Banks and credit unions can and should be doing much more to support consumer credit building – and, importantly, they can do so in ways that align their own success with the success of their customers.

Every year, millions of American consumers use small-dollar credit (SDC) products for quick access to cash.

This case study explores Justine PETERSEN. As a leader in microenterprise development and credit building, Justine PETERSEN emphasizes credit building as an empowering asset.

The products and services that cater to the needs of financially underserved consumers are big business.

In 2010, the Financial Health Network launched its largest effort yet to catalog all existing financial products and services aimed at the underbanked population: the Underbanked Industry Scan.

The Financial Health Network led a consumer research study on secured card products, conducted with MasterCard and Blue Flame Consulting.

The current economy has spawned renewed examination of the market potential for secured credit cards.

The Financial Health Network led a consumer research study on secured card products, conducted with MasterCard and Blue Flame Consulting.

Almost one-third of the 30 million U.S. households who are unbanked or underbanked borrow to pay for small-dollar, short-term needs.

There are few affordable short-term, small-dollar credit products in the marketplace that meet borrowers’ immediate needs and that help put them on a path toward financial prosperity.

An estimated 30 to 40 million American households are financially underserved. They lack access to the financial products and services that enable them to save, build assets, and achieve financial prosperity.

A credit score affects virtually every aspect of a person’s financial life—from buying a home or starting a business to the interest rate on credit cards.