Conservation Finance:

Since early 2001 CCIF has been designing and promoting financial incentive systems and tools on behalf of critical conservation challenges across the Americas and the Asia Pacific, combining expertise in on-the-ground conservation work with experience in finance and natural resources economics to design effective management and conservation finance solutions with sustainable outcomes. CCIF designs conservation finance solutions on behalf of private, government. corporate, and multi-lateral investors leading to direct and sustainable conservation outcomes. A list of our general services in this area is provided below.

 

  • Designing business plans and financing strategies for protected areas (PA) and national parks.
  • Designing business plans for conservation trust funds (CTF).
  • Syndicating finance investments and structuring investment funds for promising environmental and conservation solutions.

 

A selection of CCIF projects in our Conservation Finance practice area is provided below:

 

Western Pacific Programs Sustainable Finance Assistance (2008-2009). CCIF conducted an assessment of conservation programs in the Pacific on behalf of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to determine appropriate sustainable finance initiative opportunities and requirements that the Foundation’s Western Pacific program might support (e.g. MPA or MPA network financing plans, trust fund design, or microfinance arrangements, etc.). CCIF coordinated and consulted with partners and made site visits to conduct further consultations. CCIF documented and presented opportunities that emerged from this exercise and is now developing plans to implement project in the Republic of Palau and Fiji in collaboration with the Packard Foundation partners in those countries, focusing on conservation trust fund development and MPA network financial planning.

 

Marine Ecosystem-based Management Tool Innovation Fund, Global. (2008). CCIF received a grant from Duke University as part of The Marine Ecosystem-based Management Tool Innovation Fund to develop a web-based conservation finance tool; MPA Financial Management Tool, a highly pragmatic and straight-forward tool that allows for the mapping out of and managing of operational costs within marine protected areas. Specifically, it provides practitioners with an overview of the current financial situation of various MPAs, how to ensure that resource allocation is in-line with the management objectives, how to use financial and physical resources in a more efficient manner, and how to develop sustainable financing portfolios.

 

MPA Learning Network. (2008). CCIF participated in a 2 day workshop in the Philippines, Learning Partnership for MPA Networks within the Coral Triangle, along with CI, TNC, WWF, WCS and other partners. CCIF conducted a session on sustainable finance and MPA network costing and management effectiveness.

 

For more information on Learning Partnership for MPA Networks within the Coral Triangle and the workshop please visit (http://conserveonline.org/library/mpa-networks-in-the-coral-triangle-development-and/view.html).

 

Private Marine Conservation Agreements. (2008). CCIF, in collaboration with Conservation International (CI) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), co-planned and facilitated an invitational three-day workshop of U.S. and international experts to assess how conservation agreements can contribute to protecting the world's oceans and coasts. The goals of the workshop were to develop a long-term vision of strategy success; identify relevant opportunities, organizations, and stakeholders; determine needed action, support, and funding; and initiate global recognition and acceptance of private marine conservation agreements.

 

For more information on private marine conservation agreements please visit The Nature Conservancy's website (http://www.leaseown.org/) for additional information on a Practitioner's Toolkit for Marine Conservation Agreements.

 

Raja Ampat Marine Protected Areas, Papua, Indonesia. (2008). On behalf of Conservation International (CI), CCIF assessed four protected areas (PA) in the Birds Head Seascape from a financial standpoint. This included reviewing and understanding current and planned activities, conducting a detailed cost analysis, developing detailed budgets/cost models for each PA, and designing a sustainable financing strategy for each PA and the Network of PAs.

 

Pacific Leatherback Turtle Conservation Fund, Pacific Ocean (2007). CCIF worked with The Ocean Foundation and the Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council to design and develop a Pacific Leatherback Turtle Conservation Fund which is set to attract and focus funds on the most critical priorities for leatherback turtles across the Pacific. CCIF conducted research and analysis on the current state of knowledge and existing information from which to make recommendations regarding focal areas, priorities, issues and costs.

 

Protected Area Financial Management Training Materials, Global. (2007). On behalf of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation CCIF designed and developed protected area conservation finance leadership and training materials for protected area practitioners.

 

Berau Marine Conservation Area, Kalimantan, Indonesia (2007). On behalf of Conservation International (CI), CCIF was hired to conduct a systematic evaluation and analysis of the existing KKL Berau management, governance and financial situation, and to prepare a full cost model based on this information. Additionally, CCIF is working on developing a comprehensive financing strategy for KKL Berau.

 

El Nido Taytay National Marine Resources Protected Area Financial and Operational Management Evaluation, Palawan, Philippines (2006). The El Nido Foundation hired CCIF to conduct a systematic evaluation of the management, governance, and financial situation of ENTMRPA, and to recommend effective, long-term conservation management and financial priorities. CCIF examined the current activities in ENTMRPA, made recommendations for an optimal approach to conserving the region, and determined the costs associated with implementing effective conservation.

