Biome Trust
Biome Trust is a non-profit charitable trust in Aotearoa New Zealand that deploys its endowment as grants to ~200 community-led environmental and regeneration projects globally, operating the Mangaroa Farms subsidiary and co-funding Ma Earth quadratic funding rounds on Gitcoin.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersWellington, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Biome Trust does
Biome Trust is a non-profit charitable trust headquartered in Aotearoa New Zealand, founded in 2022 (with philanthropic roots in the Namaste fund dating to 2013). The trust commits its endowment to planetary health and ecological regeneration, providing one-time and multi-year grants to environmental projects spanning conservation, regenerative agriculture, rights of nature, and sustainable finance. It explicitly grounds its work in Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the foundation for partnership between tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti, and serves both New Zealand and global causes through a network that includes Biome Trust Aotearoa, Biome Global Foundation, The Gift Trust, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
The organization operates three core programs: a grant-making program (proactive, with limited reactive requests accepted) that supports ~200 projects globally; Mangaroa Farms, a wholly-owned community food hub and education centre in Upper Hutt, Wellington; and Ma Earth, a strategic partnership that hosts interview series ('The Regeneration Will be Funded') and co-funds quadratic funding rounds on the Gitcoin blockchain platform. Ma Earth Funding Rounds have scaled from $100K in April 2024 to $200K in November 2024 to $1M in July 2026, distributing matching grants to 30 (Round 2) and ~200 (Round 3) community-led regeneration projects worldwide.
The business model is endowment-based philanthropy, not commercial revenue generation. The trust runs lean (1–10 employees, 14+ board trustees) and leverages partner organizations for back-office grant administration and global distribution. There is no disclosed pricing, no commercial product revenue, and no investor capital — the entity is structurally a grant-making foundation rather than an investable commercial company, and a PE/VC/M&A audience should treat it as a mission-driven allocator of charitable capital rather than a revenue-generating enterprise.
Biome Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Biome Trust
- Legal name
- Biome Trust Aotearoa
- Website
- https://biometrust.earth
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Biome Trust is a non-profit charitable trust in Aotearoa New Zealand that deploys its endowment as grants to ~200 community-led environmental and regeneration projects globally, operating the Mangaroa Farms subsidiary and co-funding Ma Earth quadratic funding rounds on Gitcoin.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Biome Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Philanthropy & Grant-making
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Community Food Services (624210)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)
Keywords
Where Biome Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wellington
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Biome Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Endowment & Grant-making: Biome Trust is a charitable trust that commits its endowment to planetary health and regeneration. They provide one-time and multi-year grants to environmental projects, conservation efforts, regenerative agriculture, rights of nature initiatives, and sustainable finance causes. The foundation supports ~200 projects around the world.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Biome Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Biome Trust is a philanthropic foundation that commits its endowment to planetary health and ecological regeneration by providing one-time and multi-year grants to environmental projects in conservation, regenerative agriculture, rights of nature, and sustainable finance. The foundation supports approximately 200 community-led regeneration projects worldwide through direct grant-making, partner-administered gift vehicles, and blockchain-based quadratic funding rounds via Ma Earth on Gitcoin. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Mangaroa Farms operates a community food hub and education centre as a local demonstration site for regenerative food systems.
Product overview
Biome Trust is a philanthropic foundation offering grant-making services for environmental projects. The organization operates three main programs: its core Grant-making Program for conservation, regenerative agriculture, rights of nature, and sustainable finance; Mangaroa Farms (a wholly-owned subsidiary community food hub and education centre in Upper Hutt, Wellington); and Ma Earth, an interview series exploring regenerative finance and economic alignment with planetary health.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mangaroa Farms: Community food hub and education centre located in Upper Hutt, Wellington, focused on regenerative food systems, local food production, and environmental education.
- Ma Earth
Products and services
- Grant-making Program One-time and multi-year grants provided to environmental projects spanning conservation, regenerative agriculture, rights of nature, and sustainable finance, supporting ~200 community-led projects globally. Distributed through Biome Trust Aotearoa and The Gift Trust in New Zealand, and via Biome Global Foundation and Silicon Valley Community Foundation for international gifts.
- Mangaroa Farms A community food hub and education centre located in Upper Hutt, Wellington, wholly owned by Biome Trust as a nonprofit. Serves as a local biome demonstration site for regenerative food production and community education.
- Ma Earth An interview series and funding round platform exploring the alignment of economic incentives with planetary health, covering regenerative finance, technology, rights of nature, indigenous foodways, and rainforest protection. Operates quadratic funding rounds on the Gitcoin blockchain to distribute matching grants to community-led regeneration projects (e.g., $1M USD matching grants in Funding Round 3 supporting ~200 projects).
