Grassroots environmental defenders are vital stewards of the world’s natural resources. Yet they face growing threats due to their advocacy, from arrest and loss of livelihoods to physical attacks and killings. Often stigmatized and targeted by smear campaigns, environmental defenders struggle for support, especially in countries dependent on resource extraction. These attacks are further fueled by poor enforcement of human rights and environmental laws as well as corruption.

The STAND Initiative is a collaborative effort led by WRI and the Alliance for Land, Indigenous and Environmental Defenders (ALLIED) that works to strengthen the capacity of grassroots environmental defenders to engage in environmental governance and advocacy. STAND aims to reduce threats and attacks against defenders, particularly in underserved areas, while securing stronger commitments from governments and the private sector to protect them.

STAND was created in response to environmental defenders’ urgent need for stronger protection and support. The initiative provides financial resources to help defenders confront the threats and risks they face. These threats are particularly stark in underserved and underrepresented communities and locations with weak governance and corruption.

Key goals of the initiative include:

  • Reducing both lethal and non-lethal attacks on grassroots environmental defenders and ensuring more robust action from governments and the private sector to address these threats.
  • Enhancing environmental defenders' ability to hold governments and private actors accountable for enforcing environmental laws.
  • Increasing environmental defenders’ participation in decision-making processes at local, regional and international levels.
  • Strengthening environmental defenders' capacity for evidence-based advocacy and coalition-building to address environmental and development issues, as well as the risks they face.
  • Expanding financial resources for environmental defenders to support their work and ensure long-term sustainability.

To achieve this, the STAND initiative offers:

  • Capacity building and training: Grassroots environmental defenders will enhance their advocacy skills, learning strategies to access and use information and data, strengthen legal and judicial accountability, and participate in public decision-making. Training will integrate psychosocial support and security measures.
  • A Defender Small Grant Fund (DSGF): The DSGF will provide up to US$50,000 for each environmental defender. The objective is to provide an opportunity to apply the skills and tools learned during the training program to strengthen their evidence-based advocacy and achieve local advocacy goals.
  • Collaborative partnerships: WRI and ALLIED work with a consortium of country-based organizations and international technical training partners to help environmental defenders strengthen local networks and promote participation in regional and international environmental governance spaces. Partnerships will enhance participants’ ability to engage in campaigns on environmental and development impacts and help reduce the threats against them, while securing firmer commitments by governments and the private sector to address attacks.

Defender Small Grants Fund (DSGF)

The DSGF seeks to provide urgent financial support to global environmental defenders and their communities, helping to address the risks they face and enhance their advocacy efforts. The fund aims to integrate protection strategies with broader environmental and livelihood work.

We expect most awarded applications to fall under one of these thematic areas:

  • Use procedural rights in advocacy (access and use of information, participation and accountability strategies, including legal approaches).
  • Develop advocacy protection strategies and connect with organizations that have resources to support these strategies, with consideration of the specific protection needs of women, youth, Indigenous peoples and other communities.
  • Strengthen solidarity and promote participation in regional and international environmental platforms, networks and coalitions.

The DSGF will award grants ranging from US$10,000-$50,000, with a total budget of approximately US$400,000 per country. The fund is available to defenders in Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Mexico and the Philippines.

For more information on the DSGF, including eligibility requirements and a link to the application, please visit the ALLIED website.

Cover image by Ricky Martin/CIFOR