Greening the Grassroots: Rethinking African Conservation Funding

Addressing climate change, conserving biodiversity, securing indigenous and community land rights, and fostering more resilient livelihoods in rural communities across Africa all depend on action by community-based organizations. 

Yet these organizations struggle to grow or increase their impact due to inbuilt barriers and challenges in how they are funded.

We interviewed nearly 50 African civil society organizations (CSOs) and funders, and carried out an online survey that reached many more, to produce this report that explores the issues around existing conservation funding practices in Africa. 

The report seeks to shed light on the key barriers and challenges that both CSOs and funders face, and to develop initial recommendations around ways to improve funding practices to better support African organizations.

​​Globally, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities organizations and communities receive less than 1% of all climate funding, while African organizations receive approximately only 5% to 10% of private philanthropic funding invested in Africa.

 
 
 
 

Read the full report to understand the challenges and constraints, as well as opportunities and recommendations for overcoming these.