Photo: IUCN Photo Library © Sue Mainka
Specialist Group Leader
The Conservation Finance Alliance is a global and collaborative network of volunteer members, who take part in CFA's Working Groups (WG), Task Forces (TF), Executive Committee (ExCo) and Secretariat. The network’s mission is to promote sustainable financing for biodiversity conservation worldwide.
CFA membership is open to individuals and institutions interested in sustainable finance for conservation, or in specific themes addressed by the WGs and TFs. Members benefit from updated information and a wide network of experts. Currently the CFA has just over 550 members in our network.
Once you join the CFA, you may choose to participate in three Working Groups: Environmental Funds, Innovative Finance and Protected Areas Financing. These groups promote debates and studies, and are channel for direct exchange between members through the group mailing list.
The Conservation Finance Alliance currently acts as the IUCN WCPA Specialist Group on protected area finance.
You may also join one of the CFA Task Forces, which are specific for a single project, study or tool. Task Forces are smaller groups of voluntary members who wish to actively participate in specific initiatives to ensure high quality standards and ownership.
CFA members also engage in thematic webinars, presented by experts and chaired by a leading CFA member. Invitations are sent via e-mail and members connect via telephone or VoIP (internet). All CFA members can present an innovative initiative in the webinars, subject to approval. If you are interested in participating or presenting, don’t hesitate to contact the Secretariat.
The Executive Committee is the network’s governing body, composed of five elected volunteers who make decisions on behalf of the CFA. They are in charge of strategic planning, supervision of operations, and fundraising. The current Executive Committee members are John Adams, Charles Besancon, Sylvie Goyet, Lorenzo Rosenzweig and Ray Victurine.
The CFA Secretariat is currently hosted by WCS – the Wildlife Conservation Society. The Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the CFA and liaises with the whole CFA membership on a regular basis; coordinates CFA internal procedures and resources; develops CFA communications products, provides logistical support for CFA meetings, webinars and events, and supports the Executive Committee. Katy Mathias from WCS serves as the Executive Secretariat.
For Conservation Finance Alliance 2016 was a year of strategic transition as the organization worked to establish a long-term institutional hosting arrangement and to secure long-term funding for programmatic developments and institutional capacity building. The World Conservation Congress represented a significant programmatic highlight for the CFA, with over 20 conservation finance themed workshops, presentations, side events and poster sessions presented by CFA members, including prominent roles at the Protected Planet and Marine Pavilions.
