Foundation Partnerships
Catalyzing Lasting Change Through Landscape Restoration
Eden: People+Planet offers tailored partnerships for foundations seeking to address environmental challenges and community development through landscape-scale restoration. Our science-based, community-centered approach creates measurable impact across climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, water security, and community wellbeing.
Our Approach to Foundation Partnerships
Eden has transformed from tree planting to comprehensive landscape restoration, working with communities to regenerate ecosystems and improve livelihoods over the long term. We align with foundation missions by developing projects that address multiple Sustainable Development Goals simultaneously through our standards-based implementation framework.
Our foundation partnerships are built on:
- Long-term commitment to landscapes (15+ years for philanthropic projects, 40+ years for carbon projects)
- Community co-design that respects local knowledge and agency
- Evidence-based methodologies with robust monitoring systems
- Transparency in implementation and reporting
Through these partnerships, foundations can support transformative restoration initiatives that create lasting environmental and social impact.
Climate Action
Landscape restoration offers one of the most effective nature-based solutions to climate change, addressing both mitigation and adaptation needs through forest protection and regeneration.
Eden’s climate-focused projects:
- Sequester carbon through reforestation and forest protection
- Build community resilience to climate impacts
- Reduce vulnerability to floods, droughts, and erosion
- Support transitions to climate-smart agriculture and livelihoods
Our projects follow rigorous standards for carbon accounting and climate benefit verification, ensuring foundations can confidently report on climate outcomes.
By supporting Eden’s climate initiatives, foundations help communities build resilience while making significant contributions to global climate goals.
Current Climate Action Priorities
Our Chimanimani Landscape Restoration Project in Mozambique represents a significant climate opportunity, with plans to restore 95,000 hectares and protect an additional 60,000 hectares of forest ecosystems. Foundation support will enable this work while helping communities develop climate-resilient livelihoods.
Impact Metrics:
- 95,000 hectares under active restoration in Chimanimani
- 60,000 hectares of protected forest in Chimanimani
- 863,429 indigenous trees planted in 2024 (representing 71 different species)
- 1,267+ hectares brought under restoration in 2024
Community Development
The success of landscape restoration depends on addressing community needs and creating sustainable livelihoods. Eden’s community development approach centers on enabling communities to lead their own development while stewarding natural resources.
Our community-focused projects:
- Strengthen local governance of natural resources
- Develop sustainable value chains from forest products
- Create employment through restoration activities
- Support transitions to regenerative agriculture
- Build capacity for long-term landscape management
Foundation partners can support interventions that address poverty and environmental degradation simultaneously, creating paths to sustainable prosperity.
Through community development support, foundations help ensure that landscape restoration creates tangible benefits for local residents while building capacity for long-term stewardship.
Community Development Priorities
The Rubeho Mountains project in Tanzania exemplifies our community development approach, working with approximately 92,458 people living in predominantly rural farming communities. Foundation support enables participatory land use planning, governance strengthening, and sustainable livelihood development.
Impact Metrics:
- 349 community members employed in Chimanimani (2024)
- 5 community nurseries established in Chimanimani
- 92,458 people engaged in Rubeho Mountains project
- 40 villages participating in Rubeho Mountains governance structures
Biodiversity Conservation
Healthy ecosystems support diverse plant and animal species while providing vital services for communities. Eden’s biodiversity conservation work focuses on restoring functional ecosystems through indigenous species diversity and natural habitat restoration.
Our biodiversity-focused projects:
- Protect and expand habitat for threatened species
- Restore ecological connectivity between forest fragments
- Reintroduce indigenous species to degraded landscapes
- Engage communities in biodiversity monitoring
- Combat invasive species that threaten ecosystem function
Foundation partners can support projects that directly address biodiversity loss while creating conditions for ecosystem recovery.
By supporting biodiversity conservation through Eden’s projects, foundations help protect irreplaceable species while restoring ecosystem functions that benefit both wildlife and people.
Current Biodiversity Priorities
The Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, including our Rubeho project, represent one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots with exceptional levels of endemism. Foundation support enables protection of critical habitat while restoring degraded areas that serve as wildlife corridors.
Impact Metrics:
- 78+ endemic plant species protected in Chimanimani
- 71 indigenous tree species used in restoration activities
- Protection for forest-dwelling bush elephants in Mozambique
- Habitat for 6 threatened mammal species and 12 endemic birds in Rubeho
Water Security
Forests play a critical role in regulating water flows, preventing erosion, and maintaining water quality. Eden’s water security work focuses on protecting and restoring watershed forests that provide essential services to downstream communities.
Our water-focused projects:
- Restore forest cover in critical watershed areas
- Implement erosion control measures
- Protect riparian zones and wetlands
- Support water management institutions
- Monitor water quality and quantity impacts
Foundation partners can support water security initiatives that benefit both ecosystems and human communities dependent on reliable water resources.
Through water security initiatives, foundations help ensure reliable water access for communities while supporting the ecological systems that regulate water resources.
Current Water Security Priorities
The Rubeho Mountains function as a critical water catchment, feeding two major river systems that supply water for agriculture, hydropower, and domestic use—including water for Dar es Salaam, home to nearly 7.5 million people. Foundation support enables protection and restoration of these vital water towers.
Impact Metrics:
- Protection for Buzi River catchment in Chimanimani
- Restoration in Rufiji and Wami-Ruvu River Basins in Tanzania
- Improved water infiltration and reduced sedimentation in restored areas
- Enhanced dry-season flow reliability in project watersheds
Collaboration Options
Eden offers multiple pathways for foundations to engage with our work, from targeted project support to broader strategic initiatives.
Project Support
Direct funding for specific landscape restoration projects, with options to focus on particular geography, theme, or implementation phase. Project support can be tailored to foundation priorities while fitting into Eden’s comprehensive implementation approach.
Initiative Development
Support for developing new methodologies, tools, or approaches that advance landscape restoration practice. These initiatives may focus on measurement systems, community engagement models, or technical implementation strategies.
Strategic Partnership
Long-term, multi-year funding relationships that support Eden’s organizational capacity and strategic development. These partnerships provide flexible funding that enables innovation and adaptation across multiple landscapes.
All partnerships include regular reporting on progress and impact, opportunities for site visits, and recognition in relevant Eden communications.
Connect With Our Team
We welcome the opportunity to explore potential partnerships with foundations aligned with our mission. Our partnership development process typically includes:
- Initial conversation to understand mutual interests and priorities
- Review of potential project alignment and funding needs
- Development of tailored proposal addressing foundation objectives
- Due diligence and agreement finalization
- Implementation, monitoring, and regular reporting
To discuss partnership opportunities or request more information, please contact our partnerships team directly:
Email: partnerships@eden-plus.org
Phone: (626) 872-3770
For grant-specific inquiries, please contact:
Email: grants@eden-plus.org