Grantee:  Conservation and Community Investment Forum (CCIF)

Contact:  Sarah Conway, Project Manager (sarah at sign starlingresources.com)

Website: www.cciforum.org

Project Summary:
In order to manage a marine protected area (MPA) and its diverse and abundant ecological resources over time, financial and physical resources must be managed in a cost-effective and ecologically sound manner, taking into account environmental, social, and financial considerations. Emphasis has generally been on the environmental and social elements, but diligent and thoughtful financial planning is crucial in designing and then maintaining a well-functioning MPA; it is unlikely that a MPA will be sustainable if it does not have a financial plan.

In other words, regardless of the, size, health, or the other elements of a MPA, maintaining the area to meet its goals and objectives in both the short and long-term requires a certain level of financial sustainability.  Financial sustainability has been defined by Emerton et al (2006) as: “the ability to secure sufficient, stable and long-term financial resources, and to allocate them in a timely manner and in an appropriate form, to cover the full costs of protected areas and to ensure that they are managed effectively and efficiently with respect to conservation and other objectives.” The ability to achieve financial sustainability is incredibly difficult given the operational complexity inherent in running a fully functional MPA, especially given the often limited and inadequate funding available to do so. CCIF has extensive experience in Indonesia and the Philippines evaluating MPAs, conducting detailed cost analyses, developing detailed budgets/cost models, and designing sustainable financing strategies. 

From our experiences and knowledge we are building a pragmatic platform for managing MPAs that is financially driven but rich in a variety of other information as well. The CCIF MPA Cost Management Platform, to be completed in September 2008, will be rooted in our belief that financial modeling and business planning offer the ideal organizing mechanism for the establishment and management of MPAs; this approach ensures that both the conservation logic and operational model are well thought-through and financially feasible. The platform will include an online tool and standalone website modeled after contemporary community-based web sites. 

• The tool itself will consist of a wizard-like series of html forms that collect MPA-specific cost data and information in four different sections: cost model, finance tracking, resource optimization, and revenue generation. The outputs will provide practitioners with an overview of the current financial situation (e.g., size of the funding needed to cover annual and cumulative expenses and the net present value of all funding that are required to support the MPA/ecosystem over a 10-year period), 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.
• The website will incorporate training materials offered in web-based (html) and downloadable form (pdf).  Additionally, it will include a comprehensive wiki component including general and regional definitions & best practices, thought pieces, and other resources.  
  

Collectively, the tool and website will provide MPA practitioners with a wealth of practical information to assist in the management of well-designed and financially viable MPAs.  It will also serve as a collaborative community for practitioners to share best practice information and ultimately build capacity through knowledge sharing on a global level.