New partnership: Regatta Foundation

Conservation Collective x Regatta Foundation Press Release

April 2023- The Conservation Collective: A fast-growing global network of local foundations funding effective grass-roots initiatives to protect the environment, restore nature, and safeguard against climate change.

 

Our Philosophy

The Conservation Collective model was born in 2008 when lifelong nature lover and environmental philanthropist, Ben Goldsmith, and friends founded IbizaPreservation. Flash forward fifteen years, and the Conservation Collective network has grown to 20 place-based foundations as members.

Environmental philanthropy faces two key challenges: persuading people to direct money to the biggest issue of our time and getting that money to the most effective grassroots environmental initiatives. The Conservation Collective has a proven and winning formula for both.

We build clubs of donors linked to places they care passionately about, to open new channels of funding for nature restoration. We believe that people are instinctively “place-based”, and that when it comes to conservation and philanthropy, we are all more likely to want to protect the places we love.

We set up, incubate, and support local environmental foundations. All over the world, people are working tirelessly to protect the places they love from the impacts of climate change and the biodiversity crisis.

Our member foundations unlock new funding for the best and most effective grassroots projects dedicated to preserving, protecting, and regenerating biodiverse ecosystems on land and below water, and to slowing down and adapting to climate change.

Our growing network of foundations has already raised millions of pounds for impactful initiatives, and we’re only just getting started…

 

About us

The Conservation Collective is a network of local environment foundations based in 20 locations funding grassroots projects dedicated to preserving, protecting, and regenerating biodiverse ecosystems and to slowing down and adapting to climate change. We encourage people and businesses, with strong connections to a particular place, to donate funds so that we can support local initiatives, raise awareness of climate and biodiversity issues, promote collective action, and encourage communities to act more sustainably.

 

About the partnership

The Conservation Collective and its local foundations work to protect and restore nature on land and at sea and we’re delighted to have support from the Regatta Foundation.

Through this partnership, the Regatta Foundation is supporting the Conservation Collective and three of its local foundations.

  • Funding donated to the Conservation Collective will be used to launch new foundations based on our successful model of place-based environmental philanthropy and to boost activities supporting our network members, including fundraising, coordinating knowledge sharing, speaking with a collective voice, and overseeing risk management and high standards of governance.
  • Funding donated to Ionian Environment Foundation, the Highlands & Islands Environment Foundation, and Mallorca Preservation Foundation will enable them to give more grants to the most effective grassroots projects working to protect, restore and regenerate biodiverse ecosystems and slow down and adapt to climate change.
  • The Regatta Foundation will help raise awareness of our work to amplify the impact by championing two projects in each area it supports.
    • CRAGHOPPERS x MALLORCA PRESERVATION FOUNDATION
      • Stellaris Project– This project aims to repopulate endangered nursehound sharks and promote education and awareness-raising on the importance of this species, in partnership with Palma Aquarium Foundation.
      • Alcúdia Bay Wetland Restoration: Collaborating with WWF, Mallorca Preservation aims to restore the degraded wetlands of Alcúdia while also carrying out educational activities.
    • Dare2B x IONIAN ENVIRONMENT FOUNDATION
      • The Ionian Dolphin Project– The Ionian Dolphin Project surveys and monitors dolphin and monk seal populations around the islands of Paxos and Anti Paxos to help inform policies and measures that ensure their protection and conservation.
      • RePosidonia: Local partner iSea is mapping Posidonia meadows through satellite imagery across the Ionian to ensure that the most threatened areas of Ionian Posidonia are identified, reported, and, ultimately, protected.
    • REGATTA x HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS ENVIRONMENT FOUNDATION
      • Shorewatch Youth Programme: Whale & Dolphin Conservation engages and trains people from all round Scotland, including disadvantaged areas, to collect data from whale and dolphin sightings to help inform and better implement protection and conservation policies.
      • Saving Scotland’s Rainforest: The Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest works collaboratively with landowners, local communities, and environmental charities to protect and regenerate the Scottish Rainforest.

 

In today’s world, where social and environmental issues are becoming increasingly complex and urgent, non-profits can achieve their goals with support from the business community. The Regatta Group, as a corporate partner, is a vital source of support for our local foundations, not only providing necessary financial resources to grassroots conservation initiatives but also offering invaluable exposure to new audiences. We are proud to be supported by the Regatta Group, one of Europe’s largest outdoor clothing groups and a signatory of the UN Global Compact. And its brands, Regatta, Craghoppers, and Dare2b are all driving forces in connecting people with nature by helping people enjoy the great outdoors with great kit. This partnership is a stellar example of how non-profits and corporations can create powerful synergies that drive positive social impact and promote a shared vision of a sustainable future.

 

Jade Brudenell, Executive Director of the Conservation Collective commented:

“We are so grateful to the Regatta Foundation for supporting the Conservation Collective! Everywhere you look there are brilliant, passionate people working to create positive environmental change. Partnerships like this can turbocharge the work of local heroes dedicated to protecting and restoring the natural environment of the place that they love.”

 

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