Rainforest Foundation US
Protecting rainforests by securing Indigenous peoples' land rights in the Amazon basin
Our editorial assessment
Rainforest Foundation US takes a distinctive, evidence-aligned approach to conservation: it protects rainforests by strengthening the land rights and monitoring capacity of the Indigenous communities who steward them, an approach research increasingly links to lower deforestation. It works primarily in the Amazon basin, providing tools, legal support, and satellite monitoring. Charity Navigator gives it a four-star rating, and the organisation reports roughly 80% of funds going to programmes. It suits donors who want high-leverage forest protection that centres local communities.
The problem they're solving
Tropical rainforests are vital carbon sinks and biodiversity reserves, and the evidence shows that Indigenous-managed forests are among the best protected. By securing Indigenous land rights and monitoring tools, Rainforest Foundation US targets one of the most cost-effective levers for keeping forests standing.
About Rainforest Foundation US
Rainforest Foundation US protects tropical rainforests by supporting the Indigenous peoples who live in and steward them — helping secure land rights, map territories, and defend against illegal deforestation.
Where your dollar goes
How this score was produced
The GiveWise score is our own editorial assessment, produced with a weighted rubric covering program spending, transparency and governance, evidence of impact, cost-effectiveness, and leadership. It draws on publicly available reports from independent evaluators such as GiveWell, Charity Navigator, and CharityWatch, but it is not a rating issued or endorsed by any of those organisations. Read the full methodology →