Operational income with be from a variety of sources.

Grant Funding and Corporate Donations:
Despite a nationwide financial downturn, money is still being invested in all things 'green'.  On the built environment spectrum, 60% of existing building stock will need energy retrofits in the next 5-10 years.  On the social spectrum, the high costs of health care and crime ensure continued funding to educate people about reducing health threats (exposure to toxins in the environment and home), eating local, and neighborhood re-building.  There will be grant funding and business support for work in environmental justice and food security issues.

Contract Services:
CCAN will fill a huge void in local knowledge of and support for sustainability.  There are very few 'green' services already in the confluence region.  As businesses seek information on green retrofits, or other advances, they would be forced to search outside the region.  CCAN will alleviate the need to seek expertise from Portland, Seattle, and Spokane.  We will offer a pool of internal experts from our Network.  This will enable us to offer contract services to business and government agencies, or to network members wishing assistance beyond the "basic" listed above. 

CCAN will serve as a liason between small businesses and contractors determine the most cost effective and appropriate building retrofits, ensuring the highest return on investment.  Because we are local, and focused on strengthening our community, we will offer services on a sliding scale, giving small businesses support they  may not otherwise afford through traditional contractoring methods.

Cities, rather than invest in additional staff, or increasing the workload of existing staff, may hire CCAN to 'go green'.  CCAN experts could, for instance, conduct recycling education or develop water conservation campaigns, or train city staff to work with residents on sustainability improvements.

Course Fees
While grant support will allow CCAN to offer many classes and workshops for free to the public, some classes may have fees.  Classes that give professional clock hours for instance, would cost that professional anywhere else, so charging a fee is reasonable.

For more expensive courses, such as outdoor field experience for urban youth, fees may be charged to those who can afford to pay.  For those who cannot afford a trip we will seek sponsorship from network partners.  We will determine need based on whether a child qualifies for "free or reduced" meals at school.  We also recognize up front that many families are stuck in the middle, living without expendable income, but well above the poverty line.  will also consider volunteer exchange for those who are in the gap between qualifying for free & reduced, and a family actually having expendable income.