Rainforest Trust UK

What Rainforest Trust UK does

Rainforest Trust UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (Charity No. 1169111) and a sister organization to the US-based 501(c)(3) Rainforest Trust, founded in 1988. Its mission is to protect tropical forests and threatened wildlife by establishing legally protected areas in partnership with local and Indigenous organizations across more than 68 countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. The organization supports a portfolio of over 200 conservation projects funded through three specialized funds — the Conservation Action Fund, the Rainforest Climate Action Fund, and the Sustainability Action Fund — alongside a Planned Giving service for charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and bequests.

The UK entity generates revenue exclusively through charitable giving: individual one-time and monthly donations, corporate partnerships (e.g., Selfless by Hyram), planned giving, and workplace giving programs including the UK's Give As You Earn and the US Combined Federal Campaign (#11257). Board members and close supporters cover all operating expenses, allowing 100% of public donations to flow directly to conservation projects. Fundraising is conducted through online donation portals, direct mail, telephone outreach, wealth-screening-driven major gift cultivation, and self-serve peer fundraising via Crowdrise.

Rainforest Trust UK operates with 11–50 employees from offices in Warrenton, VA (global HQ) and London (UK office). It does not develop proprietary technology; its core operational model depends on 68+ local partner organizations that own and manage protected lands under legal designation. The organization's cumulative impact includes 68.8 million acres protected globally, 3,402 threatened species safeguarded, and approximately 13 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalents stored, with a 98% forest retention rate post-protection. It holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and operates a Joint Data Controller arrangement with its US parent under UK GDPR for cross-border donor data handling.

Name

Rainforest Trust UK

Legal name

Rainforest Trust

Website

https://rainforesttrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rainforest Trust UK is a registered UK charity that protects tropical forests and threatened wildlife by establishing legally protected areas with 68+ local partners across Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, funded by donations, corporate partnerships, and planned giving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG), Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Trust Funds & Multi-Donor Pooled Funds (BPADAOAE)

Keywords

• Tropical forest conservation
• Endangered species protection
• Protected area designation
• Charitable fundraising
• Habitat preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Warrenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: The primary revenue stream is charitable donations from individual supporters, granted through online donation portals (rainforesttrust.donorsupport.co and rainforesttrustuk.donorsupport.co), direct mail campaigns, monthly giving programs, and workplace giving schemes. Donations are directed to specific conservation projects or the Conservation Action Fund.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partnerships such as the Selfless by Hyram skincare brand generate donations tied to product sales, with funds directed to specific project areas (e.g., Bolivia's Bajo Paragua forest).
3. Planned Giving and Bequests: Donors can leave bequests in their wills or establish planned giving instruments such as charitable remainder trusts, lead trusts, retirement plan designations, and life insurance beneficiary gifts. Board member contributions cover operating expenses, enabling 100% of public donations to go to conservation.
4. Combined Federal Campaign (US): Rainforest Trust participates in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #11257), enabling US federal employees to make workplace contributions to the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rainforest Trust UK is a UK-registered nonprofit that raises charitable donations to fund the creation and management of legally protected tropical habitats in partnership with local and Indigenous organizations. The UK entity covers its own fundraising and administrative costs so that 100% of donations are allocated to conservation projects operated by the US parent Rainforest Trust and its network of 68+ local partners across 68+ countries.

Product overview

Rainforest Trust UK is a nonprofit conservation organization that operates a portfolio of project-based products centered on protecting rainforests and endangered species through land purchases, protected area designations, and community-based conservation. The core offering consists of three specialized funding mechanisms: the Conservation Action Fund for urgent project needs, the Rainforest Climate Action Fund for carbon-focused protection, and the Sustainability Action Fund for fire prevention and sustainability efforts. Additional offerings include a General Support fund for operational costs and a comprehensive Urgent Projects Portfolio spanning 200+ projects globally. The organization also provides Planned Giving services for legacy conservation giving, including bequests and charitable trusts. Projects focus on specific geographic regions (Bolivia, Nepal, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo) and species (parrots, orchids, pangolins, elephants, gorillas, tortoises) rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Selfless by Hyram: A skincare brand partnership where a portion of proceeds supports Bolivia conservation projects
• Conservation Action Fund
• Rainforest Climate Action Fund
• Sustainability Action Fund

