Rainforest Fund

Home
United States
New York, NY
Rainforest Fund

RFUND, started by Sting, Trudie Styler, and Dr. Franca Sciuto, is determined to protect indigenous livelihoods throughout the world's rainforests.

The Rainforest Fund has supported approximately 300 programs that cover a range of issues from protection of civil and political rights of Indigenous and tribal peoples, to the promotion and defense of their social, economic, and cultural rights; including the protection of rights to their land and against the destructiveness of resource exploitation. To donate, please go to https://www.rainforestfund.org/donate/ .

07/28/2026

Happy World Conservation Day!

Today, we celebrate the people and communities around the world who work every day to protect the world’s rainforests. Conserving these vital ecosystems means protecting biodiversity, supporting climate resilience, and ensuring Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities can continue to steward their ancestral lands for generations to come.

This photo relates to our project in Papua, Indonesia, with Rainforest Foundation Norway. It shows Indigenous youth participating in activities that strengthen the sustainable management of their forests while supporting inclusive, forest-based economic development. By investing in the next generation of forest stewards and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, the project helps Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities protect their rainforests while building resilient communities.

On this World Nature Conservation Day, we’re proud to support Indigenous communities who are safeguarding the world’s rainforests for generations to come.

Photo: Youth Forest Camp participants gathered in a forest area as part of efforts to support and nurture
youth-led conservation and stewardship of Papua’s rainforest

07/22/2026

These photos highlight some of the incredible work taking place with Indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon.

Together with the Raoni Institute, we're supporting the Mẽbêngôkre (Kayapó), Yudja, Tapayuna, and Trumai peoples by strengthening sustainable livelihoods through the production of forest products like cumaru, copaiba oil, honey, and pepper, while also celebrating and promoting traditional Indigenous arts and crafts.

This work is about more than generating income. It helps strengthen food security, preserve traditional knowledge, and protect the forests Indigenous communities have cared for for generations. By supporting Indigenous-led solutions, we're investing in the people whose leadership is essential to the future of the Amazon.p

Photo 1: honey producers from the Pakissamba village in the Xingu Indigenous Territory (TIX).

Photo 2 &3: Team from the Bioeconomy Department in ATL 2026.

Photo 4: Yudja producers, showing the apiary.

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day!

On Earth Day, we recognize the vital role Indigenous communities play in protecting the rainforest. For generations, they have protected biodiversity, preserved ecosystems, and maintained a balance that supports life far beyond the forest.

Today, these lands face increasing threats from deforestation and climate change. Supporting Indigenous land rights is one of the most effective ways to protect the rainforest, because when Indigenous communities are empowered, deforestation decreases and ecosystems thrive.

These photos reflect our work in Palawan, Philippines, where mining activities are expanding and young people in Brooke’s Point are leading protests to protect their forests.

Protecting the rainforest is essential to protecting the planet.

Photo Credit: CALG

04/04/2026

We’re deeply concerned about what’s happening in Southern Palawan.

Mining activity appears to be expanding despite the province’s moratorium putting forests, wildlife, and local communities at risk. Reports of new permits and ongoing projects raise serious questions about how these protections are being enforced.

Through our partners, Coalition Against Land Grabbing (CALG), we’ve supported Indigenous communities in Palawan for years, helping secure land rights and protect livelihoods. What’s happening now could undo that progress.

To learn more about this situation and how you can help, please visit:

https://icmagazine.org/nickel-mining-threatens-palawan-forests-and-livelihoods-despite-moratorium/

https://icmagazine.org/new-barricade-against-mining-aggression-in-a-unesco-biosphere-reserve/

Photo Credit: CALG (community meeting)

04/01/2026

We’re excited to share our 2026 projects, supporting Indigenous-led efforts to protect forests, defend land rights, and strengthen sustainable livelihoods worldwide.

Across Southeast Asia, our partners in Indonesia and the Philippines are supporting Indigenous communities to protect their ancestral lands while expanding sustainable livelihoods. From mangrove shrimp harvesting in West Papua and forest protection efforts in Kalimantan, to community advocacy around geothermal development on Flores and land titling efforts in Palawan, these initiatives help communities strengthen governance, defend their territories, and support sustainable livelihoods while protecting their lands and natural resources.

