Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP)
CSFEP is a US-based non-profit coalition-builder, fiscally sponsored by Dalberg Catalyst, that convenes regional coalitions of forest value-chain stakeholders to develop climate-smart forest economies in low- and middle-income Global South countries, with its first active coalition in East Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersWashington D.C., United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) does
The Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) is a US-based non-profit coalition-building program, fiscally sponsored by Dalberg Catalyst (a 501(c)3), that convenes regional coalitions of tree growers, timber product manufacturers, investors, architects, property developers, engineers, researchers, and policymakers to develop climate-smart forest economies in low- and middle-income countries of the Global South. Founded in 2019 by a coalition including the World Resources Institute, The Nature Conservancy, the World Economic Forum, and EIT Climate-KIC, with initial backing from the Good Energies Foundation, CSFEP ran 15 Breakthrough Initiative pilots across 10 countries from 2020-2022 before pivoting in 2023 to a regional coalition model. It formally launched its first coalition — the Biobased Construction East Africa Coalition covering Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda — in 2025.
CSFEP's core deliverables are not commercial products but convening services, applied research, and shared infrastructure. Outputs include a proprietary 3S (Science-Source-Story) decision framework, a collaborative Systems Map tool built with partner Nexial, an East Africa Sustainable Timber Supply/Demand Study with 20-year projections under three scenarios, and bi-monthly Global Learning Community sessions. Its go-to-market is community-led rather than sales-led: CSFEP identifies a region, engages 25+ local businesses and organizations, runs convening workshops, formalizes a coalition with shared principles, and supports local action while feeding learnings into the broader community. The organization employs a small Secretariat of about six people plus an Advisory Council, with current funding partners including Built by Nature and Trafigura Foundation alongside the founding Good Energies Foundation.
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP)
- Legal name
- Climate Smart Forest Economy Program
- Website
- https://csfep.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CSFEP is a US-based non-profit coalition-builder, fiscally sponsored by Dalberg Catalyst, that convenes regional coalitions of forest value-chain stakeholders to develop climate-smart forest economies in low- and middle-income Global South countries, with its first active coalition in East Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Forest Coalition Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)
- SIC
- Forestry (800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Carbon Forestry Project Development & Origination (Afforestation/Reforestation/IFM) (IMAMAJAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ), Sustainable Forest Certification & Chain-of-Custody Services (FSC/PEFC/SFI) (IMAMAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington D.C.
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Grant Funding: CSFEP is a fiscally-sponsored program of Dalberg Catalyst, a U.S.-based 501(c)3. The program operates on grant funding from foundations and development organizations. Funding partners include Built by Nature and Trafigura Foundation, with initial support from Good Energies Foundation.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CSFEP is a nonprofit coalition-building program that convenes and supports regional coalitions of tree growers, timber manufacturers, investors, architects, developers, engineers, researchers, and policymakers across low- and middle-income Global South countries to develop forest product industries that fund sustainable forest management. Its flagship offering is the Biobased Construction East Africa Coalition (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania), complemented by the Global Learning Community for knowledge sharing, the Climate Smart Forest Economy Systems Map tool, and research publications on sustainable timber supply and demand.
Product overview
The Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) is a coalition-building organization, not a traditional product company. It operates through regional coalitions that connect forest product industry stakeholders, a Global Learning Community for knowledge sharing, research tools like the Systems Map and supply/demand studies, and resources including Theory of Change documents. The core offering is the Biobased Construction East Africa Coalition, which convenes diverse stakeholders across the forest-to-build value chain to develop climate-smart forest economies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Biobased Construction East Africa Coalition: A coalition convened by CSFEP that brings together tree growers, timber product manufacturers, investors, architects, property developers, engineers, researchers, and policymakers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to tackle challenges in the biobased construction sector.
Products and services
- Biobased Construction East Africa Coalition A regional coalition in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda that convenes tree growers, timber product manufacturers, investors, architects, property developers, engineers, researchers, and policymakers to tackle shared challenges in the biobased construction sector and build a regenerative forest economy.
- Global Learning Community A virtual community that holds bi-monthly sessions to share learnings across regional coalitions, providing an open collaborative space for actors in climate smart forest economies to learn, connect, and grow.
- Climate Smart Forest Economy Systems Map A community tool for those working to create climate smart forest economies, created through a collaborative effort between CSFEP and Nexial to visualize the ecosystem.
- East Africa Sustainable Timber Supply/Demand Study Research presenting findings from a supply and demand study for sustainable timber in construction and Mass Engineered Timber (MET), including 20-year projections under three scenarios: business as usual, Timber Transition, and Timber Renaissance.
- Theory of Change A document outlining CSFEP's framework for achieving impact through regenerative forest economies, published on the CSFEP website.
Quantifiable outcome
- Buildings produced climate positive by average of 22.339 tCO2 during Breakthrough Initiatives phase
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP)
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- World Resources InstitutecoreOne of the founding coalition partners when CSFEP was established in 2019. World Resources Institute contributed expertise to the initial proof of concept phase.
- The Nature ConservancycoreFounding coalition partner in 2019. Contributed to proof of concept phase with expertise in conservation and sustainable forest management.
- World Economic ForumcoreFounding coalition partner in 2019. Contributed to initial coalition exploring climate smart forest economies.
- EIT Climate-KICcoreFounding coalition partner in 2019. Supported the three-year proof of concept journey from 2020-2022.
- ArupflagshipGlobal sustainable development consultancy leading the 'Mainstreaming' action group to remove regulatory obstacles for timber use in Kenya. Developing standardized timber solutions referencing local grading standards.
- Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)flagshipGovernment research institute leading the 'Innovation' action group with Ardhi na Mbao to develop ISO-certified mass CLT and GLT using local tree species in Kenya.
- Ardhi na MbaoflagshipDesign-build-manufacture firm partnering with KEFRI to develop sustainably-sourced mass timber products using local Kenyan tree species.
- GoDown Arts CentreflagshipArts centre leading the 'Public perception' action group to influence public perception of timber through integrating timber into a bus shelter and pedestrian bridge in Nairobi.
- ICIMODminorPartner in joint report on scaling biobased materials in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, expanding CSFEP's geographic learning.
- WebsEdgeminorPartner in developing a film about CSFEP's work to help local value chains utilize science to improve climate, biodiversity, and community impact.
- IUFRO World CongressminorPartner in film development and knowledge sharing. CSFEP featured at IUFRO World Congress in Nairobi.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses2 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) social profiles
Digital presenceClimate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP)
What does Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) do?
CSFEP is a nonprofit coalition-building program that convenes and supports regional coalitions of tree growers, timber manufacturers, investors, architects, developers, engineers, researchers, and policymakers across low- and middle-income Global South countries to develop forest product industries that fund sustainable forest management. Its flagship offering is the Biobased Construction East Africa Coalition (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania), complemented by the Global Learning Community for knowledge sharing, the Climate Smart Forest Economy Systems Map tool, and research publications on sustainable timber supply and demand.
Is Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) a public or private company?
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) founded?
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) based?
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) is headquartered in Washington D.C., United States, in the North America region.
How does Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) make money?
One revenue line is on record: grant Funding.
Who are Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP)'s main competitors?
Tropical Forest Alliance is listed as a direct peer.
Does Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) have an API?
No public API is recorded for Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP).
What industry is Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) in?
Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP)'s product category is Sustainable Forest Coalition Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMAJAD, Carbon Forestry Project Development & Origination (Afforestation/Reforestation/IFM), with a secondary code of BPAGAGAD, Forestry & Reforestation. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 800.