Natural resource management matters
At the IAF, we support community-led solutions that focus on strengthening resilience and improving environmental outcomes through sustainable natural resource management. Our work prioritizes a holistic approach to development. We respond to communities’ needs with financial support for projects that connect conservation with enterprise development, inclusion, food security and alternatives to migration, among other program areas.
Environmental challenges affect livelihoods around the world. In communities where we work, persistent drought and severe storms represent an urgent, tangible threat to individuals and families already facing economic disadvantage and other barriers. These communities often bear the brunt of environmental impact, making it even more difficult for residents to improve living conditions.
We know that degradation of natural resources in Latin America and the Caribbean directly undermines overall economic opportunity, governance and security of civil society. Working with local organizations puts us in a unique position to work directly with the people who feel these affects the most. It also shows us how small investments lead to big, life-changing improvements over time.
Talk about community-led development!
Recent News and Stories
Grassroots Businesses: A Virtual Artisan Fair
Over the past 50 years, the IAF has supported an incredible number of innovative and entrepreneurial groups with a common dream: transforming their lives and communities. Join us as we travel north to south through the region to see how agricultural producers and artisan groups have conquered the world with small IAF investments to grow their businesses.
Carrying the Load: A Haitian Grantee’s Tenacity through a Decade of Natural Disasters
From earthquakes to floods and now COVID-19, Haiti has been severely tested over the past few decades. Through it all, however, one thing remains constant—the resilience of the Haitian people.
Common(s) Knowledge: Grassroots Resource Governance
By sustainably harvesting forests, Mexican community organizations are stemming deforestation and ensuring opportunities for all people to thrive in their home communities.