Candace Nelson

Candace Nelson is a Carsey Fellow for Sustainable Microenterprise and Development Program. She serves on the faculty of the Sustainable Microfinance and Development Program New Hampshire Certificate. Candace is an accomplished writer, trainer, curriculum designer, researcher, and grants manager. In recent years, she has pursued two passions -- savings groups and financial education. As senior advisor to Microfinance Opportunities and its financial education program since 2004, she has written multiple curriculum modules including Young People: Your Future, Your Money and Risk Management and Insurance: Protect Your Family’s Future, trained trainers in French and Spanish, and outlined national strategies for financial education. Finally bringing together her two interests, she designed financial education curriculum for youth savings groups in Burundi.

In 2009 and 2010, Candice carried out case study research for the Aga Khan Foundation in Tanzania and Uganda on using savings groups as platforms for other development activities. In addition, she coordinates the Savings-led Financial Services Working Group at the SEEP Network. From 1999 to 2006, she developed and managed a grant program supporting economic empowerment for women in East Africa on behalf of the McKnight Foundation. During this period, McKnight was an early funder of innovative savings-led and microinsurance programs in Uganda and Tanzania. Candace has a BA in history from Smith College and an MS in rural sociology from the University of Wisconsin.