Trust Based Philanthropy Ray Tollison Trust Based Philanthropy Ray Tollison

Working in the Same Direction

Our growing practice of trust-based philanthropy, made possible by our incredible funding partners, keeps this understanding central. In addition to long-term and unrestricted support, trust-based philanthropy encourages reporting processes that reduce burdens upon organizations, ultimately freeing more staff time and resources for direct support to communities. 

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Environmental Stewardship, ILP Ray Tollison Environmental Stewardship, ILP Ray Tollison

Letting Nature Lead the Way

This week, Indigenous youth crews from the Ancestral Lands and Southwest Conservation Corps are carrying out TWP-supported efforts in Southwest Colorado to restore degraded areas of the Mancos river. Much of this riparian corridor is managed under conservation easement, and new collaborations with private landowners are facilitating restoration activities within some of the most impacted stretches.

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MAP, Environmental Stewardship Ray Tollison MAP, Environmental Stewardship Ray Tollison

United for Suyapa Wildlife Refuge: Forest Fire Prevention and Ecological Restoration

The dry season in Central America, which extends from January to April, presents a high risk of forest fires every year; March and April are usually the most critical months. In 2024, this situation worsened considerably with the presence of the El Niño phenomenon, which raised temperatures to historic levels.

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People Over Projects: Gustavo Sánchez Valle

In April, we had an incredible week in Mexico visiting our newest partner, Red Mexicana de Organizaciones Campesinas Forestales (Red MOCAF). Amidst inspiring trips to see their work in action, we also learned more about the incredible people who’ve kept the organization running for nearly 3 decades – amongst them, Gustavo Sánchez Valle, Red MOCAF’s president.

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Youth Development, ILP Ray Tollison Youth Development, ILP Ray Tollison

Growing Together

Nearly 2,500 Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir seedlings have a new home in the greenhouse at Santa Fe Indian School (SFIS), owned and operated by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. The SFIS Community Based Education (CBE) department has integrated the seedlings in efforts to create hands-on learning opportunities with Native students.

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Indigenous Sovereignty, ILP Ray Tollison Indigenous Sovereignty, ILP Ray Tollison

Stewards of the Southwest: 2025 New Mexico Tribal Forest & Fire Summit

On March 4-6, within the ancestral homelands of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, we had the privilege of co-hosting the 2025 New Mexico Tribal Forest & Fire Summit. The gathering brought together nearly 200 Tribal foresters, natural resource experts, hydrologists, community leaders, and representatives from NGOs, state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and conservation businesses to focus on successes, futures, and associated challenges for Indigenous-led conservation.

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Gender Equity, ILP Ray Tollison Gender Equity, ILP Ray Tollison

Supporting Native Women in the Sciences

In 2024, Trees, Water, and People (TWP) provided scholarships to four CSU students, all Indigenous women, working towards careers in natural sciences and conservation. Scholarships sustained three students’ work with the Laramie Foothills Bison Conservation Herd, and supported one, Lizzy Osterhoudt, in leading research that honors her experience as a Pueblo woman.

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Gender Equity Ray Tollison Gender Equity Ray Tollison

International Women’s Day 2025

Gender equity has been at the center of TWP’s work since the early days of our clean cookstoves program, more than 27 years ago. At that time, we followed the guidance of local women to design the Justa stove – named after Doña Justa Nuñez, who led the process in Honduras – and develop a stove program that prioritized women’s health, protected forests, and created local economic opportunity.

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Gender Equity, MAP Hope Radford Gender Equity, MAP Hope Radford

La Colectiva

La Colectiva is a feminist consultancy formed by four Indigenous women, born from challenges they faced within other organizations. As many women within community organizations still encounter an ingrained machismo culture and majority male leadership, La Colectiva seeks to re-empower at the personal and grassroots level.

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