[Microinsurancefocus] Microfin "Business Planning" Course, Cape Town, December 7-11
Chuck Waterfield
waterfield at microfin.com
Thu Sep 24 04:40:54 CEST 2009
Business Planning and Financial Projections withMicrofin
Cape Town, South Africa, 7 - 11 December 2009
This course uses the new version of our software, Microfin 4.
Note: Register early! The October 2008 course in Cape Town was fully subscribed
two months before the course date!
Summary
This course guides participants through a step-by-step process for developing
a business plan and financial projections for a microfinance institution using
Microfin 4.0, the sophisticated financial projections software that was developed
by the facilitator of this training course, Chuck Waterfield, together with
Tony Sheldon, with financial support from CGAP, Women’s World Banking, and
Sida.
Microfin has long been the microfinance "industry standard" for planning and
budgeting. Microfin allows you to develop detailed five-year financial projections
and budgets for your institution, and to simulate the impact of key decisions
on your institution.
Microfin 4.0 includes 200 major enhancements over Microfin 3.0, including an
expanded range of financial products, improved guidance and error-checking
features, versatile graphing, and much more.
This fast-paced course is designed to be highly participatory, with a large
amount of hands-on time working in groups at the computer, applying the software
to a detailed case study. In addition to the course manual, at the conclusion
of the course, participants will receive a CD-ROM containing Microfin and the
User’s Handbook.
By the end of the workshop you will have a better understanding of:
practical approaches to planning
the most important financial ratios to monitor, and how to interpret them
critical operational issues such as designing products to meet client needs,
pricing your products, and focusing on loan officers to leverage institutional
productivity
how to develop long-term, diversified financing strategies
how to use Microfin to develop financial projections for your own institution
This workshop is facilitated by the developer of Microfin, and is based on
the CGAP Handbook he co-authored, Business Planning and Financial Modeling
for Microfinance Institutions. He has taught this course in 20 countries around
the world, and it is one of the most recognized and attended courses in all
of microfinance.
Agenda
Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Coffee, tea, snacks, and lunch will
be provided daily.
Day 1
Overview of Business Planning: Participants will review and discuss the Business
Planning framework. In particular, attention will be directed to the market-based
approach of the framework.
Strategic Planning: This section will address the key steps of strategic planning
– articulating the mission, identifying clients and markets, performing an
environmental analysis, carrying out an institutional assessment, and developing
an overall strategy.
Overview of Financial Management: We provide a brief overview of financial
statements, the calculation of financial adjustments, and the key financial
ratios used in the microfinance industry.
Day 2
Operational Planning and Introduction to Financial Modeling / Product Design:
Over Days 2 through 5, we will apply the strategy developed on Day 1 to creating
an operational plan and detailed financial projections, beginning with design
of credit and savings products (loan amounts and terms by cycle, pricing, collateral,
etc.). Small group exercises throughout will focus on applying a case study
to the new version of the Microfin model.
Day 3
Establishing Marketing Channels: Operational planning continues with projecting
the levels of activity for each credit and savings product, including growth
strategies by branch, retention rates, and analysis of Microfin’s outputs and
graphs.
Day 4
Determining Institutional Resources and Capacity: We will look at each aspect
of institutional capacity (staffing, operating expenses, fixed assets), linking
resources to credit and savings activity.
Day 5
Developing a Financing Strategy and Analyzing Projected Financial Statements
and Ratios: We will look at designing a financing strategy by sources (income,
grants, equity, debt) and by uses (operations, portfolio, and other assets).
We will also review the overall financial projections
Advanced Microfin topics: We will cover advanced topics in Microfin, including
sensitivity analysis, variance analysis, creation of additional graphs, etc.
Over 3,000 people have attended our Microfin course in the past ten years.
Among their comments are:
“Excellent trainers … Unbelievable capacity to possess the technical knowledge
and be able to articulate it clearly”
“Fascinating – who knew Business Planning and Financial Modeling could be
so stimulating and fun?!”
"You guys have found an excellent formula (both in the software and the training
method) to distill a very complex management function into a very logical framework."
"I've worked in investment banking for years and never have I seen an Excel
spreadsheet even close to the sophistication of Microfin. I think you should
send your tool to Microsoft for the award of most-impressive-Excel-application-ever-developed."
Registration
Registration is limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. To
register, please complete and return the form at the end of this sheet and
we will send you payment information. Course fee must be paid in full at the
time of registration. We cannot reserve places in the course without receiving
payment. Please refer to our refund policy at the end of the registration form.
Course registration includes course materials, lunch, and coffee breaks.
