Argentine Protected Areas

The project identifies near-term opportunities to capitalize on Argentinian support for protected areas, including developing campaigns to gain permanent protection for key marine and terrestial areas.

Topics: International , Land Conservation , Policy

Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition Project

The coalition was established to support robust community and tribal involvement and promote sustainable use and enjoyment of the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, providing Tribal governments and local community organizations with resources to help manage the monument and to ensure that meaningful on-the-ground projects are resourced properly. The five member Tribes (Hopi, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute, Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah Ouray, and Zuni Tribe) are currently working with the Biden administration to re-establish the Bears Ears Commission with the United States Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management after the restoration of the Monument to its original size in October 2021.

Website: https://bearsearscoalition.org/

Topics: Indigenous Rights , Land Conservation , Policy

Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition Project

Boreal Strategic Advisors

Boreal Strategic Advisors (BSA) was created in 2017 to provide strategic direction, campaign management, and fundraising support for the International Boreal Conservation Campaign (IBCC). The IBCC, launched in 2000, has been working to conserve and sustainably manage at least one billion acres of intact boreal forest in Canada by the end of 2022. At the heart of this campaign is collaboration with and support for First Nations leading the effort to manage protected areas. Benefits of this work include: biological diversity, carbon sequestration, clean water and air, healthy communities, and sustainable economic development.

Website: www.borealconservation.org

Topics: Biodiversity , Indigenous Rights , Land Conservation , Policy , Social Equity

California 30×30 Initiative

The California 30×30 Initiative (C3I) advances a public-private partnership between RLF and the California Natural Resources Agency to support the state’s implementation of Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-82-20, which commits the state to protect 30 percent of the state’s lands and coastal waters by 2030 (30×30). RLF is supporting California Tribes and organizations from underserved communities to enable their active participation in implementing this directive. RLF is also undertaking communications and public education activities designed to build public and decision maker support for achieving 30×30.

Topics: Biodiversity , Climate Resilience , Indigenous Rights , Land Conservation , Oceans , Policy

California Climate Leadership Program

The California Climate Leadership Program (CCLP) aims to renew and accelerate the pace of California’s leadership on climate change. The program focuses on building strong and diverse coalitions, coordinating and launching strategic communications efforts including research and messaging to counter the fossil fuel industry narrative, and supporting organizations driving climate leadership in California. CCLP engages funders, advocates, and other partners to advance new policies to substantially reduce carbon emissions by 2030 while building social, economic, and environmental resilience to intensifying climate change impacts.

Topics: Climate Resilience , Policy

California Coastal Program

Established in 2012, the California Coastal Program (CCP) seeks to elevate coastal conservation as a priority for California policymakers. The program works to advance funding and policies that address important threats, such as sea level rise, to coastal and marine resources and communities, promote equitable public access to beaches and other coastal resources, and ensure public agencies and officials are accountable for strong coastal management.

Topics: Climate Resilience , Oceans , Policy , Public Funding

California Environmental Equity Initiative

California Environmental Equity Initiative (CEEI) seeks to strengthen California climate and environmental policies and increase public funding to address intersecting environmental, climate, social, and health issues that disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color. CEEI focuses on building capacity, power, and leadership among younger, more ethnically diverse leaders, organizations, and coalitions advocating for environmental outcomes that benefit their communities and better meet the needs of California’s most marginalized residents. The program supports community-driven efforts that increase access to parks, public lands, and safe drinking water and build resilience to climate change in ways that enhance justice, health, and well-being.

Topics: Climate Resilience , Healthy Communities , Parks , Policy , Public Funding , Social Equity

California Fisheries Improvement Strategy

The California Fisheries Improvement Strategy (FIS) program works to ensure commercially and recreationally significant California state-managed fisheries meet global standards for sustainability and good management. FIS fosters innovations in fisheries management and practices, supports improved capacity of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and promotes modernization of data collection and analysis.

Topics: Fisheries , Oceans , Policy

Campaign for Nature

This initiative is focused on establishing a new global goal of conserving at least 30 percent of the planet’s land and ocean in a natural state by 2030. Campaign for Nature staff work closely with leaders around the world to develop more ambitious international conservation targets through the Convention on Biological Diversity, increase financing for biodiversity conservation, and advance rights for Indigenous Peoples. The “30×30” conservation target is based in science and is designed as a rights-based approach to conservation to help reduce mass species extinctions and the devasting impacts of climate change as well as decrease the risk and impact of future pandemics.

