irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $80KPANAMA- "RF US (PANAMA)" THIS PROJECT FOCUSES ON SECURING LAND RIGHTS FOR LOCAL PARTNERS, ENHANCING TERRITORIAL GOVERNANCE, AND BOLSTERING PARTNER CAPACITY FOR FOREST PROTECTION. THE PROJECT SUPPORTS MANAGEMENT OF 2.8 MILLIONHECTARES AND GOVERNANCE OVER 6.9 MILLION HECTARES USING TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING. ITS GOAL IS TO STRENGTHEN FOREST PROTECTION AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS.
- #2 $80KBRAZIL - "AMAZONI ALERTA (BRAZIL)" THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS TWO INDIGENOUS GUARDIAN TEAMS: THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL AGENTS IN ARARIBIA AND A NEW TEAM IN URU-EU-WAU-WAU. IT COVERS START-UP COSTS SUCH AS EQUIPMENT, UNIFORMS, GPS DEVICES, AND DRONES, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT. THE PROJECT ALSO FUNDS THE SALARY OF KARI GUAJAJARA, A LEADING INDIGENOUS LAWYER, TO OVERSEE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.
named programs · 13 · from sources
What they call their work
Amazoni Alerta (Brazil)
Supports Indigenous guardian teams in Araribóia and Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau territories with equipment, GPS, drones, and legal oversight to combat illegal deforestation and strengthen territorial monitoring.
Batwa Youth Empowerment (Uganda)
Provides human rights education and land justice advocacy training to Batwa youth through OUBDU.
Bribri Territorial Governance (Costa Rica)
Empowers Bribri women through cultural revival, FPIC protocols, and legal action to stop dam construction threatening their lands.
CADT Certification Support (Philippines)
Assists Indigenous communities in obtaining Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) and developing Sustainable Development and Protection Plans under IPRA.
Chepkitale Ogiek Land Rights (Kenya)
Strengthens governance and land title efforts for the Chepkitale Ogiek community following legal recognition of their ancestral lands in 2022.
Community Forestry (Central African Republic)
Supports community forestry and forest monitoring to enhance local economies and advocate for equitable forest management policies.
Customary Land Rights (Indonesia)
Supports Dayak Bahau and other Indigenous communities in securing legal recognition of Adat land rights and empowering women in non-timber forest product enterprises.
Indigenous Rights Clinic (Brazil)
Provides ongoing legal education and training for Indigenous rights lawyers to strengthen litigation and advocate for mandatory Indigenous rights courses in Brazilian law schools.
Land Titling Support (Peru)
Assists Indigenous communities in securing legal land titles to protect their territories from deforestation and external threats.
Mangrove Protection (West Papua)
Supports EcoNusa in promoting sustainable livelihoods through non-timber forest products in mangrove areas and improving market access.
Projecto Luchar (Ecuador)
Raises awareness about mercury pollution from mining in Napo province and promotes sustainable alternatives to restore ecosystems and protect community health.
Sustainable Cumaru Production (Brazil)
Supports the Mẽbêngôkre (Kayapó) people through Instituto Raoni to develop sustainable income from cumaru collection as an alternative to illegal logging and mining.
Tribes Alive Firefighting Initiative (Brazil)
Equips Kayapó Mekrãgnoti and Kuikuro communities with firefighting tools and training to prevent and respond to Amazon wildfires.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Indigenous-Led Ecosystem Stewardship 2 activities
- Direct implementation of sustainable resource management and cultural preservation projectsDirectly supports sustainable cumaru production, rainwater catchment systems, ecosystem restoration, and cultural revitalization in Indigenous communities across the Amazon, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia.
- Direct support for territorial monitoring and environmental protectionProvides direct operational support to Indigenous guardian teams and fire brigades in Brazil and other regions by supplying equipment, funding leadership roles, and establishing boundary monitoring systems to prevent deforestation and wildfires in protected territories.
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Legal Education and Career Pipeline Programs 1 activity
- Conducting professional legal and technical training for Indigenous leadersOperates the Indigenous Rights Clinic and conducts workshops to train Indigenous youth and legal advocates in mapping, legal defense, and public engagement, enhancing long-term self-representation and institutional strength.
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Human Rights Advocacy Funding 1 activity
- Funding capacity building and legal empowerment of Indigenous communitiesFunds programs that build legal and advocacy capacity among Indigenous communities, including training youth in legal frameworks, launching legal clinics for Indigenous lawyers, and supporting FPIC protocols and policy engagement.
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Agricultural Grantmaking and Funding Programs 1 activity
- Funding community development and sustainable livelihoodsFunds initiatives that support sustainable economic alternatives and community development for Indigenous and forest-dependent communities, such as non-timber forest product enterprises, agroecology training, and artisan cooperatives in Bolivia, Indonesia, and Uganda.
