LGT Venture Philanthropy Foundation (LGT VP) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Synchronicity Earth (SE), a UK-registered non-profit organisation focusing on global environmental conservation with presence in key ecosystems across South-East Asia, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Melanesia. SE leverages pooled funding approaches to drive global investments critical yet often overlooked and underfunded ecosystems. SE’s mission is to drive meaningful change for endangered species and fragile habitats, while positively impacting the livelihoods of marginalised communities. LGT VP’s non-programmatic grant within the SE Congo Basin pooled fund will focus on institutional strengthening and capacity building for local organisations, contributing to strengthened conservation impacts in the region.
The Congo Basin, often called "Earth’s second green lung," supports unparalleled biodiversity, serves as a critical carbon sink, and sustains millions of livelihoods. Despite its global importance, the region faces growing threats from deforestation, climate change, and extractive industries exacerbated by insecure land tenure and unfavourable regulatory environments. Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), drawing on generations of indigenous knowledge, have historically led conservation efforts, making them uniquely positioned to safeguard these vital ecosystems. However, funding inequities significantly hinder their ability to sustain these efforts. Currently, IPLCs receive only 1% of global climate funding and just 13% of global foundation grants, perpetuating unequal power dynamics and resource gaps. Addressing these funding gaps through collaborative models like Synchronicity Earth’s pooled fund is essential to ensure global commitments translate into meaningful, locally led and sustainable impact.
LGT VP’s environment strategy centres on protecting and regenerating critical ecosystems through community-led initiatives. Recognizing the urgent need to safeguard the Congo Basin, LGT VP is joining forces with Synchronicity Earth to support local conservation efforts. This partnership builds on SE’s expertise in identifying impactful community-based organisations, providing tailored capacity-building support, and connecting organisations with donors to amplify their work and effectively bridge global priorities with local realities. Nava Anvari, Investment Director and Africa Lead at LGT VP, says: "The partnership reflects our shared vision of building resilient ecosystems and thriving communities by empowering local actors. By contributing to this unique pooled fund, we can contribute to a carefully curated portfolio of vetted conservation organisations, ensuring their funding drives measurable impact while reducing administrative burdens for local partners. It is our hope that this is the beginning of a meaningful long-term engagement in this key ecosystem."
Gemma Goodman, Head of Research and Development, Senior Leadership Team at Synchronicity Earth says: "Synchronicity Earth is thrilled to be entering a new collaborative funding partnership with LGT Venture Philanthropy Foundation. Our two organisations have many overlapping principles, from providing flexible, multi-year funding to working with implementing partners to understand what support is needed to have impact and meet collective objectives.
Both Synchronicity Earth and LGT Venture Philanthropy are working to improve their funding practices to empower and enable those with the knowledge to successfully protect some of the most important areas for biodiversity and ecosystems. We are grateful to have the opportunity to explore and grow our partnership within the Congo Basin."
Synchronicity Earth (SE) is a UK-registered charity dedicated to global environmental conservation. SE addresses overlooked and underfunded conservation priorities, aiming to protect and restore nature in some of the world's most biodiverse yet highly threatened regions. Utilising a pooled model where possible, SE raises funding from multiple donors and disburses it to Indigenous Peoples, local communities and community leaders, NGOs and civil society groups working to protect their ecosystems. SE currently manages six main programmes including Amphibians, Asian Species, Biocultural Diversity, Congo Basin, Freshwater, and Oceans. For more information, please visit https://www.synchronicityearth.org/congo-basin-programme/.
LGT Venture Philanthropy (LGT VP) is an independent charitable foundation established in 2007 with teams in Switzerland, Sub-Saharan Africa, and India. The Foundation strives to improve the quality of life of people facing disadvantages, contribute to healthy ecosystems, and build resilient, inclusive, and prosperous communities. LGT VP focuses on strengthening the capabilities of locally rooted organisations that deliver effective, scalable solutions across health, education, and the environment, contributing directly to the SDGs. For more information, please visit www.lgtvp.com .
Read the full press release here.