The Foundation  for the Conservation of Biodiversity– BIOFUND, a private non-profit institution that mobilizes, applies, and manages financial resources exclusively for biodiversity conservation in Mozambique, is taking a leading role in strengthening biodiversity conservation funds in several countries.

Since March 2024, BIOFUND has been leading the Fundraising Mentorship Program with the Private Sector, an innovative initiative of the BRIDGE Project launched in 2022 by the Consortium of African Funds for the Environment (CAFÉ) and the Network of Environmental Funds of Latin America and the Caribbean (RedLAC). Lasting eight months and including both virtual and in-person sessions, this program aims to equip Environmental Funds (CTFs) from CAFÉ and RedLAC with the skills and knowledge necessary to develop strategic and sustainable fundraising plans, successfully achieving their conservation funding objectives.

From July 15 to 19, 2024, BIOFUND conducted in-person sessions in Maputo, with the active participation of nine members from five CTFs, including the Environmental Investment Fund of El Salvador (FIAES), Malawi Environmental Endowment Trust (MEET), BioGuinea Foundation, Tany Meva Foundation (Madagascar), and the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) (Belize). During the five-day visit, various fundraising tools were shared, and interaction with BIOFUND donors, including the European Union (EU), the French Development Agency (AFD), and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), was promoted. Furthermore, innovative mechanisms were discussed, highlighting biodiversity offsets, impact investment, debt-for-nature swaps, corporate social responsibility (Bio Card and Manica Coffee), as well as sessions dedicated to increasing the profile of conservation initiatives through communication, events, and exhibitions.

The BRIDGE Project, administered by the Forever Costa Rica Association (FCRA) and supported by the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM) and the MAVA Foundation, is a transformative initiative that seeks to revolutionize the role of environmental funds in conservation financing.

For CTFs, these mentorship sessions represent a valuable opportunity for learning and exchanging experiences essential for fund development. “During the five days, we gained in-depth knowledge about fundraising and explored various initiatives to promote our activities. Additionally, we had the opportunity to interact with high-level professionals, further enriching our perspective. We thank the BIOFUND team for the excellent coordination and facilitation of this mentorship,” stated Alejandra Ayala, representative of the Environmental Investment Fund of El Salvador.

For BIOFUND, this program reaffirms its commitment not only to biodiversity conservation in Mozambique but also to globally strengthening the fundraising capacities of partner organizations. Through this initiative, BIOFUND is establishing a legacy of conservation that transcends borders, ensuring that more resources are mobilized to protect biodiversity worldwide.

At the end of the training, it is expected that the environmental funds will have established new fundraising goals and targets, identified their strengths, weaknesses, risks, and opportunities, diversified funding sources, explored new revenue streams, improved relationships with donors and partners, and determined new strategies to build or increase their funds. Additionally, the program aims to enhance their communication and marketing skills and to develop a comprehensive, innovative, and actionable fundraising strategy based on the knowledge and skills acquired during the mentorship sessions provided by BIOFUND and its partners.