MFMI draws its expertise in microfinance, network building and education from its founders, CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) and the Open Society Institute (OSI).

	CGAP, a global resource center for the microfinance industry, plays a leading role in capturing and disseminating knowledge of the rapidly evolving microfinance sector.  CGAP is hosted by the World Bank and counts 40 private- and public-sector funders of microfinance among its core base of support.  The work of CGAP is to set standards, promote financial transparency, convene leaders for the sector, incubate innovations and establish clearinghouses of information.  For more information, please visit www.cgap.org.
	OSI has a foremost reputation as a network of networks dedicated to furthering education and a wide range of political and economic development concerns.  Established in 1993 by the investor and philanthropist George Soros, OSI fosters broad-based societal participation and collaboration among nongovernmental organizations, international institutions and government agencies.  OSI works in more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to implement a range of projects and initiatives in education, media, public health, women's rights, social, legal and economic reform and the shaping of government policy.

CGAP and MFMI: a shared history of building global capacities

CGAP's work in microfinance capacity building dates back to 1998 when it launched an African pilot of its Skills for Microfinance Management Program.  This global program for microfinance managers developed a suite of seven training courses in financial and operational management, delivered by developing-country trainers.  This suite offered support for Training of Trainers, as well as guidance to regional and national training partners (networks, private firms, and large MFIs with training departments. By 2006, over 11,000 persons had received training spanning 52 countries, in 12 languages. CGAP qualified over 200 trainers to teach these courses.

The MFMI Network began in 2004 with a core of six academic institutions through its Microfinance in MBA Programs Project.  The initial three-year phase of this program gradually brought the study of microfinance management into MBA and graduate management programs to 13 universities in 10 developing countries.  This program built on the growing interest by MBA students worldwide, who will become the future policy makers, bankers, MFI managers and opinion leaders.

As of January 2007, CGAP has entrusted the relationship management of its training network to the MFMI.  The MFMI has steadily increased its global academic and trainer membership in 2007, in partnership with the former CGAP trainers and MFMI academics and in association with the flagship hub of African capacity building, CGAP's CAPAF program in Senegal (www.capaf.org).