Confluence Program Grants

Confluence Program Grants is sponsored by The Conservation Alliance. Supports Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic, Latin American, Black, Brown, or other communities of color working to protect nature, ensuring diverse voices are included in conservation solutions.

Confluence Program - The Conservation Alliance The Confluence Program, launched in 2021, seeks to expand The Conservation Alliance’s network of grassroots and community partners. We know that our network does not represent a coalition of everyone working to protect natural places.

Great things happen when a diverse coalition of voices and perspectives comes together to champion solutions that balance the best interests of land and water, wildlife, and people. The Confluence Program is a first step in our efforts to help create new systems and structures that bring all of the groups, organizations, and businesses committed to this work closer together to protect our shared natural places.

Applications are welcome from local and national nonprofit organizations, Tribes, and groups with fiscal sponsorship. TCA does not provide funding for individuals. Organization/group and project must be located in North America.

Organization/group must self-identify as being led by Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic, Latin American, Black, Brown, or additional communities who identify as People of Color. The Conservation Alliance considers “leadership” in this case as those with decision-making power on behalf of the entirety of the organization or effort, including board and executive level staff.

Organizations/groups must have had a general operating budget of $1 million or less. This does not include federal or state pass-through funds. If the group is fiscally sponsored, the budget should be for the fiscally sponsored group only.

Projects must seek to achieve one of the following goals: Establish long-term protection for land and/or water in their efforts to foster a planet where natural places, wildlife, and people thrive together. Protection efforts include private land acquisitions/easements, federal-level efforts to conserve land and water, and landscape scale restoration efforts (rewilding or rehabilitation of land and/or water).

Support management processes and planning that promote the climate resiliency and biodiversity of protected areas, including traditional ecological knowledge and Indigenous land management and stewardship practices. Projects must be able to demonstrate how they are centering solutions led by impacted communities.

Organizations/groups that have previously been funded through the TCA Confluence Program are able to re-apply for funding if their grants will end prior to January 1, 2026. However, please note that new applicants that have not been funded through the Confluence Program before will receive priority.

We do not fund projects where the primary activity is one of the following: State and local level legislative or administrative campaigns General stewardship (e.g., trail maintenance, trash cleanup, conservation corps projects) Multiple projects in one proposal, unless applicant has received prior approval from TCA Outdoor or environmental education Conferences, event sponsorships, or film festivals Production of a film, book, podcast, or other media product Participation grants to get people outside A fundraiser, one-time event, or gala General marketing or awareness-raising projects Only in special cases do we fund more than one group working on a campaign – this is typically reserved for TCA Priority Campaigns.

We prioritize the following types of projects: Advance TCA’s Conservation Strategy Measurably mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect biodiversity Are led by or increase engagement opportunities for Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic, Latin American, Black, Brown, or additional communities who identify as People of Color Projects that uplift/center traditional ecological knowledge, history, and culture in relation to land and water conservation Expand outdoor recreation opportunities and/or access to nature in an effort to help create connections to and a sense of belonging in the landscape Aim to improve long-term and sustainable economic impacts for local communities Increase connectivity to other protected lands Incorporate efforts to mobilize / engage local communities Projects that focus on groups working in collaboration with others to protect land or water Conservation projects that address the social, cultural, and environmental needs of a community and/or region.

Projects where the resources (e.g., staff, revenue) and strategy align well with the intended goals and outcomes. Writer, Marketing Expert & DEI Consultant The Conservation Alliance Chanda Callao is a dedicated member of People of Red Mountain, a grassroots, Indigenous-led organization committed to cultural preservation and the protection of sacred landscapes threatened by lithium mining in the McDermitt Caldera of Northern Nevada.

She holds deep, lifelong connections to the McDermitt community and the surrounding high desert ecosystem. As a passionate advocate for the land, the people, and future generations, Chanda works to raise awareness about the environmental and cultural impacts of lithium extraction.

She empowers communities with knowledge of their rights and emphasizes the importance of protecting sacred sites, water, air, ecosystems, and all that sustains life. Lexi Dutnall’s path has always called her towards environmental and social justice movements. She leads the Arc’teryx Grant Program and has the privilege of nurturing community partnerships for the brand.

She cares deeply about listening to diverse voices, and implementing insights gleaned from community expertise into strategy and programs. Lexi calls Co-Salish territory of the Lil̓wat7úl, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, səl̓ilwətaʔɬ, and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Peoples home and is on a journey of learning and unlearning what it means to do so, and what it means to do this work connecting with the peoples who have stewarded this land for time immemorial.