Website: www.campaignfornature.org

Topics: Indigenous Rights , International , Land Conservation , Oceans , Policy

Canada and Mexico Protected Area Fund

Created to aid in the establishment of new terrestrial and marine protected areas in Canada and Mexico. The project supports, among other things, educational material development, short-term contract organizing support, public opinion research, and paid and earned media.

Topics: Indigenous Rights , Land Conservation , Policy

Center for Western Priorities

The Center for Western Priorities works to advance responsible conservation and energy practices in the West through the release of reports, polls, videos, podcasts, and earned media events. CWP encourages open, public debate and works to advance those discussions online, in the media, and throughout Western communities.

Website: https://westernpriorities.org

Topics: Climate Resilience , Energy , Policy

Climate Mayors

Climate Mayors is a bipartisan network of more than 470 U.S. mayors demonstrating climate leadership through meaningful actions in their communities. Representing 48 states and 74 million Americans, the Climate Mayors coalition reflects U.S. cities’ commitment to climate progress. In addition to local climate leadership, Climate Mayors build political will for federal and global climate action. Hundreds of members have signed the Climate Mayors letters committing to the Paris Agreement and calling on Congress to invest in a green and equitable economic recovery.

Website: https://climatemayors.org/

Topics: Climate Resilience , Healthy Communities , Policy

Climate Power Education Fund

The Climate Power Education Fund is a strategic, national communications and media operation focused on building political will and public support for bold climate action, using research, polling, earned media, paid media, and creative digital content. It works to raise awareness of the threat of climate change to spur a national conversation on solutions and wage offensive campaigns against climate deniers and fossil fuel industry backers.

Website: https://climatepowered.us/

Topics: Climate Resilience , Policy

Equitable Infrastructure for Los Angeles

With the passing of Measures A, M, and W in Los Angeles and California Proposition 68—all developed and passed with the help of our partners—Los Angeles is poised to transform communities with billions of dollars of public funding for parks, transportation, drinking water, and coastal protection. Working with local groups, RLF is advancing a vision that will drive these new public funds toward priority parks and multiple-benefit infrastructure projects in disadvantaged communities. This Los Angeles-focused program, launched in 2019, builds on RLF’s successful track record of policy and funding work and community engagement to leverage and mobilize recently created public funding sources to ensure the funds deliver on their promise to reach the county’s neediest communities.

Related Publications and Blogs:

Topics: Healthy Communities , Parks , Policy , Public Funding , Social Equity

Equitable Infrastructure for Los Angeles

Federal Fisheries Policy Coalition

Established in 2015, the project is a coalition of national ocean fish conservation organizations working in close coordination to preserve and, where possible, advance conservation gains in U.S. marine fisheries policy and management. Project priorities include ecosystem-based fisheries management and promoting climate-ready fisheries in the United States.

Topics: Fisheries , Oceans , Policy

Hawai‘i Marine Planning

The Hawai‘i Marine Planning program is a partnership with the State of Hawai’i and local philanthropy to support Hawai‘i’s Marine 30×30 Initiative, which calls for effectively managing Hawai‘i’s nearshore marine waters, with 30 percent established as marine management areas by 2030. In addition to creating a statewide network of marine management areas in the Main Hawaiian Islands, the Initiative focuses on promoting sustainable or pono use of marine resources, scientific and community-based monitoring, reducing land-based pollution impacts, and restoration of nearshore coral reefs.

Related News:

Leading by Listening: Bold Steps Forward for Hawai‘i’s Ocean, by Jocelyn Garovoy Herbert | June 22, 2021
Recovery with Resilience: Public Investments for a Sustainable, Equitable Future, by Laura Tam and Shiva Polefka | August 21, 2020

Topics: Indigenous Rights , Marine Protected Areas , Oceans

Land-Sea Connection

The Land-Sea Connection (LSC) program, launched in 2017, works to advance the long-term health and resilience of California watersheds by promoting more effective local and state policies and conservation programs; supporting high-value, on-the-ground conservation efforts; and helping secure equitable and sustained public funding to support community needs. The LSC program, funded by the Campbell Foundation, seeks to improve stewardship and reduce impacts to watershed health across a range of issues, with focused investments related to cannabis cultivation, agricultural practices, and urban runoff/stormwater.

