- Indigenous and local communities protect 36% of the world’s intact tropical forests, yet receive less than 1% of international climate finance — a contradiction that threatens global climate goals and leaves the most effective forest guardians without the resources they need.
- As the COP30 climate summit in the Amazon draws near, pressure is mounting to get funding directly into the hands of Indigenous and local community organizations who are the frontline defenders of the world’s rainforests.
- “As billions of dollars in climate finance will be discussed or even decided upon at COP30 in Brazil, the priority must be to get resources directly to Indigenous and local communities who have safeguarded forests for generations,” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.
As the COP30 climate summit in the Amazon draws near, pressure is mounting to get funding directly into the hands of Indigenous and local community organizations who are the frontline defenders of the world’s rainforests. Donors are waking up to the powerful truth that funding Indigenous and local communities is one of the highest-impact investments we can make for forest protection and climate action. This momentum is encouraging.
Still, the numbers tell a stark story. Indigenous and local communities protect 36% of the world’s intact tropical forests, yet receive less than 1% of international climate finance. This contradiction threatens global climate goals and leaves the most effective forest guardians without the resources they need.
Behind this funding gap lie systemic barriers: rigid eligibility rules, donor requirements designed for large institutions, and administrative hurdles that shut out grassroots organizations. For decades, many intermediary organizations tried to bridge these gaps. Still, in practice, some evolved into permanent gatekeepers, unintentionally absorbing resources that could have more directly supported the organizations and communities they aimed to serve.
But intermediary organizations don’t always have to be gatekeepers. Our experience at Rainforest Foundation US and its Indigenous partners shows that when structured thoughtfully, intermediary organizations can clear the way rather than complicate it. They can break the funding bottlenecks while deliberately shifting power and, over time, help Indigenous organizations to build the systems and experience they need to receive and manage large grants directly and autonomously. Intentional intermediaries can play roles that strengthen, not sideline, Indigenous and local community organizations.
We have observed at least four ways to add value as an intermediary:
- First, by leveraging credibility to open doors to funding, breaking down large grants into manageable subgrants, providing fiscal sponsorship, and helping partners compete in complex funding landscapes.
- Second, by absorbing administrative burdens by taking on compliance and reporting requirements that would otherwise overwhelm small organizations, while translating across bureaucratic and cultural divides.
- Third, by investing in partner-led capacity strengthening by offering technical assistance and institutional development aligned with the communities’ priorities, not only donor interests.
- And finally, by supporting the reshaping of partnerships so that Indigenous organizations have a greater voice and negotiating power with donors and governments, setting the stage for direct, autonomous funding over time.
These principles are not theoretical. Rainforest Foundation US has seen them work, as documented in a new collection of case studies on the impacts of our partnerships spanning diverse time frames and geographies.
In Guyana, the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) and the South Rupununi District Council grew from underfunded offices to strong institutions managing more than $7 million in direct multiyear grants. The Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests (AMPB) invested in its institutional strengthening and secured millions in increased funding to improve governance and elevate the leadership of women and youth, establishing the Mesoamerican Territorial Fund, giving more than 200 communities in six countries direct access to resources.
Internationally, the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC) scaled from a $500,000 grassroots coalition to a structured body representing 35 million people, managing millions of dollars annually while shaping global climate negotiations. And in Peru, the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP) partnered with government agencies to complete 26 community land titles — encompassing nearly 191,000 acres (more than 77,000 hectares) — in record time, proving that strategic support for Indigenous leadership can unlock long-stalled state processes.
Taken together, these cases reinforce the need for diverse and robust funding ecosystems, with multiple pathways for support that adapt to shifting political and environmental realities. Effective funding must be flexible to meet communities where they are, and responsive to the urgent challenges they face.
Spanning diverse contexts, our experiences with partners point to one fundamental conclusion: the best intermediary is often temporary. Intermediaries should use their position to transfer power over time, not create long-term dependence. They should build capacity, unlock access, and step back, as Indigenous organizations gain the ability to receive and manage funding directly.
As billions of dollars in climate finance will be discussed or even decided upon at COP30 in Brazil, the priority must be to get resources directly to Indigenous and local communities who have safeguarded forests for generations. Many are already equipped to receive and manage funding directly. For those still facing barriers, intermediaries should focus on accelerating the path to autonomy.
True success lies in whether they work themselves out of the equation — removing barriers rather than reinforcing them — so that those who protect the world’s rainforests can lead the solutions we all depend on.
Suzanne Pelletier is executive director of Rainforest Foundation US, where Victor Gil also works as U.S. capacity strengthening senior program manager. Review their organization’s full report about this topic, “How Climate Finance Can Reach Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities: Practical Lessons from Four Regional Case Studies,” here.
Banner image: Indigenous leader Alessandra Korap Munduruku is a forest protector and winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize who confronted an international company attempting to access her community’s protected territory, leading the mining giant to withdraw. Image courtesy of the Goldman Environmental Prize.
Related audio from Mongabay’s podcast: National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yüyan joined the show to discuss traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and why Indigenous communities are the world’s most effective conservationists, listen here:
See related content and commentaries:
Direct funding of Indigenous peoples can protect global rainforests & the climate (commentary)
Supporting frontline leadership in a time of crisis (commentary)
Despite progress, small share of climate pledge went to Indigenous groups: report
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