Two upcoming events are worth noting - the Development Marketplace and the Chicago Microfinance Conference.? Registration is open for both.? Here's a bit more detail:

Development Marketplace is a competitive grant program of the World Bank that funds creative, small-scale development projects that deliver results and have the potential to be expanded or replicated.? They are holding their annual event here in Washington on May 22 and 23 - I'll be there at least part of the time.? Register at EventBrite (free) by May 15.? Also, if you're in town on the 23rd, consider stopping by WRI to meet the NextBillion team and attend the IPEG May meeting that afternoon.The 3rd Annual Chicago Microfinance Conference comes recommended by our friend David Satterthwaite over at MicroCapital.? Unlike other conferences, this event will focus on the road ahead - not what has worked in microfinance over the years, but rather what will need to happen to reach billions of people instead of the current (estimated) 100 million microfinance clients.?

Keynote speakers are SKS CEO Vikram Akula and CGAP head Elizabeth Littlefield.? Admission ranges from $25 to $65 depending on your affiliation, and I can vouch that it will be money well spent.

Also on the event front, the EMPEA/IFC 9th (!!!) Global Private Equity Conference starts today in DC.? My colleagues from New Ventures are attending, and they've promised to blog, so stay tuned.