Topics: Indigenous Rights , Oceans , Watersheds

Montana Parks Program

RLF launched the Montana Parks Program (MPP) in 2018 to support Montana’s Parks in Focus Initiative, an effort modeled after California’s Parks Forward Initiative, aimed at addressing the ailing Montana state parks system. Through MPP, RLF has conducted extensive public outreach and education, and is helping to shape and advance a set of recommendations that create more diverse and stable funding sources for state parks; broaden and strengthen the constituency for parks; and connect state parks to larger recreation and economic initiatives and community needs.

Topics: Healthy Communities , Parks , Policy , Public Funding , Social Equity

National Ocean Protection Coalition

Launched in 2018, the National Ocean Protection Coalition leads a group of more than 40 ocean-focused organizations defending America’s most treasured ocean places. The organization provides leadership, strategy, and coordination to a national marine monument defense campaign and is laying the groundwork to regain and expand marine protections.

Website: www.oceanprotectioncoalition.org

Topics: Oceans , Policy

Northwest Mexico Land Conservation

Since 2008, under this program RLF implements a coordinated, adaptive framework to concentrate conservation investments in coastal priority areas on the Baja California Peninsula, systematically preserve the landscape integrity of the region, and prevent further fragmentation of coastal and marine habitats. RLF undertakes a multi-faceted approach to its work in Northwest Mexico, including land protection, capacity building, policy, and communications activities. RLF also coordinates with other grant makers and grantee networks to create synergies that multiply the impact of individual projects.

Topics: International , Land Conservation , Oceans , Policy

Ocean Defense Initiative

Ocean Defense Initiative works to strengthen ocean conservation leadership and raise the profile of the ocean climate nexus among decisionmakers and the public. The project supports policies that would leverage the ocean as a source of climate solutions, benefit ocean wildlife, protect ocean ecosystem health, and ensure the sustainable use of the ocean and its resources in a changing climate.

Topics: Energy , Oceans , Policy

Open Rivers Fund

The Open Rivers Fund supports local community efforts to remove obsolete dams, modernize water infrastructure, and restore rivers across the American West. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation supported the Fund’s launch in 2016 with a 10-year, $50 million grant aimed at removing barriers that impair river function and pose challenges, costs, or risks to communities. In addition to creating significant environmental and economic benefits, the Fund also seeks to build technical knowledge, organizational wherewithal, and public awareness in order to enable future projects.

More information at openriversfund.org

Topics: Indigenous Rights , Land Conservation , Watersheds

Oregon Conservation Program

Launched in 2015, the Oregon Conservation Program supports development of effective conservation projects and policy, including long-term funding for land and water conservation. The program employs public education campaigns to build awareness and support for dedicated public funding streams and policies that advance Oregon’s conservation practices, including working lands and forest conservation. RLF engages diverse voices, including Oregon Tribes, in water conservation policy and funding discussions.

Topics: Indigenous Rights , Land Conservation , Public Funding

Parks Forward Implementation Initiative

In 2015, California’s Parks Forward Commission, with support from leading California philanthropies, set forth an ambitious ten-year vision for California parks. The Commission’s recommendations call for modernizing the California Department of Parks and Recreation to improve and diversify partnerships, provide access to all Californians, and ensure stable, diverse funding for parks. RLF collaborates with the Department, California Natural Resources Agency, and park partners to implement high priority Commission recommendations that deliver tangible outcomes in parks for all Californians.

Topics: Healthy Communities , Parks , Policy , Public Funding , Social Equity

San Francisco Bay Area Conservation

RLF has been working in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2001, when it commenced efforts to secure the acquisition of commercial salt ponds surrounding the San Francisco Bay. Current efforts support wetlands restoration around the Bay, with a focus on building a diverse constituency to support equitable, long-term funding and government policies for Bay restoration and flood improvements, including the effective implementation of Measure AA.

RLF also supports a regional land conservation approach in the Bay Area that boosts ecosystem resilience for conservation and communities. RLF focuses on multi-benefit conservation efforts that protect and restore high-value habitat and wildlife linkages, provide recreation opportunities, and address natural threats such as climate change, flood, drought, and fire.

