I attended the press conference Wednesday, at which the new findings on remittances. Interviews with 2500+ migrants in the US, the IADB (research by Bendixen & Associates) give us a statistically valid picture of the dimensions of US-LAC remittances, and the IADB concludes that the number is now around $45 billion dollars (up from the 2004 number, $30 billion), averaging $300 a month (up from the previously reported $200/month), and representing about 10% of the estimated $500 billion in income being earned by the 17.2 million adult LAC-region immigrants. That most of the senders and recipients are un-banked was described as an unrealized business opportunity, and as defining a policy agenda for the IADB.

What struck me in the IADB's press release was the emphasis on the economic benefits of the migrant workers to the US economy, the fact that 90% was staying in the US and being spent here, and the "values" in evidence by the migrants' "strong commitment to family and community," as IADB President Luis Alberto Moreno put it during the press conference. The reason for this interesting formulation was readily apparent when Don Terry, head of IADB's Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), which has spearheaded the tracking of remittances since 2000, appeared later on the Lou Dobbs show on CNN. Here's the full transcript.

Their teaser framed the story:

Every once in a while, we receive queries about job opportunities with us or organizations with a similar focus on market-based development strategies. Here's a roundup of openings that might catch your eye. If you have an opening you would like to advertise on NextBillion, please contact us.

Communications Assistant
Unitus, (Redmond, WA)
"Unitus fights global poverty by using a venture capital model to increase access to microfinance."

Senior/Program Officer
Skoll Foundation, (Palo Alto, CA)
Established by eBay's first president, Jeff Skoll. The Foundation invests in, connects, and celebrates social entrepreneurs.

Several openings
ACCION International, (Locations internationally)
"By providing 'micro' loans and business training to poor women and men who start their own businesses, ACCION's partner lending organizations help people work their own way up the economic ladder, with dignity and pride."

Job listings continue past the break - click "read more" for the full post

Just around the corner is the deadline for entries to the World Bank Development Marketplace 2007 competitive grant program. This year, approximately $4 million is available for awards of $50-200K to projects that are "improving results in health, nutrition and population for the poor." The program focuses especially on projects that have expansion, sustainability and replicability potential.

Entries must be submitted online by Friday, November 17, 6:00 pm EST (23:00 GMT).

My former colleague John Paul and I had attended the 2006 Development Marketplace awards conference earlier this year. We had been confounded by the magnitude of innovation and possibility present in the atrium of the World Bank (potential that was ironically so accessible yet undertapped by that wealthy institution). Without doubt however, the competition provides important support and opens up opportunities for finalists and winners. Best of luck to those who apply.