The mission of the CFBA is to create, grow, and manage a national alliance of community forestry wood products businesses that increase market access and enhance the capacity to produce and market goods that benefit both community-based entrepreneurs and forest ecosystems.

Our intended impact:

• Forest stewardship and sustainable community economic development by linking responsible forestry sector to market opportunities
• To have effective and efficient community forestry groups and businesses by networking efforts at the local, regional and national levels

The Alliance works in three strategic areas to achieve our collective goals:

Peer-to-peer networking

Delivery of capacity building tools and assistance

Marketing and communications

Peer-to-peer networking

Goal: Provide a forum for like-minded businesses to learn from each other, share experiences and expertise, and work together to better leverage market opportunities

Strategies:

• Peer identification and outreach: we will identify and make connections with other community forestry businesses and stakeholders interested in Alliance engagement

• Enhance flows of information: formal and informal communication and education channels will be developed, such as a website presence and list-serve

• Engagement in formal networking events: networking and information sharing events will be coordinated, such as annual meetings and peer-to-peer exchanges. Events which we host will concentrate on specific areas of members interest and delivery hands-on practical knowledge.  

• Funds will be made available for members interested in pursuing networking opportunities in their region.

• We will partner with and/or participate in existing priority events, such as community forestry conferences, field trips, etc.

Delivery of capacity building tools and assistance

Goal: Increase knowledge and capacity of community forestry wood products businesses

Strategies:

• Regional market cluster development: a suite of services will be made available to alliance members as they develop their own regional market ‘clusters’. Regional models, such as HFHC and others, will be shared with members, highlighting lessons learned, best practices, how to get started, and other information to help grow regional market clusters.

• Access to existing resources and service providers: we will develop a database of technical and financial experts, available resources and other entities that might be of value to alliance members. Various strategies will be used to connect these existing resources to members. However a generalized listing of information of resources and information shall not be a substitute for targeted longer-term assistance. Site specific assistance and support should have relevance for larger group.

• Franchise: Successful business and production models will be replicated through franchises or other proven business models created vested interest among partners; facilitating regional entrepreneurialism, tapping into larger market opportunities, and increasing the scale of the groups impacts.

• Technology transfer: Proven technologies will be shared across the alliance, shortening the learning curve for regional innovators and allowing the group to grow more rapidly its sphere of influence.

• Direct investment: National fundraising efforts will make funds available to local alliance members

• Support in integrating with regional players: strategies, tools, and connections will be offered to help members with peer and market integration

• Toolkits will be developed that contains marketing material templates, business planning and other templates, best practices, models (HFHC and others), to help jumpstart and streamline local efforts

Marketing and communications

Goal: Enhance market access opportunities for community forestry wood products businesses by building widespread recognition of their products and facilitating business relationships and sales opportunities between producers and target markets.

Strategies:

• Vertically-integrated market linkages: identify and reach out to key target markets across the region; address gaps in regional ability to serve market opportunities. We will support the development of localized vertically integrated markets by providing materials, common story, templates for work, and service strategies.

• National marketing campaign: build awareness through the web and media outlets among target market of local vendor products and their stories; develop a packaged story that will enable partners to pitch media and develop materials

• Sales and referrals portal: Once markets are defined and service and production are satisfactory, develop systems for promotion and sales of local products within their nearby markets

• Provid examples of branding that businesses can use to build market recognition and develop a set of criteria for using the brand and verification system (e.g. Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities Partnership)

• Package of products: Ultimately the alliance may offer a package of products that represent our most competitive product lines and serve identified market needs.