The Global Wildlife Fund approach
Supporting projects to restore the planet’s endangered wildlife and habitats
The GWF approach is unique for an Australian charity. We take a business-like approach, investing your tax-deductible gift in carefully selected projects around the world to maximise conservation outcomes and manage risk.
To do this, we select and invest in projects that meet the following criteria:
- Likely to deliver exceptional conservation outcomes
- Will be delivered by strong local partners
- Informed by good science
- Supported by the local community and government
- A funding agreement ensures clear accountability
In this way, GWF provides confidence to Australian donors that their donations are invested in projects that deliver a great ecological return; that the risk is being effectively managed; and that they can celebrate the conservation success they have helped deliver through regular reporting on project outcomes.
Exceptional conservation outcomes
Global Wildlife Fund chooses projects that will deliver exceptional conservation outcomes. We do this by focusing our effort on:
- Priority places around the planet; and
- Threatened and endemic species and ecosystems
Global Wildlife Fund also prioritises the types of practical, on-ground actions that have demonstrated success in restoring wildlife populations and habitats:
- The acquisition of land for private (non-profit) conservation reserves
- The translocation of threatened wildlife
- Biological surveys and monitoring
- Investment in park management and in local communities
Strong local partners
Global Wildlife Fund invests in projects that will be delivered by strong local partners with a demonstrated track record of delivering conservation outcomes. Prior to making any investment, Global Wildlife Fund undertakes a due diligence process to ensure the local partner is in a strong financial position, has all required approvals, enjoys the support of the local government, can demonstrate ongoing compliance with local laws and has a strong risk management framework in place. Global Wildlife Fund enters into project funding agreements with local partners.
Informed by good science
Global Wildlife Fund invests in projects that are informed by good science. We require evidence that science has shaped the design of projects and that science will help evaluate the success of the project and document any learnings. In this way, individual projects will have broader catalytic benefits by building the knowledge base and helping drive continuous improvement in conservation design and delivery.
Local community and government support
As part of the due diligence carried out by GWF, our local partner must demonstrate that the proposed project:
- Has been adequately assessed for any risks to the local community
- Has the support of the local community
- Will deliver benefits to the local community such as additional employment, a boost to local businesses, or investment in health or education
- Has the support of the relevant national government
Accountability
In addition to the due diligence on projects and partners, each GWF investment is secured by a funding agreement that specifies:
- The agreed project outcomes/metrics (for example, the number of rhinos to be translocated)
- Regular reporting on progress against agreed outcomes/metrics
- Acquittal of all funds
In turn, Global Wildlife Fund draws on this information to report to Australian donors, helping them celebrate conservation success by identifying the on-ground impact of their tax deductible gift.
