Microfinance institutions provide financial services to poor households excluded from the formal financial system. Access to finance helps the poor manage their money, start businesses, and join the formal economy. The market for microfinance has grown rapidly since the late 1970s, with high growth rates in the early 2000s. The global financial crisis slowed this growth, but microfinance remains important for reducing poverty. Many MFIs rely on subsidies from governments, development agencies, and NGOs to survive, although some have attracted commercial funding.