Fondo para la protección del Agua

What Fondo para la protección del Agua does

FONAG (Fondo para la Protección del Agua) is a private environmental trust established in 2000 in Quito, Ecuador, recognized as the world's first Water Fund. The organization conserves, restores, and protects high-Andean páramo and forest ecosystems that supply freshwater to the Quito Metropolitan District, serving over 3 million residents. It was created through negotiations between the Municipalidad del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito (via EPMAPS) and The Nature Conservancy, and operates under a fideicomiso mercantil de administración privada structure with an 80-year legal horizon.

FONAG's operational platform combines a hydrometeorological monitoring network of 19 automatic climate stations (12 with real-time data) and 5 automatic hydrological stations, a field protection force of more than 25 guardapáramos, scientific research via the jointly operated ECAP (Estación Científica Agua y Páramo) with EPMAPS, native plant nursery production, and digital data platforms (SEDC hydroclimatic information system and Geovisor). Its conservation program covers approximately 20,000 hectares across nine geographic zones in Pichincha and Napo provinces, executed through formal conservation agreements with private and community landowners (covering approximately 2,000 families), direct administration of trust and constituent-owned properties, and ecosystem restoration activities including native species reforestation and fencing of degraded grazing lands.

The organization is funded through a hybrid non-commercial model: a legally mandated 2% allocation from EPMAPS water bill collections under Metropolitan Ordinance No. 213, annual contributions from six corporate and institutional constituents (EPMAPS, Empresa Eléctrica Quito, The Nature Conservancy, Tesalia CBC/PepsiCo, Cervecería Nacional, and Consorcio Camaren), and project-based international development finance from KfW, the Inter-American Development Bank (BID), GIZ, and FFLA. Service delivery occurs through direct technical assistance to community water boards (Juntas Administradoras de Agua), environmental education programs (Yakuaulas for teachers, Guardianes del Agua for children), community mingas, and FONAG's role as a founding partner of the multinational Acción Andina páramo restoration initiative.

Name

Fondo para la protección del Agua

Legal name

Fondo Ambiental para la Protección del Agua

Website

https://fonag.org.ec

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FONAG is a Quito-based private environmental trust and the world's first Water Fund (est. 2000), conserving and restoring high-Andean páramo ecosystems that supply freshwater to over 3 million Quito residents through multi-stakeholder governance and on-the-ground conservation programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watershed Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs (BPADALAF)

Keywords

• Watershed conservation
• Water fund
• Páramo restoration
• Hydroclimatic monitoring
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Quito

HQ country

Ecuador

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Constituent Contributions: Mixed contributions granted by FONAG's original and adhering constituents. Each institution's contributions vary according to commitments acquired by each. Original constituents include EPMAPS (founder providing 2% of service billing), Empresa Eléctrica Quito (since 2001), The Nature Conservancy (founding supporter), Tesalia CBC (since April 2007), Cervecería Nacional (since 2003), and Consortium Camaren (since 2010). Contributions are periodic and intended to build long-term endowment.
2. Municipal Ordinance Funding: Metropolitan Ordinance No. 213 guarantees that 2% of EPMAPS - Agua de Quito collections from user bills is destined for watershed protection in the areas that supply water to the Metropolitan District of Quito.
3. International Cooperation and Development Finance: Support from international development organizations including BID (Inter-American Development Bank), KfW (German development bank), GIZ (German development agency), and FFLA (Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano). These partnerships fund specific conservation and restoration projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FONAG is a non-profit environmental trust that conserves, restores, and protects the páramo and Andean forest ecosystems supplying freshwater to Quito's Metropolitan District. Its core services include watershed conservation through formal agreements with landowners, full property administration including surveillance and restoration, automated hydroclimatic monitoring, scientific research, and environmental education programs for communities, schools, and teachers.

