The Foundation engages in a range of activities to carry out its mission of fighting poverty and financial exclusion in developing countries.

Its main activity is to propose financing adapted to microfinance institutions and social businesses that match its geographical and sectoral priorities as well as its financial and social criteria. To do so, it makes use of the endowment of 50 million euros given to it by Crédit Agricole SA, as well as the analysis resources of its team of microfinance and social-business specialists. Its privileged relations with the Crédit Agricole Group also allow it to take advantage of the expertise and institutional support of a worldwide banking group.

The Foundation also wishes to offer targeted technical cooperation to its partner institutions and businesses, so as to advise them in areas such as their organisation, development of new products, risk management, development strategy and social performance measurement. This activity is currently being put into action, in cooperation with development agencies.

The Foundation additionally monitors new developments in microfinance. Agricultural microinsurance, based on yield indices or meteorological indices, is a priority research and initiative field. The Foundation is likewise interested in the contribution of new communication technologies to microfinance.

The Foundation also plays a role in promoting and communicating microfinance and social-business themes. It contributes to the reflections and initiatives currently underway to promote greater transparency regarding the interest rates practised, better information for clients and standardised measurement of social performance. It participates in various initiatives that pursue the same objectives, including:

• the European Microfinance Platform (e-mfp) , based in Luxembourg, which brings together all the European actors of microfinance targeting developing countries;
• Convergences 2015, an initiative started by ACTED, which brings together all the French actors working to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
• Micro Finance Transparency, an NGO founded by Chuck Waterfield to promote interest rates transparency and the best practices for informing clients about micro-finance.