The Great Lakes of East and Central Africa is one of the most important yet ecologically threatened regions on the continent. As the source of the Nile, it supplies food, energy, drinking water, crop irrigation, and transport for nearly 300 million people. Within the next 25 years, that population is expected to double, further burdening a water supply that is already threatened by climate change, growth of industry and agriculture, and constant droughts. Grantmaking will focus on conserving the region's biodiversity and fresh water supply while addressing regional food security challenges.

Great Lakes Region-wide Grantmaking Guidelines

2013 Guidelines for the Watersheds of the Large Rift Valley Lakes

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The Greater Mekong, which includes areas of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and China, is undergoing a massive infrastructure transformation that could have a lasting impact on its biodiversity and the health and well-being of local economies and populations.  Hydropower dams are being built to keep pace with the region’s growing energy consumption, while new roads, rails and ports are being constructed and expanded to manage the transport of agriculture products for export.

Grantmaking in this region will focus on optimizing the hydropower supply and managing the Basin’s freshwater ecosystems essential for agricultural production and fisheries.

Lower Mekong Grantmaking Guidelines

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The Tropical Andes has been called the "global epicenter of biodiversity," and is recognized as one of the richest genetic reservoirs on the planet. Representing 50 percent of the remaining tropical forest in the world, it plays a critical role in mitigating the impact of climate change. But it is also threatened by mineral and energy mining, logging, and industrial agriculture, which contribute to its 7 percent deforestation rate, the highest in the world. MacArthur's grantmaking in this region will focus on helping to balance the needs of rural and vulnerable communities with the prudent stewardship of diverse ecosystems.

Southern Tropical Andes Grantmaking Guidelines

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Nearly half of the planet's people live within 200 kilometers of an ocean coastline and those populations are growing. Excessive pressures on coastal resources are compromising many of the ecosystem services crucial to the well-being of coastal economies and people. Coastal fisheries have been severely depleted globally, coastlines are being altered or degraded for development and resource extraction, leading to erosion and flooding, reduction in water quality and increased health risks. MacArthur's grantmaking will support community-based marine conservation in the areas of the world where we have established marine portfolios, including the Caribbean, Madagascar, and Melanesia. We will also seek to identify new areas where an integrated community-based approach could be effective. This grantmaking is designed to help improve the productivity and reliability of the services that the ocean provides to coastal communities by conserving marine and coastal biodiversity through sustainable fisheries management and maintaining essential habitats.