The Center for Financial Inclusion

What The Center for Financial Inclusion does

The Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) is an independent think tank founded in 2008 by Accion International and housed at Accion, with all staff employed by Accion. CFI's core function is to conduct research, pilot innovative solutions, and convene the global inclusive finance sector in order to inform policymakers, financial service providers, investors/donors, and researchers on responsible and inclusive financial systems. The organization operates across six thematic research areas — Consumer Protection, Responsible Data Practices, Climate Adaptation and Resilience, Women's Financial Inclusion, Digital Public Infrastructure for Inclusive Finance, and Micro and Small Enterprises in the Digital Economy — supported by two flagship global convenings (Financial Inclusion Week, Responsible Finance Forum) and two specialized community initiatives (Global DPI Insights Community, PROTECT Initiative).

CFI's product surface is research and knowledge artifacts rather than technology. Outputs include reports, briefs, articles, working papers, a public Resource Library, and convening programming, distributed primarily through its website, LinkedIn, YouTube, email newsletter, and in-person events. CFI has no proprietary technology platform, no consumer-facing app, and no disclosed API; the organization's competitive asset is proprietary primary-research datasets (notably the 20,000+ MSE 'Small Firms, Big Impact' survey across five emerging markets) and a recognized brand in consumer protection and responsible finance.

The business model is grant-funded nonprofit, not commercial. CFI does not sell products or services and has no pricing model; operating support comes from a concentrated set of institutional donors including the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, MetLife Foundation, and GIZ, with co-development partnerships with IIF and others. CFI operates from a single Washington, DC headquarters and serves a global footprint spanning the United States, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Singapore.

Name

The Center for Financial Inclusion

Legal name

Center for Financial Inclusion

Website

http://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Center for Financial Inclusion is an independent think tank housed at Accion that conducts research, pilots solutions, and convenes the global inclusive finance sector to inform policymakers, financial service providers, investors, and researchers on responsible and inclusive financial systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Inclusion Research and Advisory

NAICS

Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

SME, Microfinance & Financial Inclusion Facilities (BPADACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Regulation, AML/CFT & Tax Transparency Cooperation (BPADANAL)

Keywords

• Financial inclusion research
• Inclusive finance advocacy
• Consumer protection research
• Responsible finance convening
• Digital public infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Donor Support: As an independent think tank housed at Accion, CFI operates primarily through grant funding from foundations and donors including the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and MetLife Foundation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) is an independent think tank that conducts research, pilots innovative solutions, and convenes the inclusive finance sector to advance inclusive and responsible financial systems for underserved populations globally. It produces research publications and knowledge products across six thematic areas and hosts global convenings such as Financial Inclusion Week and the Responsible Finance Forum.

Product overview

The Center for Financial Inclusion is an independent think tank housed at Accion that advances inclusive financial systems through research, convenings, and collaborative initiatives. The organization offers a portfolio of research programs covering Consumer Protection, Responsible Data Practices, Climate Adaptation and Resilience, Women's Financial Inclusion, Digital Public Infrastructure, and Micro/Small Enterprises in the Digital Economy. These research areas are supported by global convenings including Financial Inclusion Week and the Responsible Finance Forum, as well as specialized initiatives like the Global DPI Insights Community and the PROTECT Initiative. The organization disseminates findings through a Resource Library containing reports, briefs, and articles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research and Insights
• Financial Inclusion Week
• Responsible Finance Forum Global convening focused on responsible finance, bringing together experts to discuss and advance responsible financial solutions for underserved populations.
• Global DPI Insights Community A global network and research community focused on digital public infrastructure, supporting research proposals and sharing insights on DPI developments relevant to inclusive finance.
• PROTECT Initiative Initiative focused on safeguarding financial inclusion clients from fraud and scams through research and stakeholder engagement.
• Resource Library Online repository of research publications, including articles, briefs, and reports on financial inclusion topics, made freely available to the inclusive finance sector.
• Research Fellows Program Research fellowship program created to encourage independent researchers to conduct financial inclusion research aligned with CFI's mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ MSEs surveyed representing 1.7 million businesses
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• AccioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccion founded CFI in 2008 to serve as an independent think tank on inclusive finance. CFI is housed at Accion, and all CFI staff are employed by Accion. Accion is a global nonprofit on a mission to create a fair and inclusive economy.
• Institute of International Finance (IIF)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIIF partnered with CFI on the 'Mainstreaming Financial Inclusion: Best Practices' initiative and the inclusive insurance report to advance efforts of financial institutions to reach customers at the base of the economic pyramid.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab): J-PAL applies rigorous randomized evaluation research to poverty reduction globally, including financial inclusion product and policy testing — comparable to CFI as an evidence-driven research organization targeting the same underserved populations with parallel methodologies.
• CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor): CGAP is a financial inclusion think tank housed at the World Bank Group that conducts applied research, advisory, and convenings on inclusive finance — virtually identical mission and model to CFI, and the most direct competitive peer in shaping global financial inclusion agendas.
• FSD Africa: FSD Africa conducts research, advisory, and convening work to develop deeper financial markets across Sub-Saharan Africa, with similar financial-sector deepening research outputs and funder base as CFI, though regionally focused.
• Bankable Frontier Associates: Bankable Frontier Associates is a financial inclusion advisory firm (now part of DAI Global) providing research and consulting to donors and FSPs on inclusive finance strategy — closely comparable to CFI's provider-facing research and direct advisory support work.
• Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA): IPA generates and disseminates evidence on programs serving the poor, including in financial inclusion and consumer protection — mirrors CFI's research-and-evidence positioning and shares overlapping funder relationships with Mastercard and Gates.
• Microfinance Transparency: Microfinance Transparency promotes responsible pricing disclosure and fair practices in microfinance through ratings and research — comparable to CFI's consumer protection and responsible finance agenda within inclusive finance.
• GSMA Mobile for Development (Mobile Money): GSMA's Mobile Money programme conducts industry research, market intelligence, and convenings on mobile money and digital financial services for underserved populations — directly comparable to CFI's research-plus-convening model in the digital finance inclusion space.

Broad incumbents

• UNCDF (UN Capital Development Fund): UNCDF is a UN development finance institution supporting inclusive finance and local development capital globally — operates at larger scale and broader mandate than CFI but addresses overlapping themes including digital finance and MSE finance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRc7lcmozch4UwirFfXjU6g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/center-for-financial-inclusion-at-accion
• Xx.com/cfi_accion
• Facebookfacebook.com/64252596426

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Center for Financial Inclusion