Funders of the Amazon Basin

The Funders of the Amazon Basin is a learning group of primarily grant-making entities that trust one another and respect the uniqueness of individuals and organisations. It is our strength to collectively reflect on our approaches as donors and share strategies and lessons to become more effective grantmakers in the Andean-Amazon region.

ABOUT US

To share strategies and lessons learned in order to become more effective grantmakers in the Andean-Amazon region

We work together for a present and future sustained by vibrant, resilient, and thriving communities and ecosystems in the Andean-Amazon Basin.

  • A learning group of funders* geographically focused on the Andean-Amazon Basin
  • A space of trust where thorny issues can be discussed without attribution
  • A group enriched by the diversity of approaches, expertise and strategies of its members
  • An opportunity to explore collaborations and complementary grantmaking that increases our collective impact

*Granting entities considered eligible for FAB membership include private foundations and non-profit organizations (public grantmaking charities, etc.) whose main purpose is granting to organizations in the Amazon. As this time, FAB membership is not open to public funding entities such as bilateral and multilateral funding agencies.

  • Understand both our individual and collective identities, as well as our contributions to financing in the Amazon region.
  • Gain a comprehensive understanding of the Amazonian context among all members.
  • Identify and pursue collective actions and strategies for collaboration.
  • Build and maintain trust within the group.

CURRENT FAB MEMBERS

Andes Amazon Fund (AAF)

Charles S. Mott Foundation

Climate and Land Use Alliance (CLUA)

Ford Foundation

Full Circle Foundation (FCF)

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF)

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP)

Re:wild

Tenure Facility

Rainforest Trust

Interested in becoming a FAB member?

Membership Criteria

FAB membership is open to funders that:

  • Adhere to the vision, mission and operational guidelines described here and in the BFG FAB Program Charter
  • Act primarily as funders, not grant seekers, in the Amazon basin
  • Contribute financially to the coordination of the group

Membership Process

  • A recommendation from at least one existing member of the FAB group is the first step toward becoming a member.
  • FAB members may consider new members by adding the request to the agenda of any meeting at which a quorum (currently 6 members) is present.
  • All members present must unanimously accept potential new members

Membership Dues

Membership dues support the implementation of FAB’s yearly activities with the support of a dedicated FAB Program Manager.

Suggested contributions for membership dues are determined by each member’s level of grantmaking in relevant program areas and/or the Amazon region. The following are recommended minimum contributions, but larger contributions are always welcome.

Level of grantmaking | Suggested dues

  • Up to 1 million | $5000
  • Between 1 and 5 million | $10,000
  • 5 million or more | $20,000

Dues are collected and managed by the Biodiversity Funders Group (BFG), which hosts FAB and provides administrative and programmatic support. Please note that BFG membership and dues are separate from FAB membership and dues.

What members say about FAB

“The most valuable aspect about FAB is the possibility of strategizing grantmaking together, understanding where foundations are investing and which areas we should be bolster together.”

IAGO HAIRON, Open Society Foundations

“FAB is a great collaborative space where funders can jointly shape the agenda and work plan that reflects and leverages the intersection of interest among funders.”

XIMENA WARNAARS, Ford Foundation

“It is helpful to know what other funders are working on similar issues or in similar geographies, so that efforts can be coordinated.”

MEGAN MACDOWELL, Andes Amazon Fund

“The collaboration and learning opportunities provided by FAB help us do our work better both individually and collectively in pursuit of our joint vision for the Amazon basin” 

MARIA FRANCO CHUAIRE, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

History

The Funders of the Amazon Basin (FAB) was launched in 2011 as an informal gathering of four foundations: the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Blue Moon Fund, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the C.S. Mott Foundation. This initiative emerged from a shared desire for increased coordination among program officers working in the Amazon region. By the end of that first year, the group had expanded to include seven foundations.

FAB plays a significant role in both global and regional philanthropy by providing opportunities for its members to understand their individual and collective identities, strategies, priorities, and concerns. The FAB also fosters a comprehensive understanding of the Amazonian context, encourages the identification and pursuit of collective actions and strategies, and helps build and maintain trust within the group.

Although FAB is not a platform for shared grantmaking, conversations among FAB members have led to collaborative, complementary grantmaking efforts. For example, in 2014, the group commissioned a white paper on communication strategies. This document not only documented existing shared grantees but also identified emerging opportunities for collaboration. As a result, complementary grants and new collaborations can be traced back to those discussions.

What sets the FAB group apart from other funder collaboratives is its primary focus on a specific territory rather than on a particular issue or grantmaking area. Given the dramatic threats facing the Amazon biome —home to 10% of the world’s known biodiversity and 67% of tropical forests—F AB members have coordinated efforts to support Indigenous Peoples, Afrodescendants, and other forest communities. Their initiatives aim to advance sustainable practices, secure land tenure and protection, provide resources, capacities, and technology for communities’ well-being, and address the drives affecting both the ecological and cultural integrity of the entire biome.

FAB members recognise that their diversity of approaches, strategies, and priorities is a significant strength as donors. While FAB members may not always agree on specific grantmaking strategies or approaches, the group has created a safe space for open discussions. The underlying belief is that by understanding each other’s strategies, they can avoid duplicating efforts, foster complementarity, inform future grantmaking, and reduce the risk that one member’s investments inadvertently undermine another’s initiatives.