Alianza Cuencas Sagradas

What Alianza Cuencas Sagradas does

Alianza Cuencas Sagradas (ASHA / Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance) is a nonprofit alliance initiated in 2017 at the VIII Pan-Amazon Social Forum in Tarapoto, Peru, and formally established in 2023 as an autonomous entity with the operational Fundación Alianza Cuencas Sagradas created in Ecuador in 2024. It is governed by a General Assembly of 28 member organizations — 25 Indigenous organizations representing 30+ Indigenous nationalities and 3 civil society organizations — spanning the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon. ASHA's purpose is the permanent protection and territorial governance of the Sacred Headwaters bioregion, a 35-million-hectare area that is home to roughly 600,000 people and supports an estimated 24,155Mg of annual carbon capture. Its core programs include the Bioregional Plan 2030 (a nine-axis socio-ecological transition framework), EVA: Escuela Viva de la Amazonía (a 9-month, 960-hour certified Indigenous leadership education program), Reforesting Edible Forests (170,000+ plants across 1,064 hectares and 47 communities), the Bioregional Fund (an Indigenous-led grant and revolving-loan vehicle), and the Local Projects Platform (a digital funding-access portal). ASHA also conducts international advocacy, including a successful 2023 Yasuni public consultation defense and IACHR hearings on Indigenous women defenders.

ASHA raises revenue exclusively through donations and grants. U.S. donors contribute through fiscal sponsor Pachamama Alliance (a 501(c)(3), Tax ID 94-3249793), enabling tax-deductible giving via credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Venmo, and bank transfer on donate.sacredheadwaters.org. Ecuadorian donors give via direct bank transfer to Fundación Alianza Cuencas Sagradas; international donors may also mail checks. Institutional funding flows through partnerships including Rainforest Foundation US, BLF Andes Amazonico Program, WWF Ecuador, CONAIE, AIDESEP, CONFENIAE, COICA, Universidad Amawtay Wasi, and provincial/cantonal governments. There is no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML product; the alliance's underlying technology is the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems with modern science for bioregional planning, reforestation, and territorial governance. Outreach is delivered through bilingual (Spanish/English) social media, a podcast (La Amazonia Habla), international press (e.g., The Guardian), and global signature/petition campaigns. The operational team is small (7 employees), with delivery executed primarily through the 28 member organizations and partner networks.

Name

Alianza Cuencas Sagradas

Legal name

Fundación Alianza Cuencas Sagradas

Website

https://cuencasagradas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alianza Cuencas Sagradas is a nonprofit alliance of 25 Indigenous and 3 civil society organizations protecting 35 million hectares of the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon through territorial defense, reforestation, education, and Indigenous-led governance programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services (IMAMAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Environmental Permitting & Impact Assessment (EIA/NEPA) (BPAIAMAK)

Keywords

• Amazon conservation
• Indigenous rights advocacy
• Bioregional planning
• Forest restoration programs
• Environmental nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Puyo (Pastaza Province)

HQ country

Ecuador

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: ASHA generates revenue primarily through donations from individuals, institutions, and foundations worldwide, channeled via Pachamama Alliance (U.S. fiscal sponsor) or directly to the Ecuadorian Foundation. Grants are mobilized through the Bioregional Fund to support the Bioregional Plan 2030.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alianza Cuencas Sagradas is a nonprofit alliance of 25 Indigenous and 3 civil society organizations coordinating the protection and sustainable development of the 35 million hectare Sacred Headwaters bioregion across the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon. Its core offering is the Plan Biorregional 2030, a nine-axis strategic framework, operationalized through programs in Indigenous youth education (EVA), edible-forest reforestation, an Indigenous-led Bioregional Fund, a Local Projects Platform for community funding, and capacity building for Indigenous nations. Services are delivered free to member Indigenous communities and funded by donations and grants channeled through fiscal sponsor Pachamama Alliance and the Ecuadorian foundation.

