Institutional Strengthening for Fuaam

closed

The objective of the project is to strengthen FUAAM's institutional capacity so that its administrative and financial structure allows it not only to increase its leverage with market resources, but also to adapt to new needs for growth and eventual formalization. The principal activities to be conducted in project execution are: a. Technical assistance. The technical assistance component aims to: (i) evaluate the lending technology and adapt the financial products to serving formal clients with greater credit needs; (ii) reengineer operating processes by preparing standards and procedures for administration, finance, lending, staffing, and cash management; (iii) adapt the software to new collections procedures and to prevailing portfolio rating requirements in the country; (iv) design and implement a marketing strategy; and (v) adapt FUAAM to total quality processes. b. Training. This component will: (i) train and update operating staff in new, more advanced techniques for credit analysis, customer service, financial mathematics, and teamwork, and arrange an exchange with Fundación WWB Cali; and (ii) train board of directors staff in finance, banking, financial and capital markets, and the duties and responsibilities of sitting on the board of directors of a regulated financial institution. c. Computer equipment. The project requires adapting technical aspects of the organization to the demands of growth. This calls for updated equipment, procurement of a network server, network axial cable, terminals, links between service centers, and the portfolio collections and monitoring software with a bar, code reader, and its adaptation to the portfolio oversight standards set by the Central Bank of Uruguay (BCU).d. Other. This category includes the cost of a legal and financial study to determine the most feasible formalization option and the cost of a risk assessment based on a portfolio analysis. The study's findings will be useful both for the formalization process and for the Latin American Challenge Investment Fund (LACIF), to which FUAAM will shortly submit an application for a financial guarantee.