Where We Work

While Collaborative for Change welcomes global dialogue and knowledge sharing, our current project support is focused exclusively on the African continent.

We work with local and Indigenous leaders across Africa to support initiatives in:

• Ecosystem restoration (e.g., agroforestry, nursery development, reforestation, watershed protection)
  
  
• Public health infrastructure (e.g., clean water access, sanitation systems)
  
  
• Biodiversity and habitat protection (e.g., gorilla conservation, rewilding efforts)
  
  

This regional focus allows us to build lasting partnerships, deepen local engagement, and tailor our support to the unique ecological and community contexts across the continent.

How We Work with Projects

At Collaborative for Change, our mission is to empower community-led restoration and resilience through a small number of carefully selected pilot projects. We strive to be flexible and responsive, supporting promising ideas without unnecessary barriers while ensuring clarity, structure, and accountability.

Open Entry, Structured Support

We welcome new projects through our Emerging Initiatives program, which is the first step toward being considered for pilot support.

While we currently work in Sub-Saharan Africa, our model is designed to grow with the people and projects we support. We are particularly interested in initiatives aligned with our current areas of focus:

• Ecosystem restoration (e.g., agroforestry, nursery development, watershed protection)
  
  
• Public health infrastructure (e.g., clean water access, sanitation systems)
  
  
• Biodiversity and conservation (e.g., wildlife protection, habitat restoration)
  
  

We also value new approaches. For example, a recent mountain gorilla conservation project has inspired us to explore new areas of expertise through our Restoration & Advisory Collective (RAC) — a growing network of advisors who support our work in the field.

Required Training: Earth Awareness

An essential part of project development is our partnership with Jill Wagner, who leads the Earth Awareness: Restoration Principles and Practices training — a 9-month course that grounds each project in ecological design and regenerative practice.

All Emerging Initiatives accepted into a cohort cycle will be sponsored by Collaborative for Change to participate in this training, provided funding is available. Participation in this training is required for pilot project eligibility unless otherwise exempted in writing by our advisory team.

Readiness Requirements

While we don’t require every project to be fully formalized at the start, the following are mandatory before funding is released:

• The initiative must be a registered entity (CBO, NGO, etc.)
  
  
• It must have a dedicated bank account in the name of the entity
  
  

We do not pay for registration or account setup, but we’re happy to guide you through the process.

On-the-Ground Collaboration

When possible, our team will participate on-site during implementation. If remote support is necessary, we require:

• Exact GPS coordinates of the project location
  
  
• A written agreement outlining deliverables, budget, and timeline (to be co-developed with our team)
  
  
• Regular photo/video updates documenting project milestones for transparency and shared learning
  
  

What We Do Not Fund

To remain mission-aligned and sustainable, we do not:

• Provide funding outside of our pilot project portfolio
  
  
• Purchase land
  
  
• Support projects without clear land access - land agreements must provide at least 50-year use rights
  
  

Why Flexibility Matters

We see every project as a learning opportunity,  not just for the community, but for us. Our model is designed to evolve alongside our partners, and we don’t expect every applicant to have all the answers on day one.

What we do expect is:

• Mutual trust
  
  
• Openness to guidance
  
  
• A commitment to long-term ecological and community well-being
  
  

Through our Restoration & Advisory Collective (RAC), we bring in subject-matter experts as needed, whether for forestry, biodiversity, soil health, or water systems. Some RAC members, like Jill Wagner, began as advisors and have grown into long-term collaborators by walking this path with us.