Strategic partnerships

As a part of its collaborative effort, BBVAMF has established agreements with other organizations that advance and multiply the impact of its activities.

INCLUSION

IDB

In October 2007, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed with the Inter-American Development Bank to drive the accessibility of microfinance services in Latin America, through projects in areas such as corporate governance or human capital.

UNHCR

Since 2007, the UN Refugee Agency and the Red Cross have been working with our institution in Panama to bring opportunities closer to the refugees.

World Bank – IFC

In May 2008, a MOU was signed, involving a strategic collaboration in microfinance in Latin America. By the end of 2016 and as part of the Universal Financial Access 2020 initiative, the Foundation committed to facilitate access to more than 2.3 million low-income people.

Spanish Cooperation

In September 2014, the Foundation formalized a partnership with the State Secretary for International Cooperation and for Ibero-America, to combine forces and develop joint efforts in microfinance and financial inclusion. In June 2015, this partnership was consolidated by signing an agreement with Marca España.

ECOSOC Consultative Status 

In July 2016, United Nations granted the special consultative status through its Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)

Ever since its creation, the Foundation has collaborated with the Development Bank of Latin America and in 2017, both organizations formalized their good relations with a MOU.

USAID

The United States Agency for International Development is a fundamental ally in the Empropaz program (Productive Enterprising for Peace), currently implemented in municipalities considered as “priority areas” in the Colombian peace process.

ICEX

In July 2019, a collaborative agreement was signed as part of the IMPACT+ program to drive social development in Latin America.

Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

The Agreement with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth of January 2020 to cooperate in financial inclusion (women empowerment, capacitation, digitalization, payments, etc.) is being implemented with a project to support women entrepreneurs in Perú.

Central American Bank for Economic Integration

In February 2023 a Cooperation Agreement with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and its Social Support Foundation was signed to promote social development initiatives supporting innovation, inclusion and women’s empowerment in member countries of CABEI, where the BBVA Microfinance Foundation is present through its Microfinance Institutions. 

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

In March 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the United Nations Development Programme in Latin America and the Caribbean with the aim of reducing poverty through joint activities in the field of financial inclusion, innovation or the digitalisation of populations in poverty or vulnerability, projects that promote sustainable development and improve the quality of life of low-income entrepreneurs and their families (with special emphasis on promoting equal opportunities and the inclusion of women, the elderly, young people, migrants, displaced persons and refugees, as well as other disadvantaged populations) and their climate resilience, among other common objectives, and coordinated activities in the field of poverty measurement and social impact.

OECD Network of Foundations Working for Development

The OECD Network of Foundations Working for Development (netFWD) convenes leaders in philanthropy and connects them with policy makers and OECD experts to address the world’s most pressing development challenges. 

CGAP, the global development partnership housed at the World Bank

In May 2024, BBVA Microfinance Foundation joined CGAP’s global partnership as Strategic Partner. The Foundation and CGAP seek opportunities to engage in global thought-leadership aimed at jointly identifying challenges and solutions at the frontier of inclusive finance and pushing the global inclusive finance agenda forward. CGAP is a global partnership of more than 30 leading development organizations that works to advance the lives of people living in poverty, especially women, through financial inclusion.

DIGITALIZATION

Microsoft

In April 2018, an agreement was signed to transform communities under vulnerable conditions.

EQUALS Global Partnership

The Foundation is, since April 2020, Member of this Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age which brings together the main public and private sector actors to close the gender digital divide.

Trust of the Americas

In July 2021, a memorandum of understanding was signed with Trust for the Americas, a non-profit entity affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS), to provide education programs to entrepreneurs, prioritizing training in digital and business skills, with the purpose of supporting the growth and sustainability of their businesses.

Edison Alliance (World Economic Forum)

In 2022, the BBVA Microfinance Foundation joined this alliance promoted by the World Economic Forum to accelerate access to digitization for all, with focus on financial inclusion, education and health.  In line with the Davos philosophy of collaboration and multi-sectoral impact it gathers the main leaders of the public and private sectors to reduce the digital divide.

Partner2Connect Digital Coalition

In June 2022, the BBVA Microfinance Foundation joined this multistakeholder alliance launched by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU, the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies – ICTs) in close cooperation with the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, and in line with the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, to foster meaningful connectivity and digital transformation globally to facilitate access to those who are still offline (most of them in developing countries).

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

UN Women

In February 2015, partnership with UN Women was formalized for the development and inclusion of low-income female entrepreneurs in Latin America.

FinEquity 

The Foundation is a member of FinEquity, a CGAP-developed platform that gathers organizations from around the world that work in financial inclusion and drive women’s economic empowerment.

Generation Equality

Convened by UN Women, Generation Equality is the world’s leading initiative to accelerate investment and implementation on gender equality. It brings together organizations from every part of society to catalyze progress, advocate for change and take bold actions together. The Foundation is Commitment Maker of the Economic justice and rights and Technology and innovation for Gender Equality Action Coalitions, since the launch of this initiative in 2021.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

United Nations Environment Program 

With the UN Environment Programme, a first MOU was signed in 2013 and a second MOU was signed in 2019 and various activities were implemented as part of the MEbA program (Microfinance for Ecosystem-based Adaptation). Furthermore, in December 2018 the Foundation endorsed the Principles for Responsible Banking of the UN Environment Programme’s Finance Initiative.

Habitat for Humanity

In March 2016, a framework agreement was formalized to facilitate access to decent housing for vulnerable segments in Latin America. In 2019 access to sustainable and secure housing was pushed thanks to a collaboration with the Terwilliger Center for Housing Innovation (Centro Terwilliger de Innovación en Vivienda).

Water.org

This agreement facilitates access to water and sewerage system to the homes of vulnerable populations.

IICA Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

The partnership was formalized with a collaboration agreement signed on November 2019 to drive Latin America’s rural development through smart agriculture and technology.

Philanthropy for Climate

BBVAMF joined the International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change and the Spanish national philanthropy commitment in June 2022.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Observer Organization Status

In November 2023, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) at its twenty-eight session, COP28, admitted the Foundation to the UNFCCC process as an observer organization. This status allows it to be represented and to participate as an observer Organization in the sessions of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol or the Paris Agreement.

Amazon Finance Network

The Foundation, together with its microfinance institutions, Bancamía in Colombia and Financiera Confianza in Peru, has joined as a founding member the Financial Network for the Amazon, an initiative promoted by the IDB Invest, member of the IDB Group, and IFC, member of the World Bank Group. The Amazon Finance Network was launched during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in December 2023.