Early Registration discount: For registrations paid at least one month in advance
(before 7 Nov) we offer a 10% discount on course fees.
Group discount: For groups of 3 or more people registering at the same time
from the same organization, we offer a discount of 10% per participant on course
fees. For groups registering prior to 7 Nov, this results in a 20% discount
per person.
Hotel Options: If you also request a hotel room, the room fee covers five nights
in the hotel, with breakfasts included. Please inform us if you need the hotel
room for additional nights and we will let you know the additional cost. The
hotel also offers multiple-bedroom apartment options, including kitchen facilities,
for groups of two to six people. Contact us for details and pricing.
Laptop Computers: Participants will work on laptop computers during the course.
It is not necessary for each participant to bring a laptop, because we will
be working in groups of three. However, to help us in logistical planning,
please indicate if you will be bringing a laptop computer.
Visas: If you will need a visa to enter South Africa, please begin the process
as soon as possible. We can provide a letter of invitation once you have registered
for the course.
Fee Structure (all prices in EUROS):
Fee Structure
One participant
Three or more participants
(price per participant)
before 7 Nov
after 7 Nov
before 7 Nov
after 7 Nov
Course without hotel
€ 950
€ 1,045
€ 855
€ 940
Course with shared room
€ 1,130
€ 1,245
€ 1,020
€ 1,120
Course with private room
€ 1,350
€ 1,485
€ 1,215
€ 1,335
Facilitator
Chuck Waterfield, the creator of Microfin, has over 20 years experience in
microfinance, having served as microenterprise director for MEDA and for CARE
International. His current work as an independent consultant includes clients
such as the SEEP Network, SIDA, the Ford Foundation, CGAP, Opportunity International,
and Aspen Institute. He has taught ten years at the Boulder Microfinance Training
Program, eight years at Southern New Hampshire University’s Microenterprise
Development Institute, and is on the faculty of Columbia University School
of International and Public Affairs. In addition to Microfin and the Business
Planning handbook, he has a broad range of products and publications including
the SEEP FRAME Tool, the CARE Credit and Savings Sourcebook, GEMINI Technical
Note on Designing for Financial Viability, and CGAP Handbook on Management
Information Systems.
Business Planning and Financial Projections with Microfin
Cape Town, South Africa, 7 - 11 December 2009
REGISTRATION FORM
(Just copy and paste this information into an email, fill in the blanks, and
sent the email to waterfield at microfin.com)
Name
Institution
Address
Job Title:
Telephone:
Email:
Laptop Computer: I can bring a laptop I cannot bring
a laptop
Visa assistance: Yes No I will (not) need a letter of invititation
for a visa to S.Africa
Hotel Room: Single Room Shared room (2 people/room)
No hotel room
Gender: Female Male
I wish to share a room with (optional):
Expected date of arrival to hotel:
Expected date of departure from hotel:
Payment must accompany or immediately follow this registration form in order
to reserve a place in the workshop. (For groups of 3 or more from the same
organization, there is a discount of 10% per participant in the course fees
excluding hotel). Payment may be made by wire transfer, check in US$, or in
some cases by credit card. Please e-mail waterfield at microfin.com for details
prior to processing payment Please email registration form to: waterfield at microfin.com
Fee Structure (all prices in EUROS):
Fee Structure
One participant
Three or more participants
(price per participant)
before 7 Nov
after 7 Nov
before 7 Nov
after 7 Nov
Course without hotel
€ 950
€ 1,045
€ 855
€ 940
Course with shared room
€ 1,130
€ 1,245
€ 1,020
€ 1,120
Course with private room
€ 1,350
€ 1,485
€ 1,215
€ 1,335
Refund and Cancellation Policy: If you are unable to attend, you are free to
send someone else in your place, but please inform us in advance. Hotel arrangements
may be impacted if gender of the substitute participant is not the same. Cancellations
are subject to the following refund policy:
90% if notice of cancellation is received at least 30 days in advance of the
beginning of the course
75% if notice of cancellation is received 21-29 days in advance
50% if notice of cancellation is received 14-20 days in advance
25% if notice of cancellation is received 7-13 days in advance
No refunds can be made if notice of cancellation is received less than 7 days
before the beginning of the course.
MFI Solutions, LLC T: (717) 475 - 6733
325 N West End Ave E: waterfield at microfin.com
Lancaster, PA 17603 USA W: www.microfin.com
Please pass this email on to colleagues who may be interested. Or, would like
to be removed from our mailing list? Simply reply to this email with REMOVE
in the subject line.
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