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FAQs

  1. Do I have to be a banker to participate in the program?

    No. We seek all types of dedicated, skilled and committed professionals with expertise that can advance microfinance and technology-for-development efforts. This includes finance, marketing, technology, design, human resources and other disciplines. Please see current volunteer opportunities to review current skill needs.

  2. What is Bankers without Borders®?

    Bankers without Borders® is a volunteer program of the Grameen Foundation. It connects business professionals – from bankers and marketers to management consultants and IT developers -- with targeted volunteer assignments, many in international settings.

  3. Why would my employer support me volunteering for this type of program?

    Participating in Bankers without Borders® is a way of supporting your professional and personal growth, an important consideration for high-performing employees who are destined for leadership in an organization. Participation enhances your cross-cultural skills, international experience, and global perspective -- factors that are critical for success in today’s world. Bankers without Borders is also a practical way for your company to meet its objectives for social responsibility and be part of the “solution” to global poverty. Often, a company will also match financially the value of a volunteer’s donated services.

  4. What kind of work can I do as a volunteer?

    Projects will vary based on the needs of the client institutions. Assignments might include key elements of strengthening a microfinance institution’s risk management policies, internal audit and controls procedures, market research methodologies, or analysis. It could also include non-financial sector activities in the field of marketing and brand management, electronic and print publications, online and new media, legal services, human resource planning, training, and leadership development.

  5. Where are the volunteer opportunities? Can I volunteer in the United States or abroad?

    Volunteers can support projects at microfinance institutions abroad in Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East, or at Grameen Foundation offices (Washington DC and Seattle). There are also opportunities to work remotely. Each volunteer project description will indicate its location or if it is virtual.

  6. How long is each project?

    Projects vary from just a few hours a week to possibly weeks or months full-time, depending on the location and scope of work. Projects are structured in a way to accommodate currently employed working professionals, although opportunities exist for longer term engagements.

  7. What do you look for in volunteers?

    Typical volunteers are seasoned professionals who are committed to Grameen Foundation’s mission, vision and values. They have technical skills and expertise appropriate for the project, and they are effective working in a consultative way. For assignments abroad, volunteers should be comfortable working in a developing country and with various cultures, religions, and traditions.

  8. Do I need to be fluent in the language of the country in which I am volunteering?

    Not necessarily. However, there are language requirements for particular projects.

  9. What can I expect to gain from volunteering for Bankers without Borders®?

    Volunteers often comment that projects have presented “life-changing” personal and professional growth experiences. They may express a sense of achievement and of satisfaction that they have transferred valuable skills and contributed time and expertise towards the larger goal of alleviating poverty.

  10. How do I volunteer?

    Register with Bankers without Borders and complete your Volunteer Profile, including your availability for the volunteer opportunities of interest. Bankers without Borders will try to match the skills required for specific projects with volunteers’ skills, but we also encourage you to check the list for projects of interest. Shortlisted volunteers are interviewed and selected by project managers, who are either Grameen Foundation staff or the employees of our partner organizations. If not selected, you will be notified. Your profile will remain in the Bankers without Borders database, and you will be encouraged to apply for the next suitable assignment.