Responsible Microfinance Facility

Application Form

Responsible Inclusive Finance Introductory Training

Overview of the Training

  • Background information: The AgenceFrançaise de Développement (AFD) funds the Responsible Microfinance Facility (RMF), which launched operations in January 2015 and is working to build capacity and improve practice in social performance management (SPM) in the Sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East North Africa Regions. The Social Performance Task Force is managing the RMF, in collaboration with the Smart Campaign. One type of the activities that the RMF will implement areResponsible Inclusive Finance Introductory Trainings.
  • Training Curriculum: The Responsible Inclusive Finance Introductory Training is an introductory level training course that will introduce participants to social performance management (SPM). The first day will be devoted to defining SPM and discussing why it is important to financial institutions and how strong SPM can help financial institutions achieve both their financial and social goals. The second day introduces the Universal Standards for Social Performance Management ("Universal Standards"), a comprehensive manual of best practices created by and for people in microfinance as a resource to help financial institutions achieve their social goals. The Universal Standards incorporate all of the Smart Campaign Client Protection Certification standards,[1] while also including best practices in other areas of SPM. The third day of the training introduces the SPI4 social audit tool, a social performance assessment tool that is fully aligned with the Universal Standards that helps users to assess and improve their practices. The training curriculum integrates lecture, case study examples, interactive group exercises, and discussion.
  • Duration: Three days;eight hours per day
  • Eligibility: All are welcome to apply.
  • Language of instruction: This training may be offered in English, French, or Arabic. This application form will ask you for your preferred language.
  • Cost: Registration for this training is free. Additionally, the training will provide lunch at no cost each day to participants. However, all applicants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the training site, and for their own lodging. Participants will not receive a per diem allowance or be remunerated for their time.
  • Required materials: All participants must bring a laptop to this training.
  • Date of the training: The RMF is not able to schedule the trainings in advance of reviewing the applications. The form below asks for your preferred timing for the training. If you are selected to attend the training, the RMF will do its best to accommodate your request.
  • Location of the training: to be determined. The RMF will not decide in which country to hold the trainings until it receives applications and therefore knows the countries of residents of interested parties. The goal, however, is to hold introductory trainings in many different countries, so that most if not all applicants will have the option to attend the training in their own country of residence.
  • Deadline to submit application: None. RMF accepts applications on a rolling basis.

Questions for the Applicant

  1. Please provide the following information about you:
  2. First name:
  3. Last name:
  4. Email address:
  5. Skype name (optional):
  6. Phone number, with country code (optional):
  7. Language in which you would like to have this training (options are French, English, and Arabic. You may list more than one):
  8. Country of residence:
  9. Other countries you work in:
  10. Organization you work for:
  11. How many years have you worked in the microfinance sector?
  12. Briefly describe your responsibilities at your current job (1-2 sentences):
  13. If you are applying for this training on behalf of a group, please list the names, organizations, and email addresses of all the people in the group who would like to attend the training. Otherwise, write "not applicable."
  14. List the names, organizations, and email addresses of everyone in your group:
  15. Why are you (is your group) interested in this training? Please include detail on what specifically you would like to learn during this training.
  16. How will you (your group) apply the knowledge you acquire during the training to your future work?
  17. When would you like to attend this training? Please indicate your preferred month(s) and year:
  18. Are there any weeks or months in the upcoming twelve months when you would not be available to participate this training? Please explain:
  19. Please write your initials at the end of each of the following statements, to confirm you understand them.
  20. I understand that there is no registration cost to the training. [Your initials]:
  21. I understand that the Responsible Microfinance Facility will not make payments to me of any kind. I am responsible for my own lodging and my own transportation to and from the training venue. [Your initials]:
  22. I confirm that I will be able to bring a laptop to the training for my own personal use during all three days of the training. [Your initials]:
  23. Please provide a letter from your employer, signed and written on your organization's letterhead, that confirms that your employer understands that this will be a three-day training and is willing to allow you to attend it. Please scan the letter and email it to the RMF () along with your completed application forms. Please also write below the name, organization, and title of the person who signed your letter. If this poses a problem for you, please explain below why you are unable to provide this letter. If you are an independent consultant, please write "n/a" below, as this is not applicable to you.
  24. Name of the person signing your letter:
  25. Organization:
  26. Title:
  27. Instructions for submitting the application:
  28. Please type (preferred) or write neatly answers to all questions in this application.
  29. Once you have completed the application, please email the following three documents to and put "Application to RMF" as your subject line:
  30. your application form, filled out
  31. your CV (or the CV of the person applying on behalf of your group)
  32. letter from your employer confirming that you are allowed to participate in this training, or explanation of why this is not possible (not required for independent consultants; for an application on behalf of a group, submit one letter for each member in the group)

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Please note that RMF will reply to you upon receipt of your application, to confirm that we have received it. The RMF steering committee meets quarterly to review applications. Therefore, you will receive notice of whether your application was approved no later than three months after the date when you submitted it. Thank you for your interest.

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Updated 2017-11-04

[1] For more information, go to