Writer, Marketing Expert & DEI Consultant Mardi Fuller advocates for racial equity through writing, speaking and community building. Mardi is a lover of nature and her mission is to support communities of color to self-determine in outdoor recreation and in the conservation movement. A lifelong backcountry adventurer, in January 2021 she became the first known Black person to hike all 48 of New Hampshire’s high peaks in winter.

She is a contributing writer to Outside magazine, SKI magazine, NRDC, Melanin Basecamp and more. She lives in Boston and works as a freelance writer, marketing expert and DEI consultant. She organizes hike, ski and climb events centering Black people and communities of color and serves as a board member of the Appalachian Mountain Club.

Forrest King-Cortes is the director of community-centered conservation at the Land Trust Alliance where he supports land conservation organizations in more effectively partnering with and meeting the needs of communities. His work centers equity and prioritizes creating inclusive and inviting spaces and places.

Forrest has over 10 years of experience working toward a more people-centric and relationship-focused conservation future at local, regional and national scales. He holds a degree in wildlife ecology and management but often says that he learns best from hitting the trails, putting his hands in the dirt and spending time learning from and with communities.

Forrest was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and currently resides in Birmingham, Alabama with his husband their cat Thomas. Outside of work, Forrest enjoys hiking, bird watching and reading. He and his husband co-founded Out In Nature, an outdoor affinity group for LGBTQIA+ people in the Chicago region.

The Conservation Alliance Kim has a passion for building relationships and creating community, and believes in the ability of these relationships to drive change. In both her professional and personal life, she has a strong focus on working with community members and local organizations to increase access and equity.

Through her current role as the Grant Program Director at The Conservation Alliance, Kim strives to support and learn from the Confluence Program and then weave those lessons through the organization’s larger efforts aimed at equitable conservation.

Outside of work, Kim serves as a board member of the Scattergood Foundation which aims to create a more inclusive society where behavioral health is central and is also the chair of the Plastics Reduction Task Force at Weaver’s Way Co-op. Kim currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter, where they are always looking for new adventures and opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

Reet Singh is the co-founder of TripOutside, a platform that connects people with human-powered outdoor adventures through local outfitters. His work supports rural economies while helping protect wild places through low-impact recreation and sustainable tourism. As a person of color in the outdoor industry, Reet is grateful to bring valuable perspective to The Conservation Alliance’s Confluence Program Advisory Committee.

He is passionate about supporting BIPOC-led organizations working to protect the lands and waters in their communities and is committed to building a more inclusive future for conservation. Based in Durango, Colorado, Reet spends much of the year traveling the U.S. in an RV, exploring new places and outdoor activities.

He is a Leave No Trace Educator, a mountain bike instructor, and a dedicated animal welfare advocate, volunteering with shelters and supporting street dog sterilization efforts in India. After growing up in the hills of New England, David found his way to the peaks and canyons of the West.

Following his Environmental Policy studies at Colorado College and Colorado State University, he moved to the San Juan Mountains to pursue a path in conservation, environmental education, and public lands protection in the Colorado River Basin. These landscapes, and the relationship he has built with them, have driven him to dedicate his career to ensuring their long-term health and vitality.

You will often find him running, skiing, and climbing to keep his connection to and passion for protecting these areas thriving. Amelia (she/her/they/them) is an Urban Indigenous/Xicano, Two- Spirit, poet, outdoor educator, and identical twin. Their indigenous heritage is Picuris Pueblo from her father and Purepecha from her mother.

Mixed Spanish/New Mexican. They have been involved with Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirit (B. A.

A. I. T-S) since 2013 and joined the Board of Directors in 2015.

An advisory Board member of the Environmental Leadership Initiative—Currently the Liberated Paths: Youth Access to Nature (YAN) Grant and Program Manager with Justice Outside. Amelia has earned degrees from Feather River Community College, Mills College, and the Institute for American Indian Arts, with an MFA in Poetry.

View Confluence Committee Emeritus Safeguarding Arctic Wildlife and Indigenous Stewardship Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic Restoring and Protecting Lukachukai Creek Headwaters Wilps ‘Wii K’aax Territorial Stewardship Initiative Ocmulgee River Corridor Conservation and Cultural Restoration Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative Geŋa Interstakeholder Advisory Committee Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples Esselen Return: Restoring Land and Water, Reviving Tradition Esselen Tribe of Monterey County Oheki Mandukai (Turkey Mountain Project) Gullah/Geechee Saving Environmental Actions & Marine Environment Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition Battery Island Drive Community Association Protection of Sacred and Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes in the McDermitt Caldera Why did you name it the Confluence Program?

