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Our Process

The mission of Bankers without Borders® is to provide a channel for private-sector organizations and volunteers to support Grameen Foundation's mission, which is to strengthen microfinance and related technology. To this end, we have developed an efficient framework to utilize volunteers. By relying on volunteers for much of our own internal activities, as well as for Grameen Foundation and microfinance projects in the field, we have developed best practices for effective volunteerism within the microfinance industry.

Below are the ten steps we follow for each Bankers without Borders project, whether it is for an internal Grameen Foundation need, or for an MFI halfway around the world.

  1. Market Research - Identify ongoing needs that can be met through volunteer talent.
  2. Project Development - We develop a detailed project plan describing problem statement, objectives, proposed solution, volunteer deliverables, qualifications, and other useful information. This is often the most critical step in our process.
  3. Volunteer Recruitment - After we develop a description of requirements for the project's volunteer(s), we contact recruits from our reserve corps of volunteers and corporate partners, as well as post the new assignment on our web site.
  4. Interviewing & Selection - This is conducted by our project manager in close consultation with any industry partner(s) involved with the project. The project manager is either a Grameen Foundation staff member or a Foundation partner.
  5. Volunteer Agreements - The project manager and volunteer together develop a Statement of Work, describing their respective responsibilities and deliverables. If the assignment involves travel, the volunteer also signs a Travel Waiver form.
  6. Orientation - Depending on the project, this may be provided by Bankers without Borders and/or our sector partner or the participating MFI or MFI network. As necessary, we provide orientation customized for each project. For field-based assignments, sector partners may recommend or help reserve local accommodations and ground travel. We present monthly for all registered volunteers a basic orientation on microfinance, Grameen Foundation, and related topics.
  7. Project Training - The project manager provides volunteer(s) with related reading materials and also schedules face-to-face or teleconference training to provide project-specific information.
  8. Project Management - Project manager and volunteer(s) agree upon method and timeliness of ongoing communication and check-ins through duration of the project. The project manager or volunteer may contact Bankers without Borders for support should any challenges occur.
  9. Evaluation - Project manager conducts a project debrief with volunteer(s) and reviews all deliverables agreed upon in the volunteer agreement. Bankers without Borders conducts an exit evaluation with the project manager.
  10. Recognition & Development - Bankers without Borders recognizes the project manager or division that best utilizes volunteer resources. We recognize individual volunteers and our corporate partners in a variety of ways, and we provide ongoing training and leadership opportunities for returning volunteers.