Fundación Natura Bolivia

What Fundación Natura Bolivia does

Fundación Natura Bolivia is a nonprofit conservation foundation established in 2003 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. The foundation pioneered the Acuerdos Recíprocos por Agua (ARA) methodology—a reciprocal agreement framework in which downstream water users provide economic contributions through locally-administered water funds to upstream communities who conserve or restore forests and watersheds. It operates across 87 municipalities in five of Bolivia's nine departments, employs 49 staff, and works with municipal governments, water cooperatives, indigenous communities, and smallholder farmers. Its core programs include ARA implementation, municipal protected-area creation and management (3.4 million hectares cumulatively), the Escuela ARA international training program, and the Watershared Bank (Banco de Aguas Compartidas) conservation financing vehicle recognized at COP26 in 2021.

The foundation's field technology stack is operational rather than AI-driven: camera traps for biodiversity documentation, Coliscan Easygel for E. coli water-quality testing, the MAPinr mobile mapping tool for GPS-tagged field sampling, and the SMART platform for spatial threat monitoring in protected areas. These tools enable the monitoring and verification work that underpins ARA agreements and water-fund disbursements. The foundation's principal asset is institutional: a two-decade methodology of community-based governance that links upstream conservation outcomes with downstream water economics.

Revenue comes from international donor grants (Pew Charitable Trusts, IUCN NL, World Land Trust, Andes Amazon Fund, UNDP, Nature and Culture International, TNC, Re:wild), corporate partnerships (Fundación Coca-Cola Bolivia, AmazonSmile), and municipal water-fund contributions (a percentage embedded in downstream water bills). The foundation is grant-dependent, does not sell commercial products, and does not publicly disclose revenue. Third-party validation includes the 2021 Energy Globe Award at COP26 (Water category, "World's Best Environmental Project"), Water Changemakers Awards (2017 and 3rd place in 2021), Swiss Re Foundation Award (2019), ESPA Award (2019), CGIAR Award (2019), and the Energy Globe Award Bolivia (2018).

Name

Fundación Natura Bolivia

Legal name

Fundación Natura Bolivia

Website

https://naturabolivia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fundación Natura Bolivia is a Santa Cruz-based nonprofit foundation that pioneered the Acuerdos Recíprocos por Agua (ARA) methodology, linking upstream forest conservation with downstream water funding across 87 Bolivian municipalities via local water funds, municipal agreements, and international donor support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

SIC

Forestry (800), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Watershed conservation services
• Forest conservation programs
• Protected areas management
• Water source protection
• Community conservation funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz de la Sierra

HQ country

Bolivia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Municipal Water Fund Contributions: Water users in downstream communities contribute economically through water bills (percentage included in water bills). Municipal governments also contribute to local water conservation funds.
2. International Donor Funding: Support from international organizations including World Land Trust, IUCN NL, PEW Charitable Trusts, Andes Amazon Fund, and Nature and Culture International for conservation projects.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations like Fundación Coca-Cola and AmazonSmile program for environmental conservation funding.
4. Development Organization Grants: Funding from development organizations and NGOs including UNDP for conservation and climate change mitigation projects.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fundación Natura Bolivia is a nonprofit conservation foundation that implements the Acuerdos Recíprocos por Agua (ARA) model — a system of reciprocal agreements in which downstream water users and municipal governments contribute economically (via water-fund contributions and development projects) to upstream communities who conserve or restore forests that protect critical water sources. It complements ARA with the Escuela ARA international training school, technical assistance for the creation and management of municipal protected areas, capacity-building for local institutions, and the Watershared Bank financing mechanism for water-source conservation.

Product overview

Fundación Natura Bolivia operates as a conservation foundation offering a suite of interconnected programs centered on its core methodology, the Acuerdos Recíprocos por Agua (ARA) — a Reciprocal Water Agreement model. The ARA system is complemented by the Escuela ARA (training school) for knowledge transfer, Local Water Funds for financing, and the Watershared Bank for innovative conservation financing. Additional services include Protected Areas creation and management, and Institutional Strengthening support. The organization also participates in the GCF Task Force for climate financing. Together, these products form a comprehensive conservation ecosystem addressing water source protection, forest conservation, sustainable development, and climate resilience across Bolivian municipalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Escuela ARA: International school for Acuerdos Recíprocos por Agua methodology, providing training and knowledge transfer to conservation actors from various countries.

