In this conversation, we heard about the lessons learned by Casa Fund in supporting human rights and environmental defenders, organized in the publication called “RAPID RESPONSE FUNDS – Lessons learned from supporting Human Rights and Environmental Defenders in Brazil – a story of collaboration, learning and collective resilience”. This publication includes data on impacts, results, and articles written by guest experts in the field. We encourage you to read the report, watch the recording and take a look at the lessons below to inspire you and other actors in the philanthropy field to engage in protecting the lives of those who defend what belongs to all of us.
It’s clear to us that we’re not going to have our natural spaces if we don’t empower and support local communities at scale. It’s not about 5 or 10 grants—it’s about reaching every vulnerable group, because they are the ones protecting our most critical biomes.
Amalia- Fundo Casa Socioambiental
Lessons from the Conversation:
- Rapid response funds, such as those provided by Fundo Casa, have been crucial in supporting environmental defenders facing immediate and life-threatening challenges. These funds need to be flexible, quick, and adaptable to provide timely support.
- Fundo Casa’s grants are small, flexible, and can be deployed rapidly to reach defenders in immediate danger. These funds can look like an envelope of cash since activists are often off the grid for safety.
- Fundo Casa was founded by local activists who understood the region’s complexities. They built a system specifically designed for the Global South, operating in local currencies and consulting with the communities before distributing funds. Their focus is on hyper-local, community-driven solutions, and they ensure that the funds are reaching the most vulnerable populations directly.
- They developed their own multi-criteria grading system that evaluates applicants based on how well they fit predefined criteria. This approach also allows transparency when explaining to groups why they did or did not receive funds, ensuring accountability to the communities they serve.
- The peer-based funding model avoids the top-down structures seen in conventional philanthropy. Instead of relying on external experts to decide where money goes, they work closely with local networks that are embedded in the biomes they seek to protect.
- Fundo Casa does not separate environmental conservation from social justice. They coined the term “social-environmental” to reflect this integration. She explained that the communities protecting biomes like the Amazon are also fighting for their rights, livelihoods, and cultures. The fund prioritizes grants that address both environmental protection and the social well-being of these communities.
- Fundo Casa consults with communities to understand what they need most—whether it’s legal support, security, or resources to sustain their livelihoods—ensuring the grants are aligned with both environmental and social goals.
- On-the-ground presence and deep connections with local networks are important. Their ability to fund defenders who live in remote areas, such as indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation, is a result of their local activist-led model. They engage with communities through trusted local partners who understand the intricacies of each region and its specific challenges.
- Conventional philanthropy often fails to reach these groups because it doesn’t account for local contexts or operate in local currencies.
- For this model to work, there is a need for extensive digital security measures to protect sensitive data about environmental defenders.
- Fundo Casa remove defenders’ names and locations from any publicly available documents to prevent exposure to danger. These actions are crucial in protecting defenders.
- Protecting the Amazon requires cross-border cooperation since the biome spans nine countries. By fostering a South-South collaboration funders can ensure that resources are distributed where they are most needed, often in extremely remote areas.
- You cannot protect the amazon by funding just one country for example.
- Coordination takes time, effort and resources which need to be funded.
- There is an ongoing “trust gap” between Global North funders and local Global South organizations. 88% of funding meant for the Global South is controlled by Global North institutions.
- Fundo Casa and similar funds are pushing for direct funding from international sources to local actors, bypassing the intermediaries in the Global North.
- Global South funds should have a greater voice in international philanthropy. Global North funders are no longer the sole funders of Global South movements. There is a need for greater collaboration and mutual recognition between Global North and South organizations to better address shared challenges.
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