Conservation
That Pays for
itself and
delivers local value
Enterprise
Its purpose is simple: empower communities to turn conservation into a driver of economic strength.
As social enterprises, WMAs use community land and resources to cover operating costs and create development benefits that support local livelihoods
WMAs generate most of their revenue from their core natural assets—photo tourism, tourist hunting, and now carbon credits. While some diversify into activities like beekeeping or fish farming, these ventures typically produce only small returns and rarely cover meaningful operating costs.
The Business Enterprise Sustainability Tool (BEST)
We make Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) investable by developing a business plan that identifies potential opportunities, provides financial projections, and outlines business development strategies, ensuring greater security for their investments.
The Business Enterprise Sustainability Tool (BEST) is the central tool of our enterprise strategy. It ensures that WMAs have a professional, strategic business plan developed over a five-year interval, covering the full scope of their operation and sustainability goals.
The BEST Framework Structure:
This innovative framework helps WMA leaders develop long-term financial plans that balance revenue generation, cost control, community investment, and stakeholder needs. Its purpose is to create a practical financial roadmap that turns long-term conservation goals into viable, revenue-generating enterprises. Complementary tools include the Rapid Assessment Tool (RAT) and the WMA Cashflow Tool. The business plan produced through BEST follows a comprehensive structure designed to attract investment and guide strategic operations.
Description of the Business
Details the CCA's origin story, size, revenue sources, and staff, building a unique identity.
Business Model
Explains how the CCA creates, delivers, and captures financial, social, and ecological value.
Market Analysis & Strategy
Involves competitor analysis (other CCAs), identification of target clientele (investors/partners), and a step-by-step plan to improve products, infrastructure, and outreach.
Management and Operation Plan
Designs the future operations, detailing the organizational structure, roles of the management/oversight board, and year-by-year implementation goals.
Risk Assessment and Mitigation
Identifies all existing and potential internal and external threats, developing cost-efficient solutions for stability.
Financial Analysis and Projections
Provides financial models to analyze cash flow and balance sheets, and gives projections for revenues, expenses, and cash flow over the forecast period.
Investment and Community Distribution:
Sets the capital investment model (where to invest revenue from tourism, hunting, carbon, and grants) and projects the distribution of revenue to CCA villages by an agreed percentage.
Why Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) Need BEST:
Confirms Viability
Helps confirm that conservation and development goals translate into sound business sense, articulating the CCA’s vision in realistic, measurable terms.
Secures Funding
 A professional, structured plan convinces investors and partners that the CCA is a capable candidate, helping secure long-term funding.
Drives Performance
Helps set intentional, results-driven benchmarks, allowing management to track progress and ensure accountability to the long-term vision.
The Financial Roadmap Gap
The Problem
Lack of Financial Viability
While Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) often have strategic frameworks (like the Resource Zone Management Plans (RZMP) and General Management Plan (GMP), they frequently lack a robust financial roadmap. This makes them reliant on external donors and unable to translate long-term conservation goals into actionable, revenue-generating enterprises.
Our Focus
Financial Independence
Our enterprise program helps communities turn conservation into an engine for economic resilience. We equip CCAs to become financially self-reliant by developing sustainable, conservation-aligned businesses that deliver reliable, lasting benefits to local communities.
The Problem
Inconsistent Business Planning
Without a structured planning tool, CCAs struggle to attract serious investors, coordinate professional operations, or gain a competitive advantage in the nature-based economy.
Our Focus
The Business Enterprise Sustainability Tool (BEST)
The BEST tool is the “roadmap” that guides CCA leadership in crafting long-term financial plans. It structures the WMA’s vision into a solid business plan, covering social, financial, and ecological aspects. Enterprise using a plan like BEST see growth 30% faster than those without one.
A well-managed Wildlife Management Area (WMA) de-risks investment opportunities by combining effective governance and professional management, which are considered essential for transforming the WMA into an attractive model for private sector partners and other investors.
The Problem
Limited Revenue Streams
CCAs are often dependent on single, vulnerable income sources and lack the capacity to explore new opportunities like carbon credits or secure meaningful public-private partnerships.
Our Focus
Diversification and Partnership
We actively support the exploration of alternative income sources, such as tourism development and carbon credits, ensuring they align with conservation goals. We also build public-private partnerships to connect communities with responsible investors, guaranteeing long-term sustainability and shared value.
The Problem
Gaps in Capacity
CCA management often lacks the specialized skills in financial planning, investor relations, and business management required to operate as a professional enterprise.
Our Focus
Strategic Capacity Building
We provide leadership with intensive training and assessment in financial planning, investor relations, and business management. This ensures CCA teams are capable of making better, strategic decisions to run the CCA as a successful community business.
Q&A