Product overview

FONAG (Fondo para la Protección del Agua) is a private trust fund established in 2000 as the world's first Water Fund. It operates a platform of interconnected conservation services including scientific research through ECAP (Estación Científica Agua y Páramo), environmental education programs (Yakuaulas, Guardianes del Agua), digital data platforms (SEDC for hydroclimatic information and Geovisor for spatial data visualization), and publications (Anuario Hidroclimático, Agua a Fondo magazine, and technical books). The organization manages approximately 20,000 hectares of water interest areas through conservation agreements and direct administration, supported by a network of over 25 guardapáramos (park rangers) across nine geographic zones in Pichincha and Napo provinces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Acción Andina: A community-based initiative across South America to protect high Andean forest ecosystems. FONAG participates as part of this plurinational restoration initiative spanning Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.

Products and services

• FONAG Water Fund (Fondo para la Protección del Agua) A non-profit environmental trust that conserves, restores, and preserves páramo and Andean forest ecosystems supplying freshwater to Quito's Metropolitan District. Delivered to the citizens of Quito and constituents including water utilities, electric utilities, and beverage companies.
• Estación Científica Agua y Páramo (ECAP) A joint scientific initiative between FONAG and EPMAPS that promotes and facilitates research projects to better understand the processes and dynamics of water-source ecosystems, connecting academic researchers with decision-makers.
• Sistema de Información Hidroclimática (SEDC) FONAG's hydroclimatic information system that generates physical, technical, geographic, environmental, and social data from 19 climate stations and 5 hydrological stations to support decision-making for integrated water resource management.
• Repositorio Digital y Geovisor Digital repository and geovisualization platform that shares FONAG's monitoring data, research findings, and geographic information about water conservation areas.
• Guardapáramos Field Conservation Service Field conservation service with more than 25 guardapáramos responsible for the management, control, and surveillance of FONAG and EPMAPS conservation areas, including livestock removal, fire control, restoration monitoring, and waste collection.
• Programa de Educación Ambiental - Yakuaulas Environmental education program providing intensive 5-module training to teachers from educational institutions in water interest areas, covering high Andean ecosystems, emotional education, and pedagogical approaches.
• Guardianes del Agua Program Environmental education program for children including artistic-cultural Caravanas del Arte workshops, YakuGuaguas experiential experiences, and Bosques y Agua field training to connect participants with páramo ecosystems.
• Recursos Educativos FONAG Online educational platform offering illustrated stories, audio stories, videos, posters, activity booklets, and teaching guides about páramo and water ecosystems for children and educators.
• Watershed Restoration with Native Plant Nursery Restoration of degraded páramo ecosystems through propagation and planting of native high-Andean species (Polylepis incana, Polylepis pauta, Alnus acuminata, Cedrela montana, Oreopanax ecuadoriensis) in the FONAG native plant nursery.
• Conservation Agreements with Landowners Formal conservation agreements (including 62 commitment letters and conservation agreements) signed with private and community landowners to protect approximately 20,000 hectares of water interest areas in the Metropolitan District of Quito.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 20,000 hectares of water interest areas protected through conservation agreements
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Acción AndinacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Community-led initiative working in South America to protect high-Andean forest ecosystems. FONAG part of Acción Andina since 2020. First multinational initiative at scale to restore high-Andean forests across 5 countries with plans to expand to Colombia and Venezuela.
• Consorcio CamarenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Ecuadorian non-profit organization integrating public universities and NGOs for natural resource management training. Became constituent in 2010 when Swiss Cooperation-COSUDE transferred its contributions to the consortium.
• Tesalia CBC (PepsiCo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2007Bottled water company with 100+ years of market presence, part of PepsiCo corporation with 128 years experience in 17 countries. Constituent since April 2007, demonstrating commitment to nature and water resources.
• Cervecería NacionalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Largest beverage company in Ecuador, operating since 1887. Joined FONAG in 2003 reinforcing vision of shared access to clean water for business, communities, and ecosystems.
• Empresa Eléctrica QuitocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Electric utility providing electricity to Quito's urban and rural areas through thermal and 5 hydroelectric plants. Since 2001 contributes annual amounts to FONAG to conserve areas that supply water for power generation.
• EPMAPS - Agua de QuitocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding constituent. The Empresa Pública Metropolitana de Agua Potable y Saneamiento provides 2% of service billing to FONAG through Metropolitan Ordinance No. 213. EPMAPS maintains water capture systems in FONAG-protected areas and co-manages conservation areas.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the world's leading conservation organizations with 1 million+ members working in 69 countries. Present in Ecuador since 1984. Led the lobbying effort for FONAG's creation, making it a founding partner.
• Plataforma Andina de Fondos de AguaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional platform connecting Andean water funds for knowledge sharing and collaborative conservation efforts across the Andes region.
• ECAP - Estación Científica Agua y PáramocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative between FONAG and EPMAPS promoting research to understand water source ecosystem processes and dynamics. Articulates academic world with decision-makers through research formulation, support, dissemination, and application.
• Academic Partners (Universidad Central del Ecuador, PUCE, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, USFQ, and 10+ others)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with universities for research, student training, and knowledge exchange. Partners include Universidad Central del Ecuador, Ikiam, PUCE, Espe, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Universidad Técnica de Cotopaxi, UTE, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Imperial College London, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Universidad de Cuenca, Universidad Indoamérica, IRD, Instituto de Investigación Geológico y Energético, Universidad Yachay, USFQ.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation NGO with active freshwater and watershed programs including in the Andes. Comparable as a similarly large, donor-funded environmental organization executing source-water protection, ecosystem restoration, and corporate-partnership water stewardship.
• Conservation International: Large global conservation organization with significant Latin American operations and water/freshwater programs. Comparable as a similarly mission-driven environmental NGO working on nature-based solutions and protected-area management, but operating at a much broader global scale than FONAG's single-basin focus.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC): Global conservation NGO and FONAG's founding constituent. TNC operates the Water Funds program that has supported creation of dozens of similar vehicles worldwide. Comparable as the parent architect of the water fund model, but far larger in scale, geography, and scope than FONAG itself.

