INVESTING IN A THRIVING FUTURE
Invest in the Conditions That Make Stewardship Possible
Funders and investors play a critical role in building a Stewardship Economy by supporting not only stewardship activities, but the people, institutions, and economic systems that allow that work to continue and grow.
THE ROLE OF FUNDERS & INVESTORS
Patient Capital. Shared Risk. Compounding Returns.
Stewardship economies are financed by many hands. No single source of capital can carry them alone.
Private and family foundations, community foundations, impact investors, CDFIs, corporate sustainability programs, and public agencies all have important roles to play.
Some take early risk on ideas that are not yet proven. Others provide operating support, bridge financing, or the long-term capital that turns pilots into enterprises.
What matters is that each dollar strengthens the base that generates the next one.
COORDINATED INVESTMENT HELPS:
Take on early-stage risk that public and commercial capital cannot.
Bridge the gap between grant-funded pilots and financeable enterprises.
Signal confidence that draws in other funders, lenders, and public partners.
Reinvest returns in the land and people that generate them.
Build a shared evidence base that unlocks larger investment over time.
Where Funders Can Make a Difference
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A strong Stewardship Economy needs a skilled workforce with opportunities to build meaningful, lasting careers.
Funding priorities include:
Workforce recruitment, training, mentorship, and career advancement.
Leadership development, workplace safety, and professional skills.
Equipment, vehicles, and other resources needed to perform stewardship work.
Apprenticeships and employment pathways that reduce barriers to participation.
Investing in the workforce strengthens both the quality of stewardship work and the economic opportunities it creates for local people.
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Community-based organizations, Tribes, local businesses, and regional partnerships are essential to coordinating and carrying out stewardship work. Yet the organizational capacity required to sustain their efforts is often underfunded.
Funding priorities include:
Core operating expenses, staffing, and organizational development.
Leadership, management, and employee retention.
Strategic planning, project development, and evaluation.
Organizational infrastructure that supports long-term effectiveness.
Strong organizations are the foundation for sustained stewardship, not simply vehicles for delivering individual projects.
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Ecological restoration, workforce development, and regional economic transformation take time. Short-term, restrictive funding can undermine the very capacity these investments are intended to build.
Recommended funding practices include:
Longer-term, multi-year grants that support continuity and growth.
Adequate overhead and indirect cost recovery. Reduced or eliminated matching requirements where they create barriers.
Flexibility to adapt projects as community needs and conditions change.
Recognition of workforce development and organizational capacity as legitimate project outcomes.
Funding should reflect the long-term nature of stewardship and give organizations the stability to plan, invest, and retain skilled people.
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Building a Stewardship Economy requires coordination across land management, workforce development, enterprise, capital, and policy.
Funding priorities include:
Regional partnerships and cross-boundary collaboration.
Community-led planning and project development.
Collaboration with Tribal governments, Tribally led organizations, and Tribal practitioners to shape investments and programs.
Shared infrastructure, technical assistance, and relationship building.
These investments help connect individual activities into a coordinated regional approach that creates greater economic and ecological value.
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Communities do not have to build stewardship economies alone.
Stewardship creates opportunities for businesses, products, services, and livelihoods rooted in the responsible care of natural resources.
Beyond grants, funders and investors can help develop financial tools that support emerging enterprises and keep more economic value circulating within communities.
Investment opportunities to explore include:
Small-business development and access to startup capital.
Equipment, processing, and value-added infrastructure.
Patient and flexible financing for stewardship enterprises.
Innovative funding mechanisms that combine public, philanthropic, and private capital.
The goal is to help communities move from dependence on individual projects toward economic systems that can sustain stewardship over time.
Learn more about how it all fits together
THE ROLE OF FUNDERS & INVESTORS
From Funding Projects to Building Stewardship Economies
A Stewardship Economy approach expands how we think about the value of investment.
Traditional Project Funding
Funds individual projects
Measures immediate outputs
Supports project-specific labor
Focuses on individual organizations
Ends with the grant cycle
Stewardship Economy Investment
Builds lasting regional capacity
Considers long-term economic and ecological benefits
Develops careers and workforce systems
Strengthens networks and partnerships
Builds capacity to sustain and expand the work
Start With What You Have. Build Toward What You Need.
A Stewardship Economy does not require every cornerstone to be in place before a community can begin.
The important step is to identify what already exists, what is missing, and where greater coordination could create lasting value.
Join the Stewardship Economy Conversation
Connect with rural leaders, practitioners, and partners exploring how stewardship can strengthen local economies. Get invitations to monthly calls, resources, and opportunities to learn from communities across the country.
