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The Swiss Capacity Building Facility (SCBF) joins the SME Finance Forum

SCBF
Mar 11, 2026

March 11, 2026: The  Swiss Capacity Building Facility (SCBF) has joined the SME Finance Forum as the global membership network’s latest affiliate. The 250+ members/affiliates of the Forum are SME financing experts operating in 190 countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation.

"The SME Finance Forum is pleased to welcome the Swiss Capacity Building Facility (SCBF). As a pioneer organisation in advancing responsible financial inclusion across emerging markets, we look forward to forging a strategic partnership with SCBF to build a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable financial systems,” said Qamar Saleem, Head of SME Finance Forum.

Established in 2011, SCBF is a unique public–private platform advancing financial inclusion in emerging markets. It supports and enables financial service providers, impact-driven organisations, and social enterprises to test, develop and scale client-centric financial solutions. Through catalytic funding - including technical assistance, repayable grants, and impact-linked finance - SCBF supports financial service providers, impact-driven organisations, and social enterprises that expand access to financial solutions for low-income households, smallholder farmers, and MSMEs, with a strong focus on women and youth, particularly in rural communities.    

On joining SME Finance Forum as its affiliate, Sitara Merchant, CEO, SCBF, said, "We are pleased to join the SME Finance Forum and contribute to this dynamic global community of changemakers. At SCBF, we champion inclusive finance by enabling innovative business models and building the capacity of financial service providers to better serve low-income populations. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to sustainable development and to expanding access to responsible financial solutions for underserved communities worldwide.”

SME Finance Forum: Innovation & Partnership for Micro, Small, Medium Sized Enterprises ( MSMEs) Growth

The SME Finance Forum, backed by G20 and IFC/World Bank, is the leading global network of 250+ members/affiliates operating in 190 countries. The network comprises of SME focused institutions providing and enabling finance and services- banks, non-banks financial institutions, fintech, payment platforms, development institutions, credit guarantee companies, insurers, investment funds, supply chain linked players, banking and SME associations, policy advocates, regulators, academia, consulting houses, knowledge aggregators.

Our member, affiliates, and associated stakeholders benefit from learning/replicating best practices from across the world, innovating new products for business growth, acquiring risk mitigation tools, establishing partnerships, attracting investors, and being recognized amongst a peer group of global innovators. Our activities consist of “members only” offerings (like innovation hubs, solutions clinics, peer group networks, study tours, specialized tools and trainings, member portal repository, partnered initiatives) as well as public services (200+ publications library, 500+ videos, webinars, newsletters, trainings, annual awards, annual event etc.)

Discover the SME Finance Forum members/affiliates:
https://www.smefinanceforum.org/members/member-list
https://smefinanceforum.org/about/partners

About Swiss Capacity Building Facility (SCBF) 

The Swiss Capacity Building Facility (SCBF) is a membership-based organisation of public and private entities dedicated to advancing responsible financial inclusion across emerging markets. By mobilising and blending resources from both the public and private members, SCBF enables financial service providers, impact-driven organisations, and social enterprises to test, develop and scale client-centric financial solutions. Through catalytic funding - including technical assistance, repayable grants, and impact-linked finance - SCBF supports innovations that improve the lives of low-income households, smallholder farmers, and MSMEs, with a strong focus on women and youth, particularly in rural communities. To date, SCBF has co-funded around 240 projects across 56 countries, supporting inclusive financial services that improve living standards, build resilience and advance economic empowerment.

SCBF’s platform approach facilitates targeted funding, strategic partnerships, and knowledge sharing to build more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable financial systems. Its vision is to improve livelihoods and help break the cycle of poverty for those most excluded from financial systems. 

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