Accounting Commons^™

Cash Flow Training And Improved Microfinance Outcomes, Marc J. Epstein, Kristi Yuthas

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite its promise as a powerful tool for alleviating poverty, research suggests that microfinance has had only a modest impact on development. Misallocation of funds by clients has been implicated as a major impediment to microfinance success. In this study, clients received training on how to track (but not manage) their cash flows during the first two meetings of the microfinance loan cycle. Examination of weekly cash flow shows that clients immediately invested the majority of their funds into the businesses and carefully managed revenues and expenditures to maintain sufficient food and other household expenditures throughout the loan cycle. It …