The short-term goal of this research is to examine the financial services of households who send and receive international remittances.  Particularly, we would like to find easier, safer, and cheaper “cashless” ways to send money to Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean.  The long-term goal is to strengthen linkages between remittances, financial services and economic development in rural areas of Mexico, Latin American and the Caribbean.  This includes enhancing the role of community credit unions and microfinance institutions (MFIs) in handling remittances.