This brief compares two Community Forestry Management Agreements (CFMAs) in Liberia – one supported by the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and one supported by the USAID-funded Land Rights and Community Forestry Project (LRCFP). It contrasts the allocation process, the governance structures, the level of knowledge and skills that those serving on community governance structures have developed in managing their forests, and the impacts and benefits of the CFMA. With over 120 CFMA applications in the pipeline, the relevant authorities must pay urgent attention to these important factors; it is critical for local communities and government revenues that Liberia gets this right. By highlighting some of the key lessons learned during the past eight years of community forestry in Liberia, this brief aims to contribute to these processes being improved.