From Access to Accountability: Closing the Nonprofit Data Gap in Fintech Lending

Authors

• Oluwatomisin Olubakinde, University of DelawareFollow

Keywords

nonprofit data accessibility, fintech, financial inclusion, algorithmic accountability, nonprofit practice

Abstract

Financial technology is often treated as a promising path toward financial inclusion. Mobile banking, alternative credit scoring, and AI-assisted underwriting have expanded access to financial products, but access alone does not guarantee fair outcomes. This piece frames fintech accountability as a nonprofit data accessibility issue. Nonprofits working in financial inclusion cannot fully evaluate fintech referrals or partnerships when the data behind approval decisions, pricing patterns, denial reasons, and appeal pathways remain inaccessible. Drawing on research in fintech lending and algorithmic fairness, the paper shows how data inputs, model design, and approval thresholds shape who benefits from fintech and who may remain excluded. It proposes a decision-system data accessibility framework that nonprofits can use to evaluate fintech tools before treating digital access as meaningful impact.

Recommended Citation

Olubakinde, Oluwatomisin (2026) "From Access to Accountability: Closing the Nonprofit Data Gap in Fintech Lending," Journal of Nonprofit Innovation: Vol. 6: Iss. 2, Article 7.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/joni/vol6/iss2/7