The Community and Forest-based Social Enterprise Development Program (CFSED) seeks to promote environmental sustainability in the Forest Foundation Philippines focal areas of Palawan and Samar through the propagation of non-destructive forest-based enterprises. The goal is to tie economic progress together with the preservation of the natural ecosystem – by creating and supporting successful enterprises that uplift members out of subsistence or poverty, and are reliant on the survival of the environment, local communities will have greater incentives to maintain and protect their surroundings.

To achieve this goal, the CFSED, will take on a two-pronged approach. The first is to provide direct support to five (5) existing forest-based social enterprises. This shall be done through:

• Social entrepreneurship and management training;
• Community and organizational development;
• Appropriate business investments (to be financed through the Forest Foundation Philippines grant), and;
• Continuous monitoring, mentoring and enterprise support.

The primary objective is to develop and enhance forest-based social enterprises that can sustainably meet their environmental and social outcomes. The five partner enterprises are:

1. Nagkakaisang Mga Tribu ng Palawan, Inc.(NATRIPAL) – Aborlan, Palawan
2. Brooke’s Point Coco Product Producers Cooperative (BPCPPC) – Brooke’s Point, Palawan
3. Woven Crafts, Inc. – Basey, Samar
4. Sohoton Services Cooperative (SSC) – Basey, Samar
5. Seedcore Agri-Industrial Corp. – Lawaan, Eastern Samar

In addition, the two primary partner government units are:

1. Palawan Provincial LGU
2. Samar Provincial LGU

GREAT, as the training arm of Bayan Academy, will deliver four runs of the 10-day Social Entrepreneurship and management training to the above forest-based social enterprises in Eastern Samar and Palawan. Aside from the forest-based social enterprises, selected staff from Palawan and Samar provincial LGU will also join the trainings.