Topics: Climate Resilience , Healthy Communities , Land Conservation , Public Funding

Sustainable Fisheries Fund

Since 2002, the Sustainable Fisheries Fund (SFF) has provided match funding for small-scale and under-resourced fisheries to work toward sustainability through seafood certifications, including the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard, Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs), and most recently, the Fair Trade capture fisheries standard. SFF has supported work toward MSC certification for more than 55 fisheries, 33 FIPs that have received a grade of B or higher on FisheryProgress.org, and three Fair Trade-certified fisheries. SFF grants build technical capacity within small-scale fisheries and leverage industry investments in sustainable fishing. In coordination with our partners, RLF regularly updates SFF program criteria to keep pace with the changing landscape of sustainable seafood.

Topics: Fisheries , International , Oceans , Policy

Sustaining California’s Ocean

The Sustaining California’s Ocean (SCO) program builds on more than a decade of RLF support for the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative, a public-private partnership that established the nation’s first science-based network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in 2012. California’s MPA network protects nearly 17 percent of nearshore waters including some of the state’s most iconic and beloved coastal areas. SCO cultivates a new approach to managing ocean and coastal habitats through inclusive partnerships to advance research and monitoring, stewardship, and compliance. SCO also seeks to modernize California’s ocean governance by helping to build capacity, leadership, and financing among local, Tribal, and state governments and nonprofit organizations to effectively implement and manage the MPA network over the long term.

Topics: Marine Protected Areas , Oceans , Policy

Transportation, Housing, and Land Use

Working at the intersection of transportation and land use policies the Transportation, Housing, and Land Use program seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote affordable housing and climate resilient communities, advance equity, and protect natural resources.

Topics: Climate Resilience , Social Equity

Western Communications Hub

RLF established the Western Communications Hub in 2018, in partnership with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, to strategically support conservation organizations across the West to develop communications capacities, messages, and tools that enhance the effectiveness of their programs and outcomes. Grantees help protect priority fish and wildlife corridors, advance conservation policy and funding, and build diverse coalitions protecting natural resources. The Western Communications Hub awards targeted grants that support community-driven organizations in honing their storytelling skills and raising their voices to reach historically marginalized groups, motivate people to act, and move levers of power.

Topics: Indigenous Rights , Social Equity

Western Energy Project

The Western Energy Project works to protect our treasured landscapes in the American West by ensuring that any development of oil and gas from our federal public lands is done in a responsible manner. We support the preservation of ecologically and culturally important areas, the adoption of common-sense protections for our water, air, land, and wildlife, and the safeguarding of opportunities for Americans to enjoy our public lands.

Website: https://www.westernenergyproject.org

Topics: Climate Resilience , Energy , Policy

Western Rural Communities

The Western Rural Communities (WRC) program is one of several RLF efforts to build long-term support and momentum for conservation in the rural, intermountain region of the western United States. WRC collaborates with local business, community, and government leaders to address intractable environmental and socioeconomic problems with multi-benefit solutions. The work is rooted in an interdisciplinary understanding of the unique economics, culture, geography, and environmental values of the region to advance tailored solutions that maximize conservation and community outcomes.

Topics: Energy , Healthy Communities , Land Conservation

Wildfire Strategies Program

Our Wildfire Strategies program aims to achieve a more wildfire-resilient California and Western United States by 2030 through better policy and significantly increased funding for forest management, community resilience and home hardening, Tribal leadership on forest stewardship and fire management, and public health measures that protect people from the impacts of smoke. The program supports research, coalition-building, budget advocacy, and tests innovative proofs of concept for broader adoption.

Topics: Climate Resilience , Healthy Communities , Indigenous Rights , Policy , Watersheds

Wildlands Acquisition Program

The Wildlands Acquisition Program seeks to promote the permanent protection of California’s wildlands through preservation of desert park and wilderness areas. The program funds inholding acquisitions in priority wilderness areas and national parks and monuments to consolidate public land holdings for natural resource protection in the California desert, Carrizo Plain National Monument, and Eastern Sierra Nevada.

In addition to supporting the conservation of tens of thousands of inholdings, RLF helps build capacity among organizations seeking public funding for desert land protection.

Topics: Land Conservation