Building a regional SME support unit with stronger evaluation systems

Contracting part: Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI)

Challenge
The bank needed a more structured approach to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises across the region, with clearer criteria, stronger monitoring tools, and more consistent assessment of partner institutions.

What we did
Led the creation and consolidation of the SME Unit, designing the regional strategy, defining objectives and indicators, and developing monitoring and evaluation tools for financial intermediaries and entrepreneurship programmes. The work included applying the CAMEL methodology to assess institutional performance and eligibility, and supporting the bank’s partnerships with international cooperation agencies through stronger reporting and performance standards.

Impact
Helped strengthen the bank’s capacity to support SME development through a more robust institutional framework, clearer performance criteria, and improved systems for assessing and monitoring partner organizations across the region.

Key themes
Institution building / SME development / evaluation systems / performance criteria / partnership readiness