GRAND BASSA COUNTY — As global climate finance and carbon markets expand rapidly, rural communities are increasingly finding themselves at a crossroads. To ensure forest-dependent communities dictate their own futures, the Foundation for Community Initiatives (FCI) has launched a vital new initiative across Grand Bassa County.
From October 12 to 17, 2026, FCI rolled out introductory stakeholder engagements across five communities, officially launching the Rights-Based Environmental Services Finance Initiative (RESFin) project, titled “Strengthening community governance for climate-aware land and forest use decisions.”
The initiative brought together 100 key community leaders—including clan chiefs, paramount chiefs, and members of Community Forest Management Bodies (CFMB) and Community Land Development and Management Committees (CLDMC) from Worrwein, Vambo, Marlor, Marblee, Karblee, Zuzohn, Blalah, Saywein, and Gozhn Clans.
Bridging Land and Forest Governance
Building on previous achievements under the Keeping the Promise project—which focused on customary land formalization and community governance—the RESFin project addresses the urgent need to align land rights with forest management. A cornerstone of the project is building a strong synergy between CFMBs and CLDMCs so they can lead dialogues cohesively and influence national policy change.
Equipping Communities for Carbon Markets
Funded by the International Land and Tenure Facility (Tenure Facility), the project prepares communities to engage confidently with outside stakeholders regarding land and forest use through carbon projects and payments for ecosystem services (PES).
Training under the project focuses heavily on:
Legal Literacy: Understanding Liberian laws governing land and forests.
Market Awareness: Navigating international carbon standards, such as ART/TREES.
Self-Determination: Ensuring communities with secure tenure can evaluate emerging opportunities and risks entirely on their own terms.