2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
SAVES Challenge Renewed
Every acre , every species , every ton of carbon saved by
Rainforest Trust and our partners results entirely from the generosity and far-sightedness of our supporters . We are
honored to work on your behalf .
In 2016 , one of our donors recognized that to move the needle on the extinction crisis we would have to grow rapidly in budget and impact without sacrificing focus or efficiency . They challenged us , pledging $ 50 million over five years if our other supporters could match this dollar for dollar . And , incredibly , all of you did , and together we passed these milestones during 2020 . The turbocharged growth in annual grant-making that resulted is
shown in figure 1 on page 22 of this Report .
The impact of this “ SAVES Challenge ” has been tremendous .
In six years ( 2016-2021 ), with your support , we have invested
$ 177,901,996 in conservation projects to protect habitat for threatened species while also securing carbon for the planet . By the end of 2021 , these projects had protected 29 million acres , boosting the total acres protected since Rainforest Trust ’ s founding in 1988 to 39,679,515 .
Yet the job is certainly not done . Tropical deforestation rates are on the rise once again , led by Brazil , and there is no sign of biodiversity loss slowing . Our work has never been more urgent , and with the support of SAVES , work is ongoing under current projects to protect an additional 33,007,060 acres across the tropics .
So we are delighted to announce the renewal of the SAVES Challenge ! Thanks to the ongoing support of the SAVES donor and others , we will continue to offer matches to inspire your giving and multiply your impact . *
We remain awed by the vision and selflessness of all our donors . Your commitment and generosity is having an enormous impact on the future of our planet and the myriad species that share it with us . We honor and thank you !
20 Rainforest Trust 2021 Annual Report