Microenterprise stocktaking : a statistical look at AID's microenterprise portfolio

is currently implementing 87 microenterprise development projects or programs, which will spend $290 million over their total project life. This study, part of a larger stocktaking of A.I.D.'s microenterprise assistance, provides a statistical overview of the program, including information on its magnitude, composition, and organization; the various types of projects being operated; the types of agencies implementing the projects; and the types of services being provided to microentrepreneurs. The report concentrates on financial levels as a means to help explain and classify the projects and the different approaches used in different regions. Most field projects deal with broad problems (e.g., finance, private sector development, and private voluntary organizations), with only 12% focusing exclusively on microenterprises. While nearly every project includes an institutional development component, only 15 (representing 34% of funding) focus solely on this goal; the others concentrate on providing direct benefits and services to entrepreneurs. Private voluntary organizations implement two-thirds of the projects, representing 52% of funding, while financial institutions implement 16%, covering 37% of funding, and host country governments directly implement projects representing only 4% of funding. The typical A.I.D. project uses a "full service" approach of credit, technical assistance, and training; 55 projects, representing 57% of program funding, employ this approach. Fifteen credit-only projects represent 37% of funding, while 17 projects representing 6% of funding provide only technical assistance and training.