Product overview

Alianza Cuencas Sagradas (Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance) operates as a coalition of Indigenous and civil society organizations offering a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a unified technology product. The core offering includes the Plan Biorregional 2030 as the overarching strategic framework, supported by EVA (Escuela Viva de la Amazonía) as an education program training Indigenous youth leaders, Reforestando Bosques Comestibles for conservation and food security, the Bioregional Fund as a financial mechanism for mobilizing resources, the Local Projects Platform for community funding access, and capacity-building programs for Indigenous governance and territorial defense. The organization does not offer technology products per se, but implements social, educational, and conservation programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EVA: Escuela Viva de la Amazonía (Living School of the Amazon): A 9-month educational program that integrates Indigenous and Western science, training youth leaders in governance, human rights, gender, and territorial defense.
• Reforestando Bosques Comestibles (Reforesting Edible Forests)
• Fondo Biorregional de las Cuencas Sagradas Amazónicas (ASHA Bioregional Fund)

Products and services

• Plan Biorregional 2030 (Bioregional Plan 2030) A comprehensive nine-axis strategic framework for the Sacred Headwaters bioregion, conceived from Indigenous territorial vision. The plan covers governance, conservation, food sovereignty, connectivity, renewable energy, health, education, urban planning, and socio-ecological transitions. It is the alliance's overarching roadmap guiding protection of the Amazon and transformation at local, national, and global scales, used by member organizations and partners to coordinate programs and advocacy.
• EVA: Escuela Viva de la Amazonía (Living School of the Amazon) A nine-month educational program (960 academic hours) integrating Indigenous sciences with Western knowledge to train Indigenous youth leaders in governance, human rights, gender, and territorial defense. EVA is delivered to cohorts of 40+ students and is certified through an inter-institutional agreement with Universidad Amawtay Wasi. The program targets Indigenous young leaders from the Sacred Headwaters bioregion.
• Reforestando Bosques Comestibles (Reforesting Edible Forests) A reforestation initiative that restores degraded ecosystems and strengthens food security by planting Amazonian species for food and forest regeneration. The project has planted over 170,000 trees and plants of 95 species, reforesting more than 1,064 hectares across 47 Indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon. It targets Indigenous communities seeking food sovereignty and ecosystem restoration.
• Fondo Biorregional de las Cuencas Sagradas Amazónicas (ASHA Bioregional Fund) An Indigenous-led financial mechanism that channels strategic investments to implement the Bioregional Plan 2030. The fund combines grants and revolving loans for regenerative enterprises, mobilizing resources to transition the region to a thriving Indigenous bioeconomy. It serves community projects, regenerative enterprises, and program implementers across the Sacred Headwaters bioregion.
• Plataforma de Proyectos Locales (Local Projects Platform) A virtual platform enabling direct community access to funding and supporting implementation of the Bioregional Plan 2030. The platform collaboratively mobilizes funds to showcase and realize community-led projects, and is targeted at Indigenous communities and local implementers across Ecuador and Peru.
• Fortalecimiento de Naciones Indígenas del Datem del Marañón (Strengthening Indigenous Nations of Datem del Marañón) A capacity-building program strengthening Indigenous nations of the Datem del Marañón region in Peru to defend their territorial, cultural, and environmental rights. The program delivers workshops, governance support, legal accompaniment, and satellite internet connectivity, and targets Indigenous nations in the Peruvian Amazon.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 170,000 trees and plants of 95 Amazonian species planted, reforesting over 1,064 hectares across 47 communities in Ecuador.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WWF EcuadorminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026WWF Ecuador supports the Indigenous Diplomacy School initiative led by CONFENIAE. ASHA participates as a strategic ally in this capacity-building program for Indigenous youth leaders.
• Escuela de Diplomacia Indigena (Indigenous Diplomacy School)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026An initiative led by CONFENIAE to strengthen capacities of young Indigenous leaders for participation in multilateral forums. ASHA is a strategic partner contributing experience in organizational strengthening and leadership development.
• CONFENIAE (Confederacion de Nacionalidades Indigenas de la Amazonia Ecuatoriana)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023CONFENIAE is a managing organization of ASHA and key strategic partner, representing Ecuadorian Amazon Indigenous nationalities. ASHA contributes to CONFENIAE's Indigenous Diplomacy School and organizational strengthening programs.
