CFI is committed to sharing rich data and methods that stem from our research. We invite you to reuse, replicate, and expand on this work.
CFI’s research generates rich datasets that can inform the work of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. By making our methods and data available, we aim to: increase transparency around our findings; enable replication and adaptation of our methodologies; and help the sector avoid duplicating efforts and make better use of constrained funding.
Browse the resources below to explore the research methods and data behind our landmark report, Small Firms, Big Impact.
Have questions or want to engage further on this work? Please contact us.
A new approach
Innovations in Methodology
In April 2025, CFI released the report, Small Firms, Big Impact: Digitization, Financial Services, and Climate Resilience in Five Emerging Markets. Representing one of our largest studies, we surveyed over 20,000 MSEs and conducted over 4,000 interviews with micro and small enterprise (MSE) owners across Addis Ababa, Delhi, Jakarta, Lagos, and São Paulo. The study focused on understanding the drivers of financial health for MSEs that represent the largest source of income generation in emerging markets.
The methodology employed in this study was developed by CFI with the support of Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. The approach solved for some of the toughest challenges when surveying MSEs, including that they often operate in the informal economy, are not recorded in official databases, and are distributed unevenly across cities. The result is one of the clearest pictures to date of how MSEs navigate digital tools, financial services, and growing climate and consumer protection risks in rapidly changing markets.
Small Firms, Big Impact: Digitization, Financial Services, and Climate Resilience in Five Emerging Markets
Should you leverage insights or data from this study, please cite the Small Firms, Big Impact report in your research or publications:
Totolo, E., Gubbins, P., Ruiz, L.A., Chakraborty, A., McGuinness, L., & Rice, C. (2025). Small Firms, Big Impact: Digitization, Financial Services, and Climate Resilience in Five Emerging Markets. Center for Financial Inclusion. https://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/CFI_Too-Small-to-Cover_Report_August2025.pdf
STEP BY STEP
Technical Guide
Access a detailed, plain-language guide to how the Small Firms, Big Impact study was designed and implemented, including:
- Weighting and estimation
- Sampling design and the ACS approach
- Steps to constructing geospatial sampling grids
- Business selection for the survey
Data
Data Repositories
The repositories contain all the data and code necessary to reproduce the “Stage 1” geospatial sampling grids for the five cities included in the study. The resources to enable full or partial replication of our study include:
- Documented datasets
- Detailed methodology for each city in the study
- Source code used for sampling, weighting, and analysis
- Examples of core tables and figures from the report reproduced from code
Analysis
Data Visualizations
These additional materials help users quickly understand and work with the data. This includes Github pages, deployment of all figures, and analysis used to inform the final report. Discover:
- Summary tables and charts for each city across research areas, including digital technology, financial services, and risk and resilience.
- Fieldwork summaries for each location studied