The IDB Group, guided by its Strategy for Microenterprise Development, has made the creation of a sustainable market of services to the sector one of its most important priorities during the past decade. This report presents an overview of the contributions the IDB has made to the...

Remittance traffic in the Western Hemisphere has crossed a threshold not only in magnitude, but also in significance highlighting profound emotional bonds between relatives separated by geography and the importance of remittances for development in migrants' countries of origin.

As entrepreneurs explore markets abroad, migrant workers driven by family values search abroad for comparative advantages. The challenge is to provide adequate financial infrastructure for families to use remittances more effectively.

This report compressed the results of a four-month initiative to identify unmet needs and market opportunities in Colombia, El Salvador, Brazil and Mexico, and present a potential private sector solutions that can address these unmet needs profitably.

Housing is more than just basic shelter - it can be a valuable monetary asset, both to households and nations. This book draws on research by experts at the Inter-American Development Bank and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to examine the economic, social and legal...

The IDB Group, guided by its Strategy for Microenterprise Development, has made the creation of a sustainable market of services to the sector one of its most important priorities during the past decade. This report presents an overview of the contributions the IDB has made to the...

SMEs are positioning themselves as a strategic branch of banking operations in the region, while banks are increasingly pushing for more active policies when it comes to the financing of SMEs. This is one of the highlighted conclusions from a 2011 joint survey conducted by the Inter-American...

Specialized financial institutions (SFIs) have a clear interest in tapping the small business lending market, but frequently lack the know-how for doing so in a sustainable manner. This guide outlines the key conditions and steps SFIs need to take in order to set up and develop sustainable small...

Remittances, the portion of migrant workers' earnings sent back home to their families, have been a critical means of financial support for generations. But, for the most part, these flows have historically been -hidden in plain view-, often uncounted and even ignored. All that is now changing...

Efforts by transnational families, money transfer and financial institutions, public authorities, civil society, and international organizations to improve regulatory and institutional frameworks are necessary to unleash the full development potential of remittances.