<![CDATA[Background. Access to formal financing remains a persistent constraint for micro, small, and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia, where more than 60 million SME units contribute substantially to GDP yet only a small fraction can access bank credit. Grounded in Agency Theory and the Resource-Based View and situated within the partnership agenda of Sustainable Development Goal 17. Aims. This study examines how financial statement quality and accounting literacy influence SME access to financing and clarifies the mechanism through which the bank-SME partnership operates in this relationship. Methods. Using a cross-sectional survey of 200 SMEs in West Java, Indonesia that applied for bank credit within the past three years, we analyzed the data using ordinary least squares regression complemented by bootstrap mediation analysis (5,000 resamples). Result. The results show that accounting literacy significantly predicts financing access, and this effect is substantially transmitted through bank-SME partnership, which mediates approximately 85% of the total effect. Financial statement quality shows no significant direct or indirect effect on financing access. Conclusion. These findings indicate that bank-SME partnership functions as a critical bridging mechanism rather than merely a boundary condition, extending prior moderation-focused accounts of SME financing. Implementation. The study contributes a validated financial statement quality measurement instrument for Indonesian SMEs and offers practical implications for banks and policymakers seeking to strengthen inclusive financing ecosystems consistent with SDG 17.]]>
