ISTF Forest Finance Innovation Prize Contest

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies’ International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF) is delighted to invite youto participate in our 1st Annual ISTF Innovation Prize: The Forest Finance Innovation Prize. The prize contest will take place at the 20th Annual ISTF Conference at Yale School of Forestry &Environmental Studies, to be held on January 30, 2014 – February 1, 2014.
 

Objective

Inspired on the conference’s theme “Forest as Capital: Top- ­down and bottom-up finance approaches to conserve tropical forests”, the ISTF Forest Finance Innovation Prize aims to bring to attention practical and strategic finance initiatives designed to conserve tropical forest ecosystems and that answer either (but not limited to) of the following:

  • What tools can transform traditional donor- ­backed conservation to financially sustainable conservation and livelihoods?
  • What are practical methods that can be incorporated into private investment in the tropics (agricultural commodities, mining, timber extraction, etc.) that can ensure permanent conservation value?
  • How can sustainably- ­sourced forest products find markets in their country of origin and not be dependent on export?
     

Criteria

  • Project must be implementable and address an issue of forest conservation in the tropics.
  • Project will be judged on originality, potential of environmental impact, social inclusiveness and respect, and economic soundness.
  • The project must have a local institution involved (ex: project developer, implementer, sponsor, collaborators).
  • Project team needs to show they are qualified to execute the project and/or have identified potential collaborators; multidisciplinary project teams are encouraged.
  • Preliminary field testing or pilot studies are encouraged.
  • Exceptional projects in vision but less developed in practice will be recognized in a separate award category (but may not eligible for travel and prize money).
     

Eligibility
Forest Conservation initiatives in any stage of development, from any sector, (academia, non- ­profit, business, governmental) scale, and tropical region are eligible. A local institution from the region of project implementation must be involved.


Selection and award
Projects will be judged by a review panel consisting of representatives of foundation donors, project investors and developers, environmental economics experts, applied researchers, and financial consultants, together with the ISTF team. The committee will select 3 finalists to present their initiatives at the ISTF Conference at Yale, with conference fees, transportation, and lodging costs covered. Finalists must be at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies from January 31 to February 1. The winning proposal will be announced during the conference awards ceremony on February 1 and awarded with a monetary prize of US$5,000, generously provided by the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation.


To apply:

  • Submit a concept note with the following information:
    a. Proponent(s)’ name(s), affiliation(s), address, telephone, and email address
    b. 1 paragraph abstract
    c. Problem statement
    d. Project’s localization
    e. Description of proposed forest finance initiative, with no more than 2 (two) pages Send concept note electronically by Friday, November 177, 2013 to: [email protected].


Timeline:

November 17, 2013: Deadline for submissions of concept note
November 27, 2013: Announcement of 3 finalists
November 27 to December 5, 2013: Finalists travel arrangements
January 31, 2014: Finalists oral presentation
February 1, 2014: Winner announcement and awards

Contact information:

Desirée Lopes at [email protected]
Matthew Bare at [email protected]

 

 

Read more about the competition here.  

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ISTF Forest Finance Innovation Prize Contest

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies’ International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF) is delighted to invite you to participate in our 1st Annual ISTF Innovation Prize: The Forest Finance Innovation Prize. The prize contest will take place at the 20th Annual ISTF Conference at Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, to be held on January 30, 2014 – ­‐ February 1, 2014.

 
Objective
Inspired on  the conference’s  theme “Forest as  Capital: Top- ­‐down  and bottom- ­‐up finance  approaches to conserve tropical forests”, the ISTF Forest Finance Innovation Prize aims to bring to attention practical  and  strategic  finance initiatives designed to conserve tropical forest ecosystems and that answer either (but not limited to) of the following:
 
  • What  tools  can  transform  traditional  donor- ­‐backed  conservation  to  financially  sustainable  conservation  and livelihoods?
  • What   are   practical   methods   that   can   be   incorporated   into   private   investment   in   the   tropics   (agricultural commodities, mining, timber extraction, etc.) that can ensure permanent conservation value?
  • How  can  sustainably- ­‐sourced  forest  products  find  markets  in  their  country  of  origin  and  not  be  dependent  on export?
Criteria
  • Project must be implementable and address an issue of forest conservation in the tropics.
  • Project  will  be  judged  on  originality,  potential  of  environmental  impact,  social  inclusiveness  and  respect,  and economic  soundness.
  • The project must have a local institution involved (ex: project developer, implementer, sponsor, collaborators).
  • Project team needs to show they are qualified to execute the project and/or have identified potential collaborators; multidisciplinary project teams are encouraged.
  • Preliminary field testing or pilot studies are encouraged.
  • Exceptional projects in vision but less developed in practice will be recognized in a separate award category (but may not eligible for travel and prize money).
Eligibility
Forest Conservation initiatives in any stage of development, from any sector, (academia, non- ­‐profit, business, governmental) scale, and tropical region are eligible. A local institution from the region of project implementation must be involved.
 
Selection and award
Projects will be judged by a review panel consisting of representatives of foundation donors, project investors and developers, environmental  economics  experts,  applied researchers,  and financial consultants,  together  with the ISTF team. The committee will select 3 finalists to present their initiatives at the ISTF Conference at Yale, with conference fees, transportation, and lodging costs covered. Finalists must be at  the  Yale  School  of  Forestry  &  Environmental Studies from January 31 to February 1. The winning proposal will be announced during the  conference  awards ceremony on February 1 and awarded with a monetary prize of US$5,000, generously provided by the Andrew Sabin Family  Foundation.

To apply:

Submit a concept note with the following information:
  • Proponent(s)’ name(s), affiliation(s), address, telephone, and e- ­‐mail address
  • 1 paragraph abstract
  • Problem  statement
  • Project’s  localization
  • Description of proposed forest finance initiative, with no more than 2 (two) pages Send concept note electronically by Friday, November 15, 2013 to: [email protected] .
Timeline:
 
November 15, 2013: Deadline for submissions of concept note
November 27, 2013: Announcement of 3 finalists
November 27 to December 5, 2013: Finalists travel arrangements January 31, 2014: Finalists oral presentation
February 1, 2014: Winner announcement and awards
 
Contact information:
Desirée Lopes at [email protected]
Matthew Bare at [email protected]
 
 
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