Changing the way conservationists use economics to solve environmental challenges.

Our unique and effective capacity building program in economics and finance provides the knowledge, skills, and language that are key for solving environmental challenges. CSF courses are taught by experts who understand real-world development issues and who demonstrate how economics can advance environmental goals in practical, strategic ways. This approach is crucial at a time when global-scale environmental changes are being driven by diverse economic factors, and when conservation leaders are striving to preserve critical ecosystems.

Results

Our alumni are using economics to be more strategic in their work, and influence local, regional, and national-level decisions in favor of nature:

  • 95% say the CSF course was one of the most useful short courses they have ever attended

  • 95% say their CSF training experience changed how they approach their work

  • 82% say attending the CSF course contributed to a career advancement

  • 75% say the CSF training helped them achieve a specific success

Economics & Finance for Environmental Leadership

CSF's International Flagship Course (Virtual)

Our annual Economics & Finance for Environmental Leadership course empowers conservationists with strong economic arguments for sustainable development, tools for financing nature, and methods for understanding and solving the challenges facing our environment today. Register for our 2024 cohort today!

NEW: Introduction to Cost-Benefit Analysis

Self-paced course (Virtual)

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a powerful economic tool for communicating the potential gains and losses of pursuing development projects. This self-paced course empowers participants to be leaders in decision-making for conservation, policy, and more.

Economía y Finanzas para el Liderazgo Ambiental

CSF's Flagship Spanish Course (Virtual)

Registration is now open for our 100% online and Spanish international course! This course will introduce conservation economics and how it can be used to make strong economic arguments for environmental protection. Participants will gain a suite of economic and financial tools to integrate into their own conservation or environmental work.

Introduction to Conservation Finance

A self-paced course produced with the Conservation Finance Alliance (Virtual)

Learn the basics of Conservation Finance from the experts themselves. This course covers the fundamentals of Conservation Finance solutions, public and private sector partnerships, scalable strategies and emerging tools and opportunities to help finance nature now and far into the future.

Introduction to Environmental Valuation

Self-paced course (Virtual)

Interested in learning how you can use economic tools to value ecosystem services? Our new self-paced course provides you with the fundamentals of environmental valuation, including exposure to a range of valuation approaches and a chance to apply what you've learned through project design.

Testimonials

What do past participants say about our courses?

Titus Muia

Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, Kenya

“This training is one of the greatest ideas in community-based conservation. It has empowered me as a key decision maker in a conservation organization to have a not just a voice, but a voice of reason. This is exactly what I needed, and now I have it, thanks to CSF.”

Scott Edwards

Executive Director, Conservation Strategy Fund

"It is our conviction that by raising economic literacy and building a better case for conservation, we can direct human behavior and decision making to support better outcomes for people and nature."

Indekhwa Anangwe

Senior Policy Officer with the African Wildlife Foundation, Kenya (N4N International 2021)

“I have picked up invaluable conservation finance and economics aspects that are going to be very useful for my day to day work. We are currently working towards establishing a sustainable financing mechanism for protected areas in Africa and how we create a case for conservation of these conserved and protected areas is going to be very critical as we talk to governments, potential funders and other key stakeholders. This course couldn't have come in at a better time for me."

Kerstin Brauneder

Technical Advisor, Impact Mitigation and Biodiversity Offsets with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Laos (N4N International 2021)

“I can whole-heartedly say that this was a great experience. I think it's great that this is carried out online rather than on-site, because it allows more people to attend and reduces the carbon travel footprint."

Hannah de Villiers

MSc Candidate & Freelancer for the Endangered Wildlife Trust with the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (N4N International 2021)

"One of the best courses I've ever done and what I learned will stay with me for life.”

Maxene Atis

Haiti Program Director with The Nature Conservancy, USA (N4N International 2021)

“I plan to apply the knowledge I acquired in this course directly in my conservation work, particularly in my interactions with policymakers, the private sector, and government entities. I am definitely better prepared to supervise or provide important feedback on my external consultants' studies on ecosystems services and biodiversity in general. As far as sharing, I will be using all platforms and avenues (e.g. as a board member of a National Conservation Trust Fund in Haiti, in training workshops with local organizations, communities, and government, in meetings, workshops and conferences).”

Samantha D. Leone

Technical Assistant with Conservation Finance Alliance, USA (N4N International 2021)

The course was an excellent refresher! For anyone considering it, it provides a great introduction to environmental economics, policy and conservation finance! I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to expand their knowledge in these subjects! Added bonus: The instructors are amazing and the learning materials and platform are top notch!"

CSF's Economic Video Series

Free animated video lessons for learning at your own pace

Want to understand the economic drivers of environmental problems? How to value things in the natural environment? The essentials of fisheries and forestry economics? Step-by-step instructions on cost-benefit analysis? View our video lessons to learn more!
Person deciding how much to pay for benefits of forest

4Nature Podcast

It’s time to rethink our incentive systems so they work for Nature and People. 

Hosted by David Meyers, Executive Director of Conservation Finance Alliance, and Kim Bonine, Training Director at Conservation Strategy Fund, 4Nature Podcast interviews some of the world’s most innovative thinkers and driven actors all committed to restructuring financial, economic and social incentives to be more nature positive, and dedicated to transforming the role humanity plays within Nature.

Valuing nature and people to inform business decision-making

A FREE course from our Partners at Capitals Coalition

The course helps you to understand how to drive change at the organizational level and teaches you what you can do to make a difference as individual. You will learn why it is important to include nature, people and society in business decision-making, how businesses impact and depend on natural, human and social capital, how that translates into risks and opportunities, and how to get started with a capitals assessment.
Person deciding how much to pay for benefits of forest

Transforming Business: Valuing social and human capital

A FREE course from our Partners at Capitals Coalition

Explore how societal challenges affect businesses and why it is important to include social and human capital in business decision-making, how to identify, measure and value relevant social and human capital impacts and dependencies within your business context, and how you can take action, make commitments, and transform business decision-making to respect human rights, tackle inequality and improve well-being.
Person deciding how much to pay for benefits of forest

Partnership Opportunities

Work with us to design a custom economics course for your organization!

CSF offers tailored training in economics and finance tools to empower conservation organizations, decision-makers, and communities to find more sustainable development pathways. Reach out to us and explore training opportunities in specific themes and regions relevant to your conservation work!

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