The definition of confluence is: “the junction of two rivers, especially rivers of approximately equal width. ” We chose to use the word confluence to represent the merging of values-driven private businesses with the diversity of organizations doing conservation work.

We believe that bringing these two sectors closer together has the potential to shape the course of the environmental movement to help people, wildlife, and wild places thrive. Additionally, the river reference is a nod to our roots in the outdoor industry, and represents a type of place these grants could help protect. The eligibility criteria says that organizations with operating budgets over $1m are not eligible for this funding.

Are there any exceptions to this? There are a couple ways in which groups with budgets above this amount may still be eligible: Federally recognized Tribes in the US are considered sovereign nations. As such, we would look at the relevant department’s operating budget for the Tribe rather than its overall operating budget.

Since groups may receive one-time infusions of revenue to certain projects, this may not be an accurate reflection of their ongoing operating budget. If that is the case, we would take a look at additional budget data to understand what the group’s typical operating budget is. Why did you limit it to groups with budgets under $1 million?

Small groups are often overlooked by funders and therefore underfunded. Our hope is that funding for groups this size will help scale their work. Additionally, only a small number of groups will be selected to receive funding.

The committee is using the budget cap as a tool to decrease the number of declined applicants. If I apply for a Confluence Program grant, can I still apply for funding through your member collective grant program? Yes.

Applicants can apply for funding through both programs. Click here to learn more about the funding criteria and application process in our member collective grant program. Why did you create the Confluence Program?

The collective nature of our organization is our greatest strength. Connecting historically excluded conservation groups with our 200+ member companies will strengthen the environmental movement by building relationships and alignment among constituencies who are critical to the movement, and who bring different perspectives, life experiences, and priorities.

Our project benefits communities of color, but our organization is not led by Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic, Latin American, Black, Brown, and additional communities who identify as People of Color. Do we qualify for funding? No. This program is designed specifically to fund groups who have been historically excluded and underfunded for their work.

We encourage organizations in this situation to partner with community members of color, or organizations led by those community members, and invite them to apply for funding. Remember, the organization does not need to have 501c3 status to qualify. Our executive director is white.

Do we qualify for funding? We welcome applications from groups where the decisions that impact the direction of the organization are made by people who self-identify as Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic, Latin American, Black, Brown, or additional communities who identify as People of Color. What countries are included in the definition of North America for this grant?

For the purposes of the Confluence Program grant opportunity, we typically fund projects and groups that are located in Canada, the United States of America, and Mexico. However, we welcome proposals from other North American countries, including those in the Caribbean and Central America, if they meet our eligibility criteria and are a strong fit for the priority areas. Who did you work with to build this program?

In the early stages of this program, The Conservation Alliance board and staff worked with consultants Teresa Baker and Marcelo Bonta . Once the foundation of the program was set, seven advisory committee members defined the program details in 2021. Each year, a new group of advisory committee members is selected.

This helps to expand our community and knowledge-base, while also pushing us to re-examine the program on a regular basis. Why is this program focused on communities of color rather than other underrepresented groups? We made a commitment to develop programs and initiatives to support diversity and inclusion when we signed the Diversity Pledge in 2020, and this program is part of that commitment.

We worked with advisors to help us balance our desire to support every community who loves the outdoors and also intentionally build meaningful relationships. After lengthy discussions, we decided to focus on one aspect of our equity work by centering communities of color as we began the Confluence Program. Is this a permanent program?

The Confluence Program is one step in our commitment to intentionally connect The Conservation Alliance to the diversity of organizations doing conservation work. Confluence launched in 2021, and each year we work to refine and adjust the program as we believe best supports communities of color in the conservation space.

While our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion is ongoing, we are also giving ourselves flexibility to adapt as we learn, so we can continue to do better. Is this the only way you are supporting groups led by people of color?

In addition to the Confluence Program, we are actively working to connect with organizations doing work that meets the funding criteria in our member collective grant cycle and are looking to partner with and support organizations through our advocacy efforts. Are you accepting donations to this program to help increase funding?

We encourage people to connect one on one with a grantee they are drawn to, establish a working relationship with them, and identify ways you or your company can support them. We are happy to help make connections between member companies and grantees or grant applicants. If you would like to donate to The Conservation Alliance’s Confluence Program, please contact us at confluence@conservationalliance.

com . How does this impact your existing grantee partnerships? Our goal is to grow our grant program and give more money to everyone working to protect natural places.

There is a huge need for grassroots conservation funding and we are working hard to help our current partners and future grantees achieve their objectives. How are you going to get the word out about the grant opportunity? How is this program funded?

The Confluence Program is funded by the annual membership dues from 200+ Conservation Alliance member companies.