Products and services

• Conservation Action Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• 68.8 million acres protected across the globe, with 98% forest retention post-protection
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Gorongosa Restoration ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRainforest Trust collaborates with the Gorongosa Restoration Project in Mozambique to establish Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) that buffer Gorongosa National Park, support human-wildlife coexistence, and prevent deforestation. The partnership supports elephant collaring operations, community livelihood programs (beekeeping, fish ponds), and expansion of the national park through former hunting concessions.
• KTK-BELTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner KTK-BELT works with Rainforest Trust on multi-year, multi-project conservation across Nepal's lowlands to the Himalayas, including the Paschim Kusha Bird Sanctuary, Tinjure-Milkhe-Jaljale Rhododendron Forest protection, and the Topkegola Biocultural Heritage Special Conservation Zone. The partnership focuses on community outreach, land protection, and connecting fragmented ecosystems.
• Fundación Natura BoliviacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFundación Natura Bolivia is the key partner for protecting Bolivia's Bajo Paragua rainforest, working to establish the San Ignacio and Concepcion Municipal Protected Areas and deploying fire brigades to combat wildfires threatening the Amazon frontier.
• Fundación EcoMingacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRainforest Trust and Fundación EcoMinga created the Dracula Reserve in Ecuador (2014) to protect rare orchid species from the illegal wildlife trade and have since expanded the reserve to over 5,000 acres to safeguard the Chocó-Tumbes biodiversity hotspot.
• Fundación JocotococoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFundación Jocotoco partners with Rainforest Trust to create and expand reserves protecting Ecuador's Chocó biodiversity hotspot. Projects include the Las Balsas Reserve for the Endangered Lilacine Amazon parrot, safeguarding roosting sites from the illegal pet trade.
• Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRainforest Trust works with SCNL to protect Liberia's Upper Guinea Forest through community forest management, having established Gola Forest National Park in 2016 and ongoing projects spanning over 1.3 million acres, protecting Endangered Chimpanzees, Pygmy Hippos, and pangolins.
• Rainforest Foundation NorwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRainforest Foundation Norway collaborates with Rainforest Trust on the world's largest tropical peatland protection project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, working to designate 1.15 million acres of peatlands as Community Forests through GASHE (Groupe d'Action Pour Sauver L'Homme Et Son Environnement).
• Rainforest Trust UK partner organizations (partial list)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRainforest Trust maintains partnerships with over 68 local conservation organizations worldwide including: Gorongosa Restoration Project, Strong Roots, SW Niger Delta Forest Project, WildDominique, Vondrona, Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, Terra Peninsular, Sumac Muyu Foundation, Sociedad Colombiana de Cycadas, SEARRP, Madagasikara Voakajy, National Trust of Fiji, Natura International Argentina, Fundación Proyecto Titi, REGUA, Rio Pucuno Foundation, RSPB, Corporación SalvaMontes, Misión Tiburón, IUCN Cambodia, Instituto Uiraçu, Instituto Arara Azul, ICFC, Hutan, Fundación Ecominga, Fundación Proaves, Fundaeco, Guinean Park Foundation, BirdLife International, Green Mindanao Association, Fundación Jocotoco, CEDIA, Rewild, YKEHS, Aquasis, Pronatura Noreste, Nature and Culture International, WCS Congo, Dayu Biik, Endangered Wildlife Trust, Borneo Nature Foundation, ADOPTA Panama, Hirola Conservation Program, Daluhay, A Rocha Ghana, African Parks, BCST, Centre for Sustainability, CEM Côte d'Ivoire, Wildlife Alliance, Fauna & Flora International, Biodiversitas, and AERF.
• Rainforest Trust (US parent organization)coreOthersRainforest Trust UK (Charity No. 1169111) is a registered UK charity that works closely with its partner charity Rainforest Trust (US), incorporated in 1988 (EIN 13-3500609). For GDPR purposes, both organizations act as Joint Data Controllers. Rainforest Trust UK raises funds in the UK and allocates them to conservation projects identified and managed by the US parent and its local partners.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Major global conservation nonprofit focused on biodiversity hotspots, forests, and oceans. Comparable via grantmaking to local NGOs and project-based fundraising structure.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation giant operating protected-area programs in 100+ countries, with a similarly donor-funded model and symbolic species-protection branding. Direct overlap on tropical forest and endangered species protection.
• The Nature Conservancy: The largest global conservation nonprofit, with a much broader mandate spanning forests, oceans, and grasslands. Comparable via legal protection of lands, donor-funded model, and global project footprint.
• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Operates field conservation programs across the same geographies (Africa, Latin America, Asia), with comparable species-protection mission and donor-funded model.

Direct peers

• Fauna & Flora International: UK-registered conservation charity operating global species and habitat protection programs. Direct overlap in mission, UK fundraising footprint, and partner-network model; already listed as a Rainforest Trust partner.
• BirdLife International: Global partnership of national bird-conservation organizations protecting habitats through site designation and community engagement. Already a partner; direct overlap on critical-site protection.
• Rainforest Action Network: US-based nonprofit focused specifically on rainforest preservation through corporate campaigns and direct action. Comparable target audience and cause area but a more advocacy-driven model.
• Rainforest Foundation US: Closest peer: a US-based nonprofit also focused on protecting tropical rainforests through Indigenous land rights and partnerships. Operates a similar grantmaking-to-local-partners model.

Regional players

• African Wildlife Foundation: Africa-focused conservation nonprofit with similar protected-area and community-conservation models. Operates in many of the same African countries (Liberia, DRC, Mozambique, Kenya) where Rainforest Trust is active.

Emerging players

• Wetlands International: Global nonprofit focused on wetland and peatland conservation, overlapping with Rainforest Trust's peatland projects in DRC and other tropical regions. Comparable donor-funded grantmaking model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/rainforesttrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RainforestTrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/RainforestTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/rainforesttrust
• Pinterestpinterest.com/RainforestTrust
• TikToktiktok.com/@rainforesttrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rainforestuk

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rainforest Trust UK