What if funding didn’t come with strings attached?
For decades, traditional philanthropy has operated on a top-down model—where money flows from wealthy institutions, often in the Global North, to communities in the Global South. But with that funding often comes control: rigid grant restrictions, bureaucratic red tape, and reporting requirements that drain resources from these communities’ work.
This system has deep colonial roots. Historically, many philanthropic efforts were shaped by power imbalances, reinforcing that solutions should come from outside experts rather than the people who know their land, culture, and challenges best.
We are working to disrupt this outdated model by embracing Trust-Based Funding—a radical shift that puts resources directly into the hands of communities, removes unnecessary barriers, and centres local leadership in climate restoration efforts.
By directing resources to generations of communities with lived experience and deep-rooted knowledge, we take a step toward repairing historical injustices, dismantling power imbalances, and ensuring that solutions are led by those most directly affected.
By directing resources to generations of communities with lived experience and deep-rooted knowledge, we take a step toward repairing historical injustices, dismantling power imbalances, and ensuring that solutions are led by those most directly affected.
Why Traditional Philanthropy Fails to Meet the Moment
The urgency of the climate crisis demands more than business as usual. We are losing forests at an alarming rate—4.1 million hectares of tropical primary forests disappeared in 2022 alone, a rate of 11 football fields per minute (World Resources Institute, 2023).
Meanwhile, the communities most affected by climate change are the ones least responsible for causing it. The IPCC has repeatedly confirmed that Indigenous and local communities are on the frontlines of climate change, yet they receive less than 1% of global climate finance.
Indigenous and local communities are on the frontlines of climate change, yet they receive less than 1% of global climate finance.
Traditional funding models often perpetuate dependency cycles rather than investing in community-driven solutions. This is why we believe in Trust-Based Funding—where resources flow directly to communities without restrictive conditions.
What Is Trust-Based Funding?
Trust-based funding is a values-driven approach to philanthropy that prioritises equity, flexibility, and long-term partnerships. Instead of micromanaging funding, this approach provides unrestricted, flexible funding that allows communities to decide how best to use the money.
For us, this means:
🌱 Funding without heavy restrictions – We trust communities to use the resources where they are most needed, whether for tree planting, equipment, land protection, or empowering women’s leadership.
🌱 Shifting decision-making power – Instead of funders dictating priorities, we listen to the communities and allow them to lead.
🌱 Reducing administrative burdens – Many traditional grants require excessive reporting, pulling focus away from on-the-ground impact. Our approach ensures that communities spend more time restoring forests and less time filling out paperwork.
How Trust-Based Funding Creates Real Impact
By removing barriers, Trust-Based Funding allows real, transformative work to happen. Here are just a few of the projects made possible by this approach:
🌿 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): Over 700 Indigenous and local women are leading the reforestation of the Itombwe Rainforest, safeguarding old-growth forests and restoring degraded lands. They refer to themselves as “forest guardians”, reclaiming their land and power in the process.
🌿 Borneo, Indonesia: Through a community-designed project, local people are restoring 50 hectares of peat swamp forest in Gunung Palung National Park—one of the most biodiversity-rich areas on Earth. This initiative is partly funded through community-led healthcare programs, ensuring that restoration and well-being go hand in hand.
🌿 Kenya: In one of the most deforested countries in Africa, women are leading the Mount Kenya Forest Landscape Restoration Project, restoring critical water catchment areas that supply drinking water to thousands. Thanks to Trust-Based Funding, these women can access resources that allow them to plant trees and lead community decision-making.
These projects would not be as effective under traditional funding models—they thrive because they are community-led, adaptive, and rooted in deep ecological knowledge.
Decolonising Philanthropy, One Grant at a Time
Philanthropy has long been shaped by the belief that wealthy Western institutions know best. However, communities living in harmony with forests have been protecting the planet for generations—long before the climate crisis became a talking point in policy meetings.
Trust-based funding acknowledges this reality and shifts resources accordingly.
Instead of forcing communities to fit into rigid funding structures, we let them lead.
Rather than framing funding as charity, we recognise it as a long-overdue investment in justice.
Instead of extracting data for the sake of funders, we prioritise the impact that matters to the community.
Join Us in Changing the Way Climate Action is Funded
We believe in a future where reforestation efforts are led by the people who know their land best—and where funding supports their knowledge and leadership, rather than imposing outside control.
Want to be part of the change? We need your support to continue this work. Your donations helps sustain and expand ethical, community-led reforestation projects that restore forests, empower women, and heal the planet.
Reach out to us with any questions, ideas, or ways you’d like to contribute.
A few photos from our projects in (L-R) the DRC, Kenya and Borneo.