Products and services

• Acuerdos Recíprocos por Agua (ARA) A reciprocal conservation model in which downstream water users and municipal governments contribute economically (through water-fund payments and development projects) to upstream communities who conserve or restore forests that protect water sources. Designed for municipal governments, water cooperatives, and rural/indigenous communities in upper-watershed areas.
• Escuela ARA (ARA School) International training and knowledge-transfer program that transfers the ARA methodology to local leaders, indigenous communities, municipal leaders, and conservation practitioners across Latin America.
• Áreas Protegidas (Protected Areas Creation and Management) Technical support for the creation and management of municipal protected areas to conserve natural heritage, biodiversity, cultural sites, and environmental functions for local populations.
• Fortalecimiento Institucional (Institutional Strengthening) Capacity-building service that strengthens local institutions through strategic planning, monitoring systems, fund management, donor communications, administrative systems, and accountability frameworks.
• Watershared Bank (Banco de Aguas Compartidas) Innovative financing mechanism that creates a fund to finance conservation of water-producing ecosystems in the Tropical Andes, providing loans to municipalities and local actors for water-source conservation.
• Fondos Locales de Agua (Local Water Funds) Municipal water funds managed locally that pool contributions from water users, municipal governments, and partner organizations to finance conservation incentives and water-source protection.
• GCF Task Force Participation Participation in the Governors' Climate and Forests Task Force, working with governors and indigenous leaders to promote a new forest economy and access climate financing.
• Incentivos Productivos (Productive Incentives) Compensation packages delivered to conservation beneficiaries, including beekeeping boxes, fruit-tree seedlings, fencing materials, irrigation systems, and technical training in apiculture and fruit cultivation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 720,501 hectares of forests conserved through ARA agreements
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Instituto de Cambio Climático y Regulaciones de Servicios Ambientales (IMC) - Acre, BrazilmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 August 2024Climate change institute from the Brazilian state of Acre sharing knowledge on SISA, REDD+, and REM programs for climate finance implementation. Led exchange visits to Bolivia to share 14+ years of experience.
• World Land TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational conservation organization supporting protected area creation and management. Provides funding and technical support for conservation projects in Bolivia.
• IUCN Netherlands (UICN NL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch branch of the International Union for Conservation of Nature supporting conservation and climate change mitigation projects.
• Fundación Coca-Cola BoliviamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate foundation partnering on water conservation and sustainable development projects. Jointly supported conservation of 6,116 hectares of forest for aquifer protection.
• Re:wildmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization focused on species protection and habitat restoration, partnering on biodiversity conservation projects.
• Nature and Culture International (NCI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational conservation organization supporting protected area creation and management since 1997, with regional coordinator for Latin America.
• The Nature ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal conservation organization that led the 'Beyond the Source' report on water source protection benefits, with Fundación Natura Bolivia as a contributing partner.
• Secretaría Extraordinaria de Pueblos Indígenas (SEPI) - AcrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous peoples secretariat from Acre sharing mechanisms for monitoring and reducing risk of rights violations for indigenous communities in conservation programs.
• Earth Innovation InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch organization providing technical expertise and supporting active dialogue in climate and forest conservation exchanges.
• Guyra ParaguayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization from Paraguay that provided training on SMART monitoring platform for protected area management.
• Caritas CoroicominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatholic development organization that partnered with Fundación Natura for Escuela ARA training in Los Yungas region.
• AmazonSmileminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon charitable program that directs donations to NGOs when customers make purchases, as a way to support conservation organizations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Re:wild: Conservation organization focused on species protection and habitat restoration, partnering with Fundación Natura on biodiversity projects. Directly comparable in species-and-habitat conservation orientation and Latin American footprint.
• Andes Amazon Fund: Major financial partner of Fundación Natura Bolivia that funds forest protection and watershed conservation in the Andes-Amazon region. Operates as a strategic grantmaker with deep overlap in the same geographic and thematic space.
• World Land Trust: International conservation organization that provides funding and technical support for Fundación Natura's protected area work. Operates a similar model of partnering with local NGOs to acquire and manage threatened habitats, particularly in Latin America.
• Nature and Culture International: Direct partner organization supporting Fundación Natura's protected area creation since 1997. Operates a near-identical model of partnering with Latin American local NGOs to establish and manage protected areas, with a regional coordinator for Latin America.

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global conservation organization with comparable protected area management, wildlife monitoring (camera traps), and biodiversity conservation approaches, particularly in Latin American forests.
• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO with significant Andes-Amazon footprint. Uses similar PES, REDD+, and protected area strategies; operates the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund that channels comparable grant flows to in-country conservation partners.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation NGO that has partnered with Fundación Natura Bolivia on the 'Beyond the Source' report. Operates at vastly larger scale but uses comparable water funds, PES mechanisms, and protected-area creation models, making it a natural incumbent peer.
• WWF Bolivia: Bolivia country office of WWF, a comparable in-country conservation NGO operating across the same geographies with overlapping scope around forests, water, and protected areas.

Regional players

• Fundación ProNaturaleza (Peru): Peruvian foundation conservation NGO with a similar focus on watershed conservation, protected areas, and community-based conservation incentives across Andean and Amazon ecosystems. Operates as a comparable country-level conservation foundation.
• Guyra Paraguay: Paraguayan conservation NGO that provided SMART monitoring training to Fundación Natura. Operates a directly comparable model of national conservation NGO running protected areas, biodiversity monitoring, and community conservation programs in the Chaco region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundaci%C3%B3n-natura-bolivia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Fundación Natura Bolivia