Over a billion poor people lack access to essential financial services. The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), is a consortium of 33 public and private development agencies working together to expand access to financial services for the poor, referred to as microfinance.

CGAP's staff, working from World Bank offices in Washington, DC and Paris, serve donor agencies, microfinance institutions (MFIs), and other microfinance practitioners. To each of these client groups, CGAP provides technical advice, training, research and development, information dissemination, and funding for innovations. Read more.