Protocol for CGAP Strategic Partners
CGAP’s mission is to work at the frontier of inclusive finance. CGAP’s knowledge enables both public and private stakeholders to scale financial inclusion solutions.
Private sector actors have necessary insight into systemic incentives and barriers to an inclusive financial ecosystem through their ongoing roles in local and global marketplaces. These roles are distinct from the role of public sector actors. In addition, certain private sector players are increasingly pushing at the forefront of innovation and are therefore significant influencers for knowledge dissemination, investment, and practice adoption within their sectors.
As a result, with approval from its Executive Committee, CGAP is welcoming select private sector actors, to be called “Strategic Partners”, into the CGAP Global Partnership and has created a new, dedicated Private Sector Constituency. These Strategic Partners will contribute their perspectives and experiences while adhering to CGAP’s Charter and neutrality (more details below under Governance). Participation of these private sector partners also responds to a call from CGAP members to include more private sector perspectives into the CGAP Global Partnership.
Strategic Partners are distinct from CGAP members. CGAP members belong to the CGAP Trust Fund and are represented through their voice and vote in CGAP’s governance, as well as funding. Private sector partners are represented through their voice only, hence they are termed” Strategic Partners” and not “members”. The World Bank Fund processes and procedures do not allow private sector entities to fund a World Bank Trust Fund like CGAP, therefore private sector entities are not eligible to become CGAP members. Therefore, private sector participation in CGAP requires a clear and distinct protocol to ensure these conditions are met.
This note describes the protocol for Strategic Partners, including eligibility criteria, due diligence and selection process, governance and communications modalities, and risk management.