Conservation Collective – set for growth
The Conservation Collective is a network of locally-focused, independent foundations supporting grass-roots environmental projects. With eleven foundations around the world – which have collectively raised over £4,000,000 – and the support of two new major new funders, we’re primed for serious growth in the coming year as we expand our network and add more talent to our team.
We’re delighted to announce that the Conservation Collective has been awarded substantial grants by two wonderful foundations: the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) & MAVA Foundation. With their support, and the continued support of private donors, we’ll be able to make some exciting changes in 2021, including:
- Joining forces with clubs of friends across the Mediterranean and Caribbean to launch new place-based environment foundations;
- Appointing a new Network Director (Kendra Walsh) and Marketing Manager (Rose Slater) to strengthen the support provided to the network and raise awareness about the impact of the vital work enabled by its members;
- Leveraging new sources of philanthropic funding for effective grass-roots conservation initiatives, that will help to protect the environment, restore nature and safeguard against climate change;
- Developing robust impact analysis, measurement and reporting tools;
- Building an expert independent scientific global advisory board.
Expanding our team
The Conservation Collective is led by Jade Brudenell, Executive Director, who continues to oversee fund-raising, the growth of the team, and the creation of new foundations.
Kendra Walsh joins in March as the new Network Director, having built a global network of mentoring schemes for social enterprises at Expert Impact. Kendra will act as a touch point for all the executive directors of the local foundations, and be responsible for the Conservation Collective’s library of resources and tools for its members. She will also lead on impact reporting for the network.
Rose Slater is our new Marketing Manager, she will provide hands-on communications support to the members of the network and raise awareness of the group’s impact to our global audience of stakeholders.
More about the Conservation Collective and its funders
The Conservation Collective UK charity was founded in 2020 by Ben Goldsmith, over ten years after he launched IbizaPreservation with close friends, Will Aitken and Serena Cook. The network joins forces with groups of people who have strong connections to a particular area to build new local foundations, based on a tried and tested replicable model; it also facilitates knowledge sharing, the transfer of best practice for environmental solutions and effective grant-giving across the group.
The areas of interest of the collective include the restoration and regeneration of the marine environment and boosting measures for protecting and preserving biodiversity. Given the added pressure on resources caused by tourism and development, the foundations support local partners, communities and businesses to coordinate a move towards zero waste, more responsible tourism and the adoption of more sustainable practices.
The network is comprised of: IbizaPreservation, St Vincent & the Grenadines Environment Fund, Cyclades Preservation Fund, Menorca Preservation Fund, Mallorca Preservation Fund, Ionian Environment Foundation, Lanka Environment Fund, Barbados Environmental Conservation Trust, Devon Environment Foundation, Highlands and Islands Environment Foundation. Read more.
Affiliated members include the Leuser Ecosystems Action Fund and the Pakistan Environment Trust. Foundations are under development for the Argolic Gulf, Tuscany and many more locations across the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
ABOUT CIFF
CIFF is the world’s largest philanthropist that focuses specifically on improving children’s lives. Climate change poses the single biggest threat to the future of today’s children. CIFF supports smart ways to slow down and stop climate change, and believes philanthropy has an important role to play.
ABOUT MAVA
MAVA conserves biodiversity for the benefit of people and nature by funding, mobilising and strengthening their partners and the conservation community. MAVA has a wealth of experience touching on similar themes and areas as members of the Conservation Collective (particularly in the Mediterranean).
Photo Credits
Monkseal: Panos Dendrinos
Farmer: Hara Pelekanou
Fisherman: Anni Mitropoulou
Beaver: Shutterstock
Turtle: Unsplash