Others

• WaterAid: International NGO focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) access. Adjacent rather than directly comparable: WaterAid works on water access and infrastructure at the household/community level, whereas FONAG protects source-water ecosystems upstream — they operate on different ends of the same water value chain.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global conservation NGO operating wildlife and habitat programs across the Americas, including protected-area management in Latin America. Comparable as a similarly large, science-based conservation organization with field programs in ecosystem protection, though with a stronger wildlife rather than water-fund focus.

Direct peers

• Fondo de Agua de Bogotá: Bogotá-focused water fund protecting the páramos and forests that supply water to Colombia's capital. Directly comparable to FONAG in structure, mission, and mechanism — a sister water fund leveraging the same multi-stakeholder, regulated-revenue, and páramo-protection playbook for a different Andean megacity.
• Plataforma Andina de Fondos de Agua: Regional platform that connects Andean water funds for knowledge sharing and collaborative conservation across the Andes. The most direct structural peer to FONAG at a network level — comparable because it represents the federation of water funds using FONAG's pioneering model across multiple countries.
• Fondo de Agua de la Ciudad de México: Mexico City water fund focused on protecting forested watersheds that supply water to one of the world's largest metropolitan areas. Directly comparable as a large-scale, capital-city water fund employing nature-based solutions, public-private financing, and stakeholder agreements in the same architectural family as FONAG.
• Fondo de Agua de Lima: Lima-focused water fund modeled on FONAG's approach, supported through the TNC Water Funds program. Directly comparable as a sister water fund protecting Andean headwaters that supply drinking water to a major Latin American capital, applying the same multi-stakeholder and páramo/watershed conservation logic.

Emerging players

• Acción Andina: Community-based multinational initiative working in 5 South American countries to protect and restore high-Andean forest ecosystems. FONAG is a participant; comparable as a growing Andean ecosystem-restoration vehicle that shares FONAG's geography and páramo/forest focus but operates as an initiative rather than a permanent trust.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fonag
• Facebookfacebook.com/FONAG.QUITO
• Instagraminstagram.com/fonaguio
• TikToktiktok.com/@fonaguio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fonag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fondo para la protección del Agua