Delivered by UWE Bristol and Bristol Zoological Society staff, this online course offers a rich learning experience.

This 30 credit module, Conservation Business and Finance, is designed to develop your skills in conservation programme management at a leadership level. This module will also help you understand how an organisation's overall budget and accounts link to viability of specific programme development as well as financial reporting. It will also cover a discussion and critical review of the growing industry of sustainable, revenue-generating mechanisms for conservation funding.

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

• critically assess how to strategically lead and manage a conservation programme financial plan.
• critically evaluate the risks and issues facing a conservation programme as part of a project business case development.
• design and critically review business cases for conservation initiatives.
• develop a well-reasoned budget and budget justification for conservation initiatives.

Careers / Further study

This module can contribute towards the MSc Conservation Leadership and Professional Development Awards. If you have any queries, please contact the Professional Development team using the enquiry form below.

Content

The module syllabus typically includes the following topics:

• Strategic planning for a conservation programme, financial viability and sustainability
• Determining your conservation programme business needs
• Importance of a sound business case
• Finance management (e.g., account understanding, adaptation to different project types, handling multiple budgets) and project accounting (e.g., profit vs. non-for-profit)
• Budget forecasting
• Raising money - fundraising, grants, trusts, private donors, as well as crowdfunding and funding from corporate organisations and philanthropists; identifying funding partners
• Financial reporting - including discussing the link between actual staff costs and reporting to funders.
• Ethical investing
• Working across borders - international organisations
• Working efficiently and reducing costs - budgeting
• Responding to emergencies
• Contracts and agreements
• Managing a budget with various stakeholders, paying staff, bookkeeping and handling expenditures and finance/business on the ground
• Partnerships development and engagement- corporate, government, NGOs, civil societies, local communities, individuals
• Business and financial sustainability

Learning and Teaching

This course is delivered 100% online. Creating a flexible learning environment to suit your needs

This level 7 (Masters level) module will be delivered through a combination of recorded lectures and asynchronous activities, including contributions to forums, wikis and guided reading. You will also be offered live, interactive tutorial classes and facilitated group work.

You will have access to learning materials a few days prior to the first live online session.

Assessment

Assessment for this module comprises the development of a detailed business case for a new conservation project/initiative.