| 1. | What is the mission of the Foundation's Andes-Amazon Initiative? |
| The Initiative’s mission is to maintain the ecological function, representative biodiversity, and climatologic function of the Amazon Basin and protect the region's long-term ecological viability. |
| 2. | Does the Andes-Amazon Initiative target specific areas within the Amazon Basin? |
| The Initiative operates throughout the Amazon Basin, including the Amazon watershed, as well as the contiguous forest extending northward through the Guiana Shield and upper Orinoco drainage and includes geographies in nine countries and territories: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. To date, the Initiative has made grants to organizations in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and Suriname. |
| 3. | What does the Andes-Amazon Initiative hope to achieve? |
| The Andes-Amazon Initiative is working to maintain the long-term climatologic function and representative biodiversity of the Amazon Basin through the protection and improved management of Amazonian forests. |
| 4. | How does this Initiative fit within the Foundation's overall mission? |
| The Foundation is dedicated to advancing environmental conservation and effecting change that will have positive impact on the world for future generations. By working to conserve the ecosystem of the world’s largest river basin, the Foundation is helping to preserve the area’s biodiversity and ecological balance, which has critical impact on local, regional and global climate function. |
| 5. | What are the priorities of the Andes-Amazon Initiative? |
| The Andes-Amazon Initiative assigns priority to projects that enhance viability of protected areas and indigenous territories; protect areas of topographic complexity; conserve headwaters of major watersheds; preserve areas of biological diversity and high levels of endemism (exclusive native species); and avert large-scale alterations of landscapes and hydrology. Interest in biodiversity conservation includes both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and species, with a particular interest in investments that include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. |
| 6. | How does the Andes-Amazon Initiative decide which grants to fund? |
| The Foundation approaches grantmaking with well-defined objectives. We conduct research to identify projects that fit within the goals and strategies of the Initiative. Once potential grantees are identified, the Andes-Amazon team may request formal grant proposals. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. |
| 7. | How was the scope of the Andes-Amazon Initiative determined? |
| The scope of the Initiative was determined based on the Initiative’s desired outcome. To achieve the Initiative’s desired outcome, an estimated 370 hectares of the Amazon Basin, spread across major portions of nine countries and territories, will need to be effectively managed. |
| 8. | What is the typical amount and duration of grants in the Andes-Amazon portfolio? |
| The average amount of our Andes-Amazon grants is $2.2 million with a duration of three years. We typically do not fund projects longer than three years due primarily to the difficulty of predicting outcomes beyond this time frame; however, we consider grantees on a case-by-case basis to determine a realistic assessment of the time and resources it will take to achieve the desired results. |
| 9. | What portfolio effect is the Foundation trying to achieve? |
| Within each of our program areas are several initiatives that drive the majority of our grantmaking. When we create a series of grants that are linked to increase the effectiveness of the overall initiative, we call that a "portfolio effect." We believe the sum of several grants can positively affect an overall outcome and help to reach our goals while reducing the risk of failure of any one grant. |