The Waterloo Foundation is currently accepting applications to protect tropical rainforests for their value to the climate, communities and biodiversity, principally through avoided deforestation.

Project Criteria

Local projects: Applications for practical local projects that they will consider would typically be working on a specified tropical rainforest area, defined in hectares. They will generally only accept applications for the protection of areas larger than 10,000 hectares. Applicants will need to demonstrate how their project involves:

• Exposing, addressing and overcoming the local drivers of deforestation
• Management of the specified area
• Methods to measure and monitor the protected area
• Sustainable livelihoods for forest-dependent communities

Strategic projects: They will consider applications for strategic projects that are working on addressing the drivers of deforestation on a wider or international scale. These could include:

• Working on international or regional forest policy
• Campaigning for improved practices in commerce
• Innovative ways of reducing deforestation e.g. financial systems or solutions based on the value of forest ecosystem services

Funding Information

The majority of their grants in this programme will be for a total of £50,000 - £100,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• The programme provide  funding support to UK-based charities, many of whom work in close partnership with smaller local NGOs based in the countries in which they operate.
• If you are an organisation based outside of the UK you must send them contact details for a named person who is willing to provide them with a reference for your work. This must be someone who:
  • Works for an international NGO with offices in the UK
  • Works for an organisation that the Foundation has previously given a grant to
  • Works for an organisation with offices in the UK, which has been a current or former donor to your organisation
  • Works for an academic institution, think tank or as an independent consultant who is based in the UK, and which has evaluated your organisation.

For more information, visit Waterloo Foundation.