• AIDESEP (Asociacion Interetnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023AIDESEP is a managing organization of ASHA and represents Peru's Amazon Indigenous peoples. ASHA supports AIDESEP members in territorial defense, advocacy at IACHR, and PIACI protection.
• COICA (Coordinadora de las Organizaciones Indigenas de la Cuenca Amazonica)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023COICA is a managing organization of ASHA and represents the broader Amazon Indigenous coordination across the basin. ASHA coordinates with COICA on bioregional planning and continental Indigenous advocacy.
• CONAIE (Confederacion Nacional de Nacionalidades Indigenas del Ecuador)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023CONAIE co-led the 'Yes to Yasuni, Yes to Life!' campaign with ASHA and other global organizations to protect Yasuni National Park during Ecuador's 2023 public consultation, achieving a historic democratic victory.
• CNDDHH (Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos — Peru)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023ASHA joined the Hydrocarbons Working Group of CNDDHH and contributed to the launch of 'The Shadows of Hydrocarbons: Report III,' analyzing environmental emergencies and Peruvian State actions from 1997 to 2023.
• Gobierno Provincial de Pastaza (Ecuador)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Strategic partnership with the Provincial Government of Pastaza for production and technical assistance in the Reforesting Edible Forests project, supporting nurseries and reforestation activities.
• Gobierno Cantonal de Arajuno (Ecuador)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Strategic partnership with the Cantonal Government of Arajuno for production and technical assistance in the Reforesting Edible Forests project.
• The Oxygen Project / AVAAZminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational advocacy organizations that supported ASHA's campaign against the PIACI law modification, helping collect over 550,000 signatures from citizens in 200+ countries.
• Universidad Amawtay WasiminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUniversidad Amawtay Wasi established an inter-institutional agreement with ASHA to certify the EVA (Escuela Viva de la Amazonia) educational program, allowing students to receive a certificate recognizing their technical training.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pachamama Alliance: ASHA's U.S. fiscal sponsor and 501(c)(3). A nonprofit that mobilizes resources and advocacy for the Amazon, with shared mission in Indigenous rights, forest conservation, and bioregional protection — making it the most directly comparable organization in terms of mission and operating model.
• CONFENIAE: Ecuadorian Amazon Indigenous confederation and ASHA managing organization. Comparable in mission (Indigenous rights, territorial defense in Ecuador) and constituency; co-implements the Indigenous Diplomacy School.
• Amazon Watch: A nonprofit that works with Indigenous and environmental organizations in the Amazon basin to protect rainforests and advance Indigenous rights. Highly comparable in mission, geographic focus, and advocacy strategy.
• AIDESEP (Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana): Peru's Amazon Indigenous confederation and ASHA managing organization. Directly comparable in mission (Indigenous territorial defense in Peru) and constituency, with overlapping program scope.
• CONAIE: Ecuador's national Indigenous confederation and ASHA's co-lead in the 2023 Yasuni referendum campaign. Directly comparable in Indigenous rights advocacy and political mobilization across Ecuador.
• COICA (Coordinadora de las Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica): The continental coordinating body of Amazon Indigenous organizations and one of ASHA's managing organizations. Directly aligned in mission and constituency, with overlapping geographies across the Amazon basin.
• Rainforest Foundation US: An NGO member of ASHA providing financial and technical support for Indigenous-led forest protection. Comparable as a U.S.-based nonprofit channeling resources to Indigenous communities in the Amazon.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Global environmental nonprofit with active Amazon and forest conservation programs. Comparable in forest conservation mission and funding scale, but with a much broader geographic and programmatic portfolio.
• WWF Ecuador: A branch of the global WWF network operating in Ecuador with overlapping conservation and Indigenous partnership programs. Comparable in conservation focus but operates as part of a much broader portfolio with different geographic breadth.
• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO with significant Amazon programs and Indigenous partnerships. Comparable in conservation finance and capacity-building roles but operates at much broader geographic and thematic scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CuencasSagradas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cuencassagradas943
• Facebookfacebook.com/cuencassagradas
• Instagraminstagram.com/cuencassagradas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alianza-cuencas-sagradas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Alianza Cuencas Sagradas