The Future Is Local: How Grassroots Organisations Can Mobilise Funding for Land Tenure Security

As global donors tighten their belts and major funding sources shift priorities, the challenge of securing long-term support for land tenure initiatives grows increasingly acute. Grassroots organizations, often at the frontline of defending land rights, now face a critical question: how can they mobilize resources in an era of donor fatigue and diminishing U.S. foreign aid?

This article explores scalable solutions, local innovations, and global partnerships that can help communities build sustainable financing models to secure land and property rights.

1. The Funding Landscape: Shifting Sands

Historically, the United States has played a central role in financing global land tenure programs through USAID and related channels. However, recent budget contractions and shifting political priorities have diminished the scale and predictability of this support. Meanwhile, many European bilateral donors — such as the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK — have either frozen or redirected aid portfolios.

At the same time, land tenure is becoming more central to global agendas around climate justice, food systems, and urban development. Yet local actors often struggle to translate visibility into funding.

2. Community-Led Financing Models

Many successful grassroots land initiatives have emerged from participatory budgeting, community land trusts (CLTs), and pooled grant models. For example, in Uganda, the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) helped mobilize community funds and technical support to document and protect customary land rights, securing backing from local cooperatives and diaspora contributions.

CLTs in Latin America, particularly in Bolivia and Brazil, have demonstrated how community-owned land models can stabilise tenure and attract local government co-investment.

3. The Power of Storytelling and Visibility

Funders increasingly respond to stories that connect land to people’s lives, climate resilience, and social justice. Platforms like LPN Global can help grassroots actors package compelling narratives, document impact, and connect with broader coalitions.

Data, too, plays a role—especially when presented in human terms. Community mapping, participatory GIS, and digital storytelling using smartphones have helped organizations like Cadasta Foundation amplify local voices and draw international attention.

4. Global Entry Points for Local Actors

To access funding streams linked to climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development, grassroots actors must learn to frame land tenure as a gateway to multiple SDGs. This opens doors to vertical funds like the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund, and Global Environment Facility (GEF).

In Kenya, land tenure security programs funded through climate resilience frameworks have brought together indigenous organisations, national ministries, and multilateral donors. Training and strategic partnerships are essential to navigate these processes.

5. Regional Platforms and Intermediary Organizations

Working through regional intermediaries can reduce the burden on grassroots organizations. The African Land Policy Centre, Land Portal Foundation, and International Land Coalition offer tools, co-financing, and matchmaking for funding. Linking with these institutions helps local organisations meet compliance and reporting standards while staying focused on their core work.

6. Recommendations and Path Forward

• Strengthen proposal development capacity for community land initiatives

• Create land-focused visibility campaigns tied to climate and food security

• Develop donor-aligned outcome frameworks that show land's cross-sectoral impact

• Advocate for dedicated funding windows in climate and urban donor streams

• Leverage digital platforms and diaspora networks for hybrid funding models

Securing tenure isn’t just a technical task — it’s a political and financial one. To make lasting progress, funding must follow the frontline. Community organizations are ready. The challenge is unlocking sustained support.

7. Scaling Through Innovation and Technology

Digital platforms offer grassroots organisations powerful tools to expand reach and impact. Mobile apps can facilitate participatory mapping, while blockchain technologies have been tested in places like Ghana and India to secure land registries. These tools help overcome bureaucratic bottlenecks, reduce corruption, and offer transparent tracking of land transactions.

Moreover, satellite imagery and drones can document land use and encroachments, creating compelling data visualisations that attract both donors and policy support. Platforms such as Cadasta, Map Kibera, and OpenStreetMap have been instrumental in democratising access to geospatial information. Empowering communities with these technologies allows them to speak with evidence and authority.

8. Localised Finance and Land-Based Revenue Models

Beyond grants, there is growing interest in local revenue-generation strategies tied to land. Examples include community forests generating ecotourism income, land value capture around infrastructure investments, and land leasing agreements with equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms.

In parts of Asia and Latin America, indigenous communities have engaged in conservation finance, receiving payments for ecosystem services.Some organizations have piloted revolving funds, where initial capital supports tenure interventions, and returns are reinvested into the community. When structured properly, these funds build resilience and reduce long-term donor dependency.

9. Building Trust with Donors and Investors

Donors often cite concerns about transparency, reporting, and accountability when funding small organizations. Addressing this requires building robust governance structures, transparent financial practices, and regular impact reporting. Partnerships with intermediary institutions — such as the Tenure Facility or regional NGOs — can offer mentorship, compliance support, and fiduciary oversight.

Equally important is storytelling that resonates with funders: combining data with human impact, showcasing clear results, and aligning with donor priorities. Customised donor engagement strategies, including learning exchanges, site visits, and joint evaluation exercises, strengthen long-term relationships.

10. Conclusion: A Call for Equity and Scale

The path to securing land rights lies not only in the courts and corridors of power — it also begins in the hands of communities. Grassroots organizations are not just implementers; they are visionaries, policy influencers, and stewards of sustainable land systems. With the right tools, visibility, and financial support, they can drive global transformation from the ground up.

Amid growing awareness that land underpins nearly every development goal, investing in grassroots-led tenure solutions is not just ethical — it's strategic. LPN Global will continue to shine a light on these stories, connect changemakers, and champion funding pathways that put people and justice first.