FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Examples from Guyana, Peru, Mesoamerica, and a global Indigenous alliance demonstrate practical solutions to overcome systemic funding barriers.

New York, 19 September 2025 — Indigenous peoples and local communities protect more than a third of the planet’s most vital forests, yet receive less than one percent of international climate funding. Without adequate and accessible financing, many communities face challenges in maintaining territorial protection and advancing self-determined priorities for climate action.

Newly launched by Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS), Contributing to a More Resilient Direct Funding Ecosystem for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities: Case Studies on Intermediary Support is a series of four case studies that shed light on practical ways this imbalance can be addressed. Developed from the experiences of RFUS staff working alongside Indigenous partners in the Amazon and Central America, the report documents concrete ways to overcome technical, cultural, and administrative barriers that often keep funding from reaching the ground. Each example showcases how this can be done while strengthening Indigenous and local community institutions so they can manage large grants directly and sustainably, building the foundation for long-term direct access to funding.

“No one protects tropical forests more effectively than Indigenous peoples, yet they receive only a fraction of climate funding. These examples prove it’s possible to change that by facilitating the flow of funding directly to their organizations, while strengthening their institutional capacity so that they can access large grants and manage them autonomously over the long term,” said Victor Gil, Rainforest Foundation US Capacity Strengthening Senior Program Manager.

Case Studies Highlights

• Guyana: The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) and the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC)

From under-resourced to managing millions

With long-term technical and financial support from RFUS, APA and the SRDC invested in building their governance, financial management, and advocacy capacities to secure and manage more than US$ 7 million in multi-year direct grants over ten years. Their experience shows how direct and intermediated funding can work in tandem as local capacity grows.

• Global: The Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC) 

Expanding reach through fiscal sponsorship

Through tailored fiscal sponsorship and ongoing strategic support, RFUS supported GATC, representing 35 million people across 24 countries, to strengthen its operational capacity and expand its funding base from a single major funder to more than a dozen. This model enabled the alliance to mobilize US$ 9.8 million, gain advisory roles in global climate forums, secure formal advisory roles, and increase member organizations’ ability to engage directly with funders.

• Central America and Mexico: The Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests (AMPB) 

Co-designing a territorial fund to address community needs

Through a partnership with RFUS and with support from USAID, AMPB both strengthened its own institutional capacity—growing its budget by 20% and securing an additional US$2 million in direct funding—and established the Mesoamerican Territorial Fund, which has channeled nearly US$2 million to more than 200 communities across six countries. The fund has supported projects in sustainable livelihoods and leadership by women and youth, showing how intermediaries can adapt bilateral finance to expand community control over resources.

• Peru: The Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP) 

Accelerating land rights through local government partnerships  

By channeling $530,000 to strengthen AIDESEP’s coordination role, the partnership secured 26 community land titles covering 191,000 acres–nearly the size of New York City–in record time. (The process took 8-18 months, instead of decades.) AIDESEP became a key contributor to local government processes, while Indigenous-led logistics networks built lasting economic infrastructure. This shows how intermediation can reshape government partnerships and strengthen sustainable community organizations.

While global pledges increasingly acknowledge the importance of Indigenous leadership in addressing the climate crisis, actual funding flows remain slow, fragmented, and constrained by bureaucracy. These case studies demonstrate that accountability and Indigenous leadership can go hand in hand, and that building institutional capacity is the most effective way to ensure sustainable protection of forests.

About the Studies

The case studies were compiled by Rainforest Foundation US and are part of ongoing efforts to contribute to more diverse, resilient funding ecosystems by engaging donors, policymakers, and community leaders to improve the reach and effectiveness of climate finance. For more than three decades, Rainforest Foundation US has worked in long-term partnership with Indigenous organizations to secure land rights, protect forests, and strengthen governance, institutional capacity, and advocacy systems rooted in local priorities. This commitment, grounded in trust and co-creation, has supported small volunteer-run groups to transform into nationally and globally recognized institutions capable of managing multi-million-dollar grants, influencing policy, and representing their peoples in climate negotiations. Read the report here.