Building Resilience: Institutional Strengthening Workshop Held in Ecuador

Written by Halle Catalina Brown

Amid the cobalt-winged parakeets and spiny walking palms of the Ecuadorian Amazon, 50 participants representing 15 organizations gathered in Napo, Ecuador for Andes Amazon Fund’s third annual Institutional Strengthening workshop. Supported by the Bobolink Foundation, this year’s event went beyond strategy sessions on communications, governance, