The President is authorized to provide assistance on a non-reimbursable basis for programs in developing countries to increase the availability of credit, including the use of innovative credit scoring models, savings, financial technology, financial literacy, education, insurance, property rights, and other services to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise clients lacking full access to capital, training, technical assistance, and business development services, through-
There is authorized to be established within the Agency an office to support the Agency's efforts to broaden and deepen local financial markets, expand access to appropriate financial products and services, and support the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The Office shall be headed by a Director who shall possess technical expertise and ability to offer leadership in the field of financial sector development.
Assistance under this section shall emphasize the use of implementing partner organizations that best meet the requirements of subparagraph (C).
In order to ensure that assistance under this subpart is distributed effectively and efficiently, the office shall provide coordination and support for field-implemented programs, including through targeted core support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and local financial markets.
Assistance under this section shall meet high standards of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability, particularly by protecting the use and funding of local organizations in countries in which the Agency invests, and shall especially provide the greatest possible resources to the poor and very poor, especially women. When administering assistance under this section, the Administrator shall-
In carrying out sustainable poverty-focused programs under subsection (a)-
22 U.S.C. § 2211a
EDITORIAL NOTES
PRIOR PROVISIONSA prior section 252 of Pub. L. 87-195 was classified to section 2212 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 95-424, title I, §102(g)(1)(A), title VI, §605, Oct. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 942, 961, effective Oct. 1, 1978.
AMENDMENTS2019-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(1)(A), substituted "credit, including the use of innovative credit scoring models, savings, financial technology, financial literacy, education, insurance, property rights, and other services to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise clients" for "credit, savings, and other services to microfinance and microenterprise clients" in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(1)(B), substituted "micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise clients, particularly clients owned, managed, and controlled by women" for "microfinance and microenterprise clients".Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(1)(C), substituted "micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises" for "microenterprises".Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(1)(D), substituted "financial intermediaries" for "microfinance and microenterprise institutions" and "micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises" for "microfinance and microenterprise clients" and struck out "and" after semicolon at end.Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(1)(E), substituted "micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, financial intermediaries, and capital markets" for "microfinance and microenterprise clients and institutions" and "the poor and very poor, especially women;" for "the poor and very poor."Subsec. (a)(5), (6). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(1)(F), added pars. (5) and (6).Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(2)(A), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "There is established within the Agency an office of microenterprise development, which shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed by the Administrator and who should possess technical expertise and ability to offer leadership in the field of microenterprise development."Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(2)(B)(i), amended subpar. (B) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows:"(i) PROGRAM.-In order to ensure that assistance under this subpart is distributed effectively and efficiently, the office shall also seek to implement a program of central funding under which assistance is administered directly by the office, including through targeted core support for microfinance and microenterprise networks and other practitioners."(ii) FUNDING.-Of the amount made available to carry out this division for a fiscal year, not less than $25,000,000 should be made available to carry out clause (i)." Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(2) (ii), inserted ", particularly by protecting the use and funding of local organizations in countries in which the Agency invests," after "and sustainability" and ", especially women" after "the poor and very poor". Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(2)(C), struck out par. (3). Text read as follows: "With respect to assistance provided under this section, the office shall be responsible for concurring in the microenterprise development components of strategic plans of missions, bureaus, and other offices of the Agency and providing technical support to field missions to help the missions prepare such components.". Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115-428, §4(b)(3), substituted "subsection (a)-" and pars. (1) and (2) for "subsection (a), 50 percent of all microenterprise resources shall be targeted to clients who are very poor. Specifically, until September 30, 2006, such resources shall be used for-" and former pars. (1) and (2) which identified as entities eligible for microenterprise resources under subsec. (a) programs through certain practitioner institutions and for certain demand-driven business development programs, respectively.