Title Page -- Copyright -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- About the Authors and Contributors -- Abbreviations -- Chapter 1 Risk Management: Preparing for the Unexpected -- Risk Categories -- Management of the Biggest Risks -- Producer Risks -- Additional Risks for MFIs with Rural Portfolios -- Development of a Risk Management System -- Steps in Risk Management -- Approaches to Managing Risks -- Chapter 2 Good Governance: Managing Internal Risk -- Ownership, Legal Form, and Their Impact on Governance -- NGOs -- Private Investors -- Government -- External Public Entities and Aid Agencies -- Microfinance Investment Vehicles -- MFIs in Transformation -- The Board of Directors: Functional Responsibilities -- The Board of Directors: Effective Structure -- The Board of Directors: Effective Processes -- The Board of Directors: Member Selection and Participation -- Summary and Conclusions -- Chapter 3 Interest Rates: Paying for Risk -- Introduction -- Interest Rate Setting -- Are Microfinance Interest Rates Too High? -- Lowering Interest Rates at the Institutional Level -- Lowering Interest Rates through Government Policy -- Conclusion -- Chapter 4 Microinsurance: Anticipating Client Risks -- Insurance Products and Low-Income Clients -- Design of the Product for Low-Income Markets -- Microinsurance for Rural Clients -- Delivery of the Product -- How Does Latin America Fare in Microinsurance Coverage? -- MFIs and the Barriers to Mainstreaming Microinsurance -- Conclusion -- Chapter 5 Progressive Housing Microfinance: Building One Room at a Time -- The Housing Microfinance Approach -- Institutional Changes -- Subsidies -- The Role of Government and Risk Management -- Examples from Latin America -- Lessons Learned -- Designing a New Housing Microfinance Program -- Chapter 6 Microleasing: Overcoming Equipment-Financing Barriers.

The Basics of Microleasing -- Advantages of Leasing for Microbusinesses -- Advantages of Microleasing for the MFI -- Tax and Regulatory Considerations with Microleasing -- Management of Microleasing Risks -- Use of Microleasing in Latin America -- Recommendations for a New Microleasing Program -- Chapter 7 Disaster Management: Preparing for the Worst -- An Unfortunate but Common Story -- Costs of Disasters -- Proactive Approaches and Concrete Responses -- Conclusion -- Chapter 8 New Technologies: Providing a Path to Lower Costs and New Products -- Introduction -- Why Technology Matters -- Mobile Banking -- Network Systems -- Remote Data Processing -- PDAs -- POS Terminals -- Biometrics -- Costs, Risks, and Challenges -- Conclusion -- Glossary -- Index -- Back cover.