Rapid-response Solidarity Funding to Indigenous, Forest, and Traditional Peoples of the Amazon Basin
The Amazon Rainforest is a vitally important ecosystem: it stabilizes the global climate and is home to one-third of terrestrial species and a large percentage of the fresh water on Earth. The Amazon is also home to, and stewarded by, over 500 distinct Indigenous peoples, who are facing grave threats due to deforestation, resource extraction, land grabs, and destructive development projects. According to the latest research, the Amazon is at its tipping point that, if surpassed, will lead to ecosystem collapse. In order to avert the tipping point, Amazon Watch is working towards the permanent protection of 80% of the Amazon in solidarity with our Indigenous partners through global advocacy and communications campaigns and on-the-ground programming throughout the Amazon Basin.
Amazon Watch’s Amazon Defenders Fund (ADF) is built upon a multi-decade track record as a trusted partner among Indigenous nations and local organizations. Guided by the principles and cosmology of Indigenous peoples, the ADF mobilizes flexible, timely, and direct solidarity funds to Indigenous leaders, peoples, and organizations to advance the Amazonian Indigenous agenda of autonomy and self-determination. The fund is often the first line of support for many Indigenous and forest peoples and is sought by donors wishing to effectively and immediately reach those directly affected by emergencies across the Amazon Basin.
Amazon Watch is decolonizing philanthropy by distributing nearly one-third of its budget directly to the Amazon. Amazon Watch will support Indigenous initiatives with $2 million in direct solidarity funding via the ADF over the course of the next year.
The ADF's largest granting regions are in Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru, with additional grants to Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Suriname, and regional grants for pan-Amazon movement building. Last year, some of our most sizable areas of funding included: COVID emergency response; safety and security of Earth Defenders, especially Indigenous women; solar energy systems; support for movement building, including institutional strengthening, self-governance, and capacity-building measures; fire management and oil spill cleanup; support for women knowledge keepers and healers; and supporting regenerative economies and food sovereignty throughout the region.
$902.88