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Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Funding land rights and territorial governance for Indigenous communitiesFunds projects that secure ancestral land rights and strengthen territorial governance for Indigenous peoples across multiple countries, including legal recognition efforts, land demarcation, and title processing. Examples include supporting the Chepkitale Ogiek in Kenya, the Mẽbêngôkre (Kayapó) in Brazil, and Indigenous communities in Peru and Panama.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.07M
Contributions & grants$481K45%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$589K55%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.01M
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$136K
Grants paid out$799K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.85M
Cash$269K
Investments$3.55M
Liabilities$4K
Net assets$3.85M
Liquid reserves45.3 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +43.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 4
- HELEN FAIRCLOUGH — BOARD MEMBER
- JOE SUMNER — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHN-PAUL DAVIDSON — CHAIRPERSON
- TRUDIE STYLER — CO-CHAIRWOMAN
relationships · 40
Who they work with
- A.N.A.P.A.C. Partner — Partner organization implementing a project to revitalize Indigenous cultural knowledge and protect territorial rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- APETDS Partner — Implements projects in the Republic of Congo to strengthen capacities of indigenous people in community governance.
- Alianza Ceibo Partner — Partner organization working with the Rainforest Fund to implement community projects in Ecuador, including rainwater catchment systems.
- Alliance Nationale d’Appui et de Promotion des Aires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire Partner — Partner organization (ANAPAC, Democratic Republic of the Congo) whose programs have been supported by The Rainforest Fund.
- Amazonia Alerta Partner — Partnership to strengthen territorial monitoring, legal defense, and legal training for Indigenous rights in the Amazon.
- Araribóia community Partner — Supporting the Araribóia community in defending their territory from illegal invasions.
- Bruno Pereira Partner — Defender and friend of indigenous communities who collaborated with the organization's mission.
- C.I.P.D.P. Partner — Partner organization securing ancestral lands and livelihoods of the Chepkitale Ogiek community in Kenya.
- CALG Partner — Partner organization supported by Rainforest Fund to secure land for Indigenous communities in the Philippines and improve livelihoods through legal and sustainable development initiatives.
- CECD Partner — Partner organization strengthening community governance and sustainable natural resource management in the Republic of Congo.
- Ceibo Alliance Partner — Indigenous-led partner organization (formerly ClearWater, Ecuador) whose programs have been supported by The Rainforest Fund.
- Ceibo Alliance Partner — Supports the alliance in protecting the rights and land of Indigenous peoples in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
- Chief Raoni Partner — Collaborating with Chief Raoni on initiatives to support the Kayapo community.
- Comunidad Viva Partner — Collaborates on a women’s economic independence project with Ayoreo artisans in Bolivia.
- Dom Phillips Partner — Journalist and advocate for indigenous communities who supported the organization's mission.
- Eco Nusa Partner — Newer partner organization supported by Rainforest Fund to empower communities in West Papua economically while protecting mangrove forests.
- Equipe de Conservação da Amazônia (ECAM) Partner — Collaborates on multiple projects in Brazil, including training indigenous rights defenders and strengthening community responses to deforestation.
- Equipe de Conservção da Amazônia Partner — Brazilian partner organization (ECAM) whose programs have been supported by The Rainforest Fund.
- European Union Government — Engages with the European Union on policy and funding initiatives for rainforest conservation.
- Forest Peoples Programme Partner — Collaborates with APETDS on renewed project initiatives in the Republic of Congo.
- Indigenous Peoples and traditional populations of the rainforests Partner — Primary partners in conservation efforts, leading the projects funded by the organization.
- Instituto Raoni Partner — Collaboration to support sustainable cumaru production and establish an Indigenous fire brigade in the Amazon.
- Kaninde Defense Association Partner — Partnered to support the Urueu-wau-wau and Jupau Indigenous peoples in Rondônia, Brazil, in response to Amazon fires.
- Kayapo community Partner — Working with the Kayapo community to improve the marketing of sustainable forest products.
- OUBDU Partner — Partner organization empowering Batwa youth and advocating for their human rights and land recognition in Uganda.
- Ogiek of Chepkitale Partner — Working with the Ogiek of Chepkitale to strengthen governance, secure land rights, and support local schools.
- PNP Partner — Women's organization supported by Rainforest Fund to assist Dayak Bahau communities in securing land rights and protecting human rights.
- Perkumpulan Nurani Perempuan (PNP) Partner — Supports this women's organization in defending the customary lands of the Dayak Bekati in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
- Rainforest Foundation Norway Partner — Collaborated with The Rainforest Fund US to finance the demarcation of the New Mekragnoty Indigenous territory.
- Rainforest Foundation Norway Partner — Partner organization whose programs have been supported by The Rainforest Fund.
+ 10 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Led Governance and Developmentmethodology: community-led developmentBy ensuring that programs are designed and implemented by local communities and Indigenous groups, we foster ownership, sustainability, and cultural relevance because locally driven solutions are more adaptive, trusted, and resilient than externally imposed models.
- Indigenous-Led Conservationmethodology: indigenous-led conservationBy supporting conservation initiatives led by Indigenous Peoples, we achieve more effective and sustainable rainforest protection because Indigenous communities possess deep ecological knowledge and a vested interest in preserving their ancestral territories.
- Legal Empowerment for Indigenous Communitiesmethodology: legal empowermentBy building legal capacity within Indigenous communities—especially among youth—we strengthen long-term resilience and rights defense because trained community members can effectively engage with legal systems, advocate for policy change, and protect territorial rights from exploitation.
- Rights-Based Approach to Conservationmethodology: rights-based-approach-to-conservationBy advancing the legal and human rights of Indigenous Peoples—particularly land rights and self-governance—we produce stronger environmental outcomes because secure tenure and community empowerment enable long-term stewardship and resistance to destructive external forces.