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Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The planet is at risk, which could be to the peril of its people. The current consumption rate of natural resources surpasses capacity and new ways are required to address the ecosystems threats and biodiversity losses the planet faces. This research reviewed the various threats Earth faces and ways to finance corrective action to ensure it remains inhabitable. The research aimed to review factors influencing fundraising of non-profit Environmental Funds and chose as case study, the World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa, given its long history in supporting conservation in the country. The research used the Seven-S strategy model as analysis framework and assessed four of the seven categories namely strategy, structure, systems and staff using data in the public domain. The World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa was found to be financially healthy, liquid and stable. This in itself confirmed its fundraising success over many years and not only during the period of review. It had a diversified funding mix and its largest type of income was derived from subscriptions and donations, which was confirmed by the reliance ratio calculations. There was a clear organisational purpose and direction, yet no specific fundraising strategy was stated. Findings from the supporter retention analysis indicated a possible shift in focus to obtain a larger unrestricted income base and to align with supporters that stay with the cause over longer periods. Structural aspects showed that there was a substantial increase of organisational sub-units supporting new programmes between 2008 and 2013. Contributed income mirrored the changes up to 2012 after which a drop in income was observed. Trustee composition changes and income derived from subscription and donation changes trended in similar patterns. Systems incorporating governance practices, financial reporting and auditing were observed to be sound and in line with good governance practices including King King Code of Governance. The staff analysis showed an increase in overall staffing numbers and concomitant rise in contributed income up to 2012. The retention of key managerial staff was prevalent.

The study considers whether blended finance helps scale up private investment in southern Africa's community-based conservation. It examines what are stakeholder's perspectives on the opportunities, barriers and risks of using blended finance to help scale up private investment in this context. Further, it delves into which, if any, of the revenue- generating activities available to communities from conservation are most viable to upscale with blended finance, and via which blended finance tools. The questions were answered via an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, utilising interviews in Phase 1 and a survey completed by 104 respondents in Phase 2. The output from the research is a publicly available inventory of blended investment options for community-based conservation, including seven types of non-tourism, conservation-related revenue streams. Five of these are ranked positively for scalability, wildlife economy, Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in carbon and restoration, and forestry and agriculture related supply chains. The study suggests some viable space between demand and supply for conservation finance at the community level and provides insight into how to overcome the barriers to these; particularly in the context of communal land, which is a common arrangement for southern African conservation. There are limited first-hand examples of blended finance being used for community-based conservation. The research points to a gap in using insurance and guarantees as blended finance tools to address the challenges of credit risk for investors on communal land; such tools could be catalytic in unlocking private investment in conservation that returns environmental and development benefits in this region. The study addresses the missed opportunity for communities to benefit from conservation at a much greater scale than presently experienced. It also serves to update the working theory of conservation finance to the context of community-based conservation.

Internationale Geldgeber haben die Finanzierung für den Schutz tropischer Wälder erhöht, um der globalen Herausforderung von Klima, Biodiversität und Nachhaltigkeit zu begegnen. Allerdings fehlen subnationale Informationen darüber, wo und wie die Gelder verteilt werden, welche Faktoren die Finanzierung beeinflussen und wie sie mit der Dynamik der Wälder und geschützten Gebiete korrelieren. Diese Thesis beabsichtigt, diese Fragen zu beantworten, indem sie sich mit drei Jahrzehnten internationaler Naturschutzfinanzierung in den Hauptabholzungsgebieten Südamerikas auseinandersetzt. Mithilfe gemischter Methoden habe ich die Interessen der Geldgeber thematisch und geografisch kartiert, räumliche Determinanten der Mittelvergabe identifiziert und Schwankungen der Finanzierung über Standorte und Zeit hinweg mit der Dynamik der Waldbedeckung und geschützten Gebiete verknüpft. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die internationale Naturschutzfinanzierung eine Mischung aus global relevanten Interessen und bilateralen Interessen darstellt, ermöglicht durch sozioökonomische und biophysikalische Verbindungen zwischen den spendenden und empfangenden Regionen. Trockenwaldökosysteme mit hoher Abholzungsrate waren besonders unterfinanziert und gefährdeten die Ökosysteme, Arten und die lokale Bevölkerung. Die Verknüpfung von Schutzgebieten und Finanzierung mit dem Konzept der Landnutzungsdynamik enthüllte weitere Nuancen und half, kontextspezifische Empfehlungen zu identifizieren. Diese Studie präsentierte die erste subnationale Analyse der internationalen Naturschutzfinanzierung auf kontinentaler Ebene, zeigte Übereinstimmungen und Diskrepanzen zwischen den zugeteilten Ressourcen und den Naturschutzbedürfnissen und beleuchtete die komplexe und dynamische Landschaft der Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten, mit der andere Akteure umgehen müssen. / International donors have increased funding for tropical forest conservation to address the global challenge of climate, biodiversity, and sustainability. However, subnational information on where and how funds are allocated, factors influencing funding, and its correlation with forest dynamics and protected areas is lacking. This thesis aims to answer these questions by delving into three decades of international conservation funding in South America’s major deforestation areas. Using mixed methods, I mapped donor interests thematically and geographically, identify spatial determinants of funding allocation, and link funding variations across locations and time with forest cover and protected areas dynamics. Results found that international conservation funding carried a mix of globally relevant interests and bilateral interests enabled by socio-economic and biophysical connections between the donating and receiving regions. Dry forest ecoregions with high deforestation rates have been particularly underfunded, threatening the ecosystems, species, and local people depending on them. Dedicated global biodiversity fund, raising attention to drier ecosystems, targeting highly threatened areas, and making funding more accessible to local actors for local conservation needs, may help address the gap. This study presented the first subnational level analysis of international conservation funding at the continental scale, revealed the matches and mismatches between the allocated resources and the conservation needs, and shed light on the complex and dynamic landscape of funding opportunities that other actors need to navigate in.