.

1. FINANCIAL INCLUSION SUPPORT FRAMEWORK
CONTEXT, OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Financial Inclusion Support Framework (FISF) is to accelerate and increase the effectiveness of reforms and other country-led actions that help achieve national financial inclusion targets and strategies. At least 50 countries have set financial inclusion targets and/or made headline commitments to actions to improve financial inclusion (typically for bank accounts, micro/SME finance, mobile payments, and/or financial literacy).
FISF supports policy and regulatory reforms, financial infrastructure development, and other measures that catalyze private sector financing, knowhow and innovation, and that result in a broad range of financial services – including payments, savings, insurance, credit - being used by low income households and MSMEs that are currently un-banked or under-banked.
By enabling regulators, governments, and other stakeholders to implement evidence-based reforms, as well as transformative initiatives with the private sector and civil society, significant increases in financial inclusion can be achieved. FISF-supported reforms can catalyze increased private sector innovation and investment, expanding and improving financial inclusion.
There are 3 components to FISF, with an initial focus on Country Support Programs (CSPs).
Financial Inclusion Support Framework: Components
FISF was welcomed by the G20 Finance Ministers, the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, and by partner agencies, and was designed in coordination with IFC and CGAP. FISF has initial funding of $25m from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and further funding in final stages of approval from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Country Support ProgramsTechnical assistance and capacity building programs for up to 20 countries. First programs are in Indonesia, Mozambique, Rwanda Financial Inclusion ChallengeResearch and ModelsAgricultural finance, women and finance, impact and cost effectiveness of FI reformsResults-based financing to accelerate financial sector response to FI reforms.

2. COMPONENT 1: COUNTRY SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Within the last 10 months over 15 countries have requested the World Bank Group’s assistance in developing and/or implementing financial inclusion strategies and action plans, and more requests are being received. FISF scales up and leverages the World Bank Group’s policy dialogue, analytical work, and financing for financial inclusion in over 60 countries.
Preparation of FISF country support programs is underway in a first set of countries (Mozambique, Rwanda, Indonesia), with a second set of FISF countries in the process of being identified. A broader set of countries can also be assisted through the second FISF component – the Financial Inclusion Challenge – as well as through FIRST Initiative funding.
Priority areas for technical assistance and advisory inputs for the initial set of 3 countries include the following:
 Digital financial inclusion and payments (including government to person payments)
 Regulation and supervision of microfinance/non-bank financial institutions
 SME finance, including credit ratings, credit guarantee schemes, innovation finance
 Agricultural finance, including supply chain finance
 Responsible finance: financial consumer protection, financial literacy/education
 Financial inclusion indicators and targets, national coordination structures
COMPONENT 2: FINANCIAL INCLUSION CHALLENGE
A competitive results-based financing mechanism will be designed, in order to accelerate the response of the financial sector in taking advantage of financial inclusion reforms and meeting targets, including through disruptive and innovative approaches. Subsidies would be allocated competitively based on results achieved in terms of extending or improving access to financial services (for example number of persons reached, number of transactions per person, or level of infrastructure investment).
COMPONENT 3: KNOWLEDGE
FISF will generate analysis and share models relevant to designing and implementing effective financial inclusion reforms, in order to further catalyze progress towards financial inclusion. Workshops will be held on the topics of agricultural finance, and women and finance, to shape a research/analytical work program for each. A further topic being considered is the relative impact and cost effectiveness of financial inclusion measures and reforms.