Harbu Provides an overview of savings services, primarily from an institutional perspective, focusing on the institutional capacity required, the range of clients served, the added complexity to operations when mobilizing deposits, and a brief discussion of savings products. Although informal saving mechanisms have drawbacks, because of the difficulties in accessing formal providers, many poor women and men continue to save informally. Formal providers are beginning to make important progress in reaching lower-income markets with savings services, but to be financially self sufficient, institutions that mobilize deposits from the poor must also attract large deposits. Five main conditions influence whether a financial institution can mobilize public deposits: (1) the political economy; (2) the policy and regulatory environment; (3) public supervision; (4) a strong institutional performance record; and (5) preparation for far-reaching changes.