An investor may approach a community seeking landand natural resources at any time. These guides providerecommendations for how advocates and communityleaders can best support communities to prepare for,and, if they so wish, engage in empowered contractnegotiations with investors seeking to use communitylands and natural resources for their businesses.This guide (guide 1) explains how communities canprepare for interactions with potential investors,including making decisions about whether or not tonegotiate. It can be used to help a community: (a)prepare beforean investor arrives and (b) decidewhether or not to enter into discussions ornegotiations with an investor that has arrived. Guide1 should be used beforeany negotiations start.