2023 Report from Casa Socio-Environmental Fund: US$10,8 million in support for projects across Brazil and the Global South with international recognition

In 2023, the Casa Socio-Environmental Fund set new records by reaching a historic mark in grantmaking – over US$10,8 million distributed among 434 projects throughout Brazil and the world. The annual report reveals a significant increase in direct support to socio-environmental initiatives and the strengthening of partner funds in the Global South. These results reinforce the commitment to supporting local solutions based on nature and climate justice and consolidating its influence in the international philanthropy context.

A year marked by significant advancements for indigenous peoples, such as the creation of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, and international recognition of the importance of local and traditional communities in preserving biomes, Cristina Orpheo, Executive Director of the Casa Socio-Environmental Fund, highlights the relevance of this period.

“Brazil was marked by historical events, especially for indigenous peoples, who finally received political recognition with the establishment of the unprecedented Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. Led by a woman, the Ministry was a great achievement, the result of a long and hard fight by the peoples who have protected the forests and biodiversity of this country for millennia,” says Cristina Orpheo, Executive Director of the Casa Fund.

Cristina Orpheo also addresses the challenges, noting that “at the same time Brazil was preparing for its democratic comeback, it also faced increasingly frequent impacts of climate change, highlighting the urgency to combat inequalities.”

In response to these challenges, the Casa Fund concentrated its efforts on three strategic lines, directing financial resources directly to local communities to strengthen their resilience; investing in strengthening regional financing mechanisms in Brazil and the Global South; and promoting strategic philanthropy, with the production of knowledge and publications to highlight the potential of local solutions on the global stage.

The annual report highlights that the Casa Fund supported projects focused on themes such as Just Energy Transition, Forest Restoration, Agroecology, Security, and Territorial Surveillance. Each call was designed to strengthen the resilience of local communities in the face of climate change and economic and social pressures.

Strengthening Roots and Empowering Communities in 2023

According to the annual report, in 2023, the Casa Fund reaffirmed its commitment to traditional communities and the defense of socio-environmental rights, allocating 60% of its resources to quilombolas, indigenous people, artisanal fishing communities, and forest dwellers. More than US$2,8 million were invested directly in these communities, essential for the planet’s climate balance. The Casa Fund also maintained its commitment to gender equity, allocating 56% of the grants to projects led by women.

The defense of human and environmental rights was also a priority. Direct support was provided to 29 human and environmental rights defenders, totaling US$73,823.47 in donations. Since the creation of the Program to Support Environmental and Climate Justice Defenders in 2019, the Fund has allocated approximately US$760,000 to these individuals, who often face significant risks in their activities of protecting biomes and collective rights.

In terms of distribution, the Amazon biome received the most support, with 36.9% of the resources directed to 157 projects. Other benefited biomes included the Cerrado (19.5%), Atlantic Forest (26.1%), Caatinga (8.5%), Pampa (1.9%), and Pantanal (0.5%).

Casa Fund Advances Globally and Receives International Recognition

Internationally, the Casa Fund allocated R$32.8 million to support 8 funds in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, in the context of the Socio-Environmental Funds of the Global South. These funds, in turn, made grants to 265 projects, reinforcing the strategy of strengthening local funds throughout the Global South. Since 2016, the Casa Fund has shared its experiences to help establish and strengthen new local funds, demonstrando  how these actors can manage resources effectively and scalably. In 2023, the support included monitoring strategies and strengthening ties, expanding the impact of their actions.

Maria Amália Souza, founder of the Casa Fund, highlighted the awards received in 2023, including the “16 Women Restoring the Earth” from the Global Landscapes Forum, and the J. Blanton Belk Award for Outstanding Services to Humanity from Up With People. She stated that these awards are a recognition of the continuous and committed work of Casa:

“In fact, these awards are about the recognition of the dedicated, persistent, and almost stubborn work that the Casa Fund has been able to perform in the world to date.” Maria Amália Souza

The Casa Fund was also recognized and cited as an effective model for distributing  philanthropic resources to forest defenders.  It was one among ten cases described in the study “Forging Resilient Pathways“, conducted by the Forest Tenure Funders Group, commissioned by the Ford Foundation. “We were also authors and active participants in various international articles and events on the necessary advances in global philanthropy,” she added.

With a delegation of 17 representatives, the Casa Fund participated in COP 28 in Dubai and prepared 55 community leaders through the Training Journey, aiming to influence international negotiations on climate change finance.

On the eve of celebrating two decades of the Casa Fund, Maria Amália Souza reflects on the organization’s trajectory.

“In 2025, it will be 40 years since the first seeds emerged in my mind about a mechanism to enable access to resources for the peoples who protect the great biomes of our region. We built the Casa Fund in 2005; 20 years after that beginning, and with the accumulated experience, we understand much better the processes that could transform this scenario. We were blazing trails, as explaining something so innovative was not easy, and it took us about ten years for international philanthropy to begin to understand our differentiator: the systemic and far-reaching perspective we have.”

Maria Amália Souza, founder of the Casa Socio-Environmental Fund

In 2024, the Casa Fund continues firmly in its mission, with renewed energy and commitment to future challenges. The mobilization of additional resources and the strengthening of partnerships remain priorities to meet the growing demands and ensure a more sustainable and equitable future.

Click here to access the full publication.