one of the first NGO partners with which to pilot this innovative model.  Partnerships like these enable Grameen Foundation to extend its breadth of service offerings to the microfinance industry. 

As the industry looks to scale its outreach, individual microfinance institutions can accelerate their growth by integrating back-office operations through the Mifos platform.    Both Grameen Koota and Enda were seeking more robust ERP solutions and were eager to participate in this project.   Members of our product team along with volunteers from Accenture Development Partnerships and Dow traveled on-site to Bangalore, India, and Tunis, Tunisia, for three weeks of in-depth interviews with staff and management to capture all their ERP needs from accounting to liquidity forecasting to HR management.  Following this in-depth requirements gathering, multiple vendors and solutions were assessed, culminating in a short list of recommended ERP solutions.  Grameen Koota and Enda are now evaluating the recommended systems and will soon be implementing a web-based ERP solution that seamlessly integrates with the Mifos platform. 

We are continuing to document the accounting and ERP needs of MFIs around the world – please visit our accounting section on mifos.org to let us know what system you are using or planning to use.  Grameen Foundation would like to thank Accenture, Citi and Dow for their participation and look forward to partnering in the future on other volunteer engagements. 

About Tech for Microfinance Initiative and Mifos
The Grameen Foundation Technology Center are experts in delivering technology innovations, services and sustainable models for the advancement of Microfinance.  Our Tech for Microfinance Initiative is leading the way in technology-enabled growth for Microfinance Institutions worldwide. We have developed Mifos, an award-winning open technology platform, in conjunction with business consulting, educational service, front-office innovations and a network of IT specialists. Our complete solution creates measurable business results and social impact through strategic technology investments.  The Technology Center is headquartered in Seattle, Washington with a presence in Manila, Philippines and Bangalore, India. 

About Bankers without Borders®
Bankers without Borders®, Grameen Foundation’s volunteer initiative, is a global reserve corps of business professionals and retirees from a variety of industries who contribute their time, skills, and experience to support microfinance and technology.  These volunteers work to change lives and enable the poor – especially the poorest – to create a world without poverty. Bankers without Borders® works with companies, associations, higher education institutions, and individuals to match volunteers’ skills with the critical needs of organizations serving poor people around the world.