In Central Africa, our projects in the Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon are strengthening Indigenous governance, supporting education and creating economic opportunities for women, while protecting forest communities’ rights and traditional livelihoods. These initiatives help Indigenous and forest-dependent communities manage forests sustainably, preserve cultural knowledge, and expand opportunities for youth and women while defending their lands from increasing pressures.

In Latin America, Indigenous communities in Brazil and Peru continue working to defend their territories through land titling, legal advocacy, and Indigenous-led monitoring. Indigenous guardian teams play a vital role in protecting forests from illegal invasions and deforestation, while legal training and land recognition efforts strengthen long-term protection of ancestral lands and the rights of Indigenous peoples.

Together, these partnerships reflect the vital role Indigenous communities play in protecting the world’s forests and biodiversity. When communities have the tools, recognition, and support they need, they are the most effective stewards of their lands and ecosystems.

We are deeply grateful to our supporters whose generosity makes these projects possible. Your support helps Indigenous communities protect their lands, strengthen their livelihoods, and safeguard some of the world’s most important forests for generations to come.

02/16/2026

These photos come from our project in Papua, Indonesia, carried out with our partners at EcoNusa. The project supports Indigenous communities in developing sustainable wild-caught shrimp production in mangrove ecosystems, which play a vital role in local livelihoods and the health of the environment. By strengthening these local practices, the project helps communities maintain a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.

Through hands-on training, access to basic production tools, and ongoing support at the community level, the project helps improve how shrimp are handled after harvest, processed, and brought to market. It also helps connect the community with buyers, supporting steady income for families and fostering long-term economic stability.

The photos show community-run shrimp stations, everyday post-harvest work, and the tools and shared spaces that make this work possible. They capture the dedication of local families and the collaborative efforts that sustain both livelihoods and the mangrove ecosystems they depend on.

We thank you for your support, which makes projects like this possible

01/28/2026

These photos come from our partner ANPAC in the DRC. The project supports Indigenous communities in Walikale (North Kivu), Kiri (Mai-Ndombe), and Mweka (Central Kasai) in protecting their lands, cultures, and livelihoods.

The images were taken during ANPAC’s annual cultural forum, traditionally held in the Indigenous village of Kisimbosa in Walikale territory. The forum brings together elders, youth, community leaders, and local authorities to share cultural practices, discuss Indigenous land rights, and reinforce intergenerational exchange. Despite ongoing conflict and displacement, the gathering remains an important space for sustaining cultural identity and community resilience.

We are deeply grateful to our supporters, whose solidarity and generosity make this work possible and help ensure that Indigenous knowledge, rights, and cultures continue to thrive even in the face of conflict and uncertainty.

12/28/2025

Happy Holidays from the Rainforest Fund!

As the year comes to a close, we want to thank our incredible supporters for standing with Indigenous Peoples around the world. Your generosity is helping communities protect their lands, defend their rights, and safeguard some of the planet’s most vital rainforests.

Because of you, Indigenous partners in Brazil are monitoring and defending their territories against illegal invasions, strengthening legal networks for Indigenous rights, equipping Indigenous fire brigades to combat devastating wildfires, and building sustainable forest-based livelihoods like cumaru (tonka nut) harvesting. These efforts protect forests while creating economic alternatives rooted in Indigenous knowledge and stewardship.

Your support is also making a global impact. Across Latin America, communities are securing land titles, empowering Indigenous women, and addressing environmental pollution caused by mining. In Africa Indigenous Peoples are strengthening governance, protecting forests, revitalizing cultural knowledge, and advancing land and livelihood rights. And thanks to your help, in Asia Indigenous communities are mapping ancestral lands, rebuilding rights-based livelihoods, protecting mangrove forests, and defending ancestral domains against land grabbing.

This work is only possible because of you. Together, we are supporting Indigenous people who are without a doubt, the best protectors of the Rainforest.

From all of us at the Rainforest Fund, thank you and Happy Holidays!

To donate, please go to https://www.rainforestfund.org/donate-now/

Address

New York, NY

Telephone

+12126776045

Website

https://www.rainforestfund.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rainforest Fund posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Rainforest Fund:

Featured

Heart River Center for Intuitive Healing

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in New York?