Mapping examines community-led forest funds across 26 tropical forest countries

What you need to know

• The mapping covers funds in 26 tropical forest countries, with attention to how they are legally arranged, governed and used to make grants. The full report was not available for independent review, so its methods and underlying fund-level evidence could not be checked against the publisher’s summary. 1
• According to the publisher, many mapped funds give community assemblies or representative organisations authority over priorities and resource allocation. Legal and hosting arrangements vary, so the report does not present a single model of community-led finance. 1
• The publisher says most funds remain small and rely on recurring donor contributions, and that more reliable financing would benefit them. These are reported findings from the summary, rather than independently verified conclusions from accessible fund-level data. 1
• Other research describes both community-led funds and arrangements involving intermediaries. Forest Trends notes that intermediaries can help address administrative barriers, while also describing trade-offs in how much funding reaches communities directly. 2
• The wider funding picture includes multiple routes. A UN Convention on Biological Diversity document records increased direct funding in 2023 under the Forest Tenure Pledge, alongside continuing access barriers; a 2026 report describes government and multilateral finance, foundations and rightsholder-led funds as serving complementary functions. 34

Why this matters

Community-led funds are one route for directing resources towards community priorities in forest stewardship. The sources indicate that reliable finance and access remain challenges, but the mapping’s potential use for donors or policymakers should not be mistaken for evidence of conservation results already achieved. 123

What happens next

The full report could not be independently inspected: the publisher’s download link returned an error, and Shandia’s library listed it as “coming soon”. Its methods, fund-level evidence and any assessment of forest outcomes therefore remain to be checked when the report is accessible. 1

What we know

• Rainforest Foundation US describes the report as a joint mapping with the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities covering 26 tropical forest countries. 1
• The publisher says the mapped mechanisms vary in governance, legal and hosting arrangements, and grantmaking; some give community assemblies or representative organisations authority over priorities and resource allocation. 1
• The CBD document records an increase in direct funding to Indigenous peoples and local communities in 2023 under the Forest Tenure Pledge, while also noting continuing funding bottlenecks. 3

What we don't know

• The available material does not explain the criteria used to select the 26 countries and funds, or how the report defines an Indigenous- or community-led fund. 1
• The fund-level evidence behind the publisher’s statements that most funds are small and reliant on recurring donations could not be reviewed. 1
• It remains unclear whether the full report assesses fund performance or forest outcomes, or focuses on structures and financing needs. 1

Read the reporting

This WildNews briefing synthesises and summarises reporting from the sources below. WildNews did not produce the original reporting. Learn more about how we use AI