Conservation Finance Alliance (CFA): towards financial and institutional sustainability

Founded in February 2002, the Conservation Finance Alliance (CFA) is a unique global collaborative network of approximately 600 members dedicated to promoting sustainable financing for biodiversity conservation, and in particular to the development of innovative solutions and mechanisms for financing conservation. Currently in transition phase and with the will to increase its impact, the CFA seeks to institutionalize itself, through a possible anchoring to an international organization.
 

Support for the CFA focuses on 4 main pillars for:

• Networking, information sharing and capacity building (building on the CFA’s core activities).
• Creating an incubator for new ideas and mechanisms in conservation finance, called “FABLAB”.
• Devising tools for benchmarking and guides for conservation finance.
• Developing and strengthening the CFA as a long-term institutional actor and centre of excellence in conservation finance.

• Development of a Strategic Plan for the CFA, while also identifying and implementing better ways to ensure the CFA’s sustainable financing in the long-term.
• Increase in the number of active members of the CFA.
• Identification, implementation and promotion of new innovative mechanisms for conservation.
• Creation of a FABLAB or “Conservation Finance” incubator, with a team of creative experts plus participants from the private sector and NGOs.
• Help to establish a Network of Trust Funds for Asia-Pacific conservation (similar to RedLAC and CAFE).
• Production of key guides and documents to foster knowledge and reflection on conservation finance.

The project provides for the promotion of various mechanisms aimed at capturing revenue streams that could be re-directed toward conservation. This involves developing new tender mechanisms by working directly with financial organisations, including building partnerships with the private sector. The CFA will work to develop solutions and policies which can be adopted by governments, by looking at drafting new regulations to encourage more tenders for ecosystem services.