Quantifiable outcome
- Supported ~200 regenerative land projects globally through Ma Earth Funding Round 3
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Biome Trust
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Biome Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Biome Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Ma Earth FoundationcoreMa Earth is a key strategic partner in Biome Trust's regeneration funding ecosystem. Together with Naia Trust and Imaginal Seeds, Biome Trust contributes to Ma Earth Funding Rounds that distribute matching grants to community-led regeneration projects worldwide. Ma Earth hosts the interview series 'The Regeneration Will be Funded' exploring regenerative finance and planetary health.
- Naia TrustcoreCo-funder in Ma Earth Funding Rounds alongside Biome Trust, contributing to matching grant pools for community-led regeneration projects globally.
- Imaginal SeedscoreCo-funder in Ma Earth Funding Rounds alongside Biome Trust, contributing to matching grant pools for community-led regeneration projects globally.
- GitcoinsupportingBlockchain platform partner for Ma Earth quadratic funding rounds, enabling transparent, community-driven grant distribution to regenerative land projects with minimum $5 USD donations.
- The Gift TrustcoreStrategic partner administering Biome Trust gifts within New Zealand, connecting donors with community organisations across Aotearoa to direct generosity effectively.
- Mangaroa FarmscoreCommunity food hub and education centre in Upper Hutt, Wellington. Wholly owned by Biome Trust as their local biome initiative, serving as a demonstration site for regenerative agriculture and community food systems.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Biome Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- RSF Social Finance: Mission-aligned financial intermediary funding regenerative agriculture and social enterprises through grants and loans; broader scope but directly comparable funder of regen ecosystems.
- Patagonia (Holdfast Collective): Brand-anchored environmental grantmaking vehicle funding land conservation and regenerative agriculture; vastly larger endowment than Biome Trust but operates a similar mission-aligned grantmaking model.
- Oak Foundation: Major global foundation with significant environmental and land rights grantmaking; broader portfolio than Biome Trust but directly comparable in funding regenerative and conservation projects.
Regional players
- The Tindall Foundation: NZ-focused philanthropic foundation funding community and environmental causes through a grantmaking model similar to Biome Trust, though with broader social scope.
Direct peers
- Imaginal Seeds: Co-funder in Ma Earth Funding Rounds with Biome Trust; small philanthropic vehicle supporting regenerative and community-led projects — highly comparable scale and mission.
- The Gift Trust: NZ-based grantmaking infrastructure partner that administers Biome Trust's domestic gifts; operates a similar community grantmaking model for environmental and social causes.
- Naia Trust: Co-funder in Ma Earth Funding Rounds alongside Biome Trust; small NZ regenerative-focused philanthropic vehicle operating in the same niche.
- Ma Earth Foundation: Co-funder of the quadratic funding rounds Biome Trust relies on; operates the 'Regeneration Will be Funded' interview series and matching grant pools for community-led land projects — a tightly intertwined direct peer.
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Administers Biome Global Foundation's international gifts and is itself one of the world's largest grantmaking organizations — directly comparable as a grantmaking infrastructure partner.
- NEXT Foundation: NZ-based environmental philanthropic foundation funding conservation and regenerative projects; trustee Bill Kermode is associated with both Biome Trust and NEXT, making them directly comparable NZ regen funders.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Biome Trust social profiles
Digital presenceBiome Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Biome Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Biome Trust subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Biome Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Biome Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Biome Trust
What does Biome Trust do?
Biome Trust is a philanthropic foundation that commits its endowment to planetary health and ecological regeneration by providing one-time and multi-year grants to environmental projects in conservation, regenerative agriculture, rights of nature, and sustainable finance. The foundation supports approximately 200 community-led regeneration projects worldwide through direct grant-making, partner-administered gift vehicles, and blockchain-based quadratic funding rounds via Ma Earth on Gitcoin. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Mangaroa Farms operates a community food hub and education centre as a local demonstration site for regenerative food systems.
Is Biome Trust a public or private company?
Biome Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Biome Trust founded?
Biome Trust was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Biome Trust based?
Biome Trust is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Biome Trust make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic Endowment & Grant-making.
Who are Biome Trust's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are RSF Social Finance, Patagonia (Holdfast Collective) and Oak Foundation. The Tindall Foundation is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Imaginal Seeds, The Gift Trust, Naia Trust, Ma Earth Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NEXT Foundation.
Does Biome Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Biome Trust.
What industry is Biome Trust in?
Biome Trust's product category is Environmental Philanthropy & Grant-making. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGALAD, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative). Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.