Microfinance institutions have achieved great successes in empowering people through the provision of credit. However, for poor people to become successful entrepreneurs they do not only need access to credit, but also certain entrepreneurial competencies.

In 2008, Triodos Facet and Hogeschool InHolland initiated a one-year process to explore the role that microfinance institutions can play in improving the access of entrepreneurs to non-financial services.

The main insights of this DPRN process are summarised in a synthesis report that shows, among other things, that the potential role of microfinance institutions to deliver non-financial services should not be overestimated.

After finalisation of the process, the discussion continued within the Netherlands Platform for Microfinance. The platform organised a debate about the social and environmental aspects of microfinance, in which the linkages between the provision of financial and non-financial services were discussed. Also, the research questions formulated during the process have been taken up by the research group on Microfinance & Small Enterprise Development of InHolland University of Applied Sciences.