 

Bunaken National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia. (2006). CCIF conducted an assessment of the management and financing needs of the Bunaken National Park and developed an initial cost model. CCIF also assisted in the development of a GEF project concept with WWF.

 

Komodo National Park Budget Analysis and Report, Flores, Indonesia (2006). On behalf of The Nature Conservancy and Putri Naga Komodo, CCIF provided analysis and modeling support to develop a detailed budget corresponding to the actual management activities of PNK and TNC which was submitted to and accepted by the International Finance Corporation as part of their GEF project requirements.

 

Karimunjawa National Park financial needs assessment, Java, Indonesia (2005). On behalf of WCS, CCIF provided an initial assessment of the Karimunjawa National Park management, governance and financial situation.

 

Wakatobi National Park Financial Needs Assessment, Sulawesi, Indonesia (2005). On behalf of The Nature Conservancy, CCIF was hired to conduct an initial evaluation and analysis of the Wakatobi National Park management, governance and financial situation, and to prepare a full cost model based on this information.

 

Conservation Incentive Agreements Research and Seminar, Indonesia (2005). CCIF supported CI on the assessment of conservation agreements in Papua, Indonesia. In October and December 2005 CCIF coordinated and facilitated 1-day and 3-day (respectively) seminars in Bali, Indonesia on community conservation incentive agreements in Eastern Indonesia and Melanesia. The seminar brought together a key group of experts from community incentive projects in region as well as representatives of key international funding organizations to provide NGO staff with an opportunity to learn to design long term funding proposals according to the requirements of key international funders, and provide key international funders with an opportunity to learn about the funding needs and conservation opportunities in a select portfolio of community conservation agreements in the Western Pacific.

 

Mesoamerican Reef Fund Business Plan, Central America. (2005). Working with California Environmental Associates, CCIF staff assisted in the initial development of an integrated 10 year business plan / fund raising strategy for the Mesoamerican Reef Fund.

 

The Marine Aquarium Market Transformation Initiative (MAMTI), Indonesia and the Philippines (2004-2007). CCIF collaborated with MAC and Reef Check as part of the Marine Aquarium Market Transformation Initiative. CCIF provided the required intervention to ensure that the marine ornamental fish collectors and traders have the business skills and financial resources needed to participate in a sustainable trade, focusing in four key issues: 1. business capacity & financial needs analysis; 2. business training; 3. business mentoring; and 4. developing micro finance (MF) solutions and partnerships.

 

Assessing the Potential for Conservation Concessions in Indonesia (2003). CCIF assessed and reported on the establishment of conservation concessions in various areas of Indonesia. Securing and establishing “conservation concessions” in order to preserve an area’s resources and habitat provides an alternative to destructive natural resource extraction concessions (logging, mining, fishing, etc.). Under such an arrangement local resource users agree to protect natural resources, and the ecosystems they support, in exchange for a steady stream of structured compensation.

 

World Commission on Protected Areas MPA Network Fund Analysis, SE Asia (2003). On behalf of The World Conservation Union’s World Commission on Protected Areas Southeast Asia Marine Working Group, CCIF developed a business plan to manage and finance a network of marine protected areas in Southeast Asia. The business plan included financial projections, potential revenue sources, detailed cost estimates, organizational designs required and action plans.

 

The Coral Triangle Center, Indonesia (2003). On behalf of The Nature Conservancy, CCIF developed an ambitious and detailed vision for the operation of the Coral Triangle Center (formerly the SEACMPA program), a program with the primary goal to build and strengthen a resilient group of marine protected area networks within priority functional seascapes of the Coral Triangle area of Southeast Asia. This paper looked at the program plans over a ten year period and the minimum critical success factors required to achieve their goals. CCIF also completed a detailed budgeting process for the CTC.

 

Assessment of the Conservation Solutions for the Togean Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. (2003). CCIF worked with CI and GCF to design and assess appropriate conservation options for the Togean Islands. The assessment covered both terrestrial and marine conservation. The resulting recommendations were used by CI , to strengthen conservation strategy in Togean Islands.

 

Reef Product Alliance Business Plan. Pacific Ocean. (2001). CCIF lead a team of venture capitalists and tropical fisheries experts on the development of a business plan which calls for the creation of a separate, for-profit limited liability investment corporation, the Reef Product Alliance (RPA). RPA’s objective is to finance the conversion of leading companies in the international aquarium fish and marine ornamentals trade to fully sustainable practices. Professional will manage RPA. The plan identified specific companies interested in formally integrating to create integrated supply chains from the United States into both Indonesia and the Philippines. The RPA business plan development was funded through grants from the Packard Foundation and the International Finance Corporation.

Conservation and Community Investment Forum * 548 Market St. PMB 81178 San Francisco, CA 94104-5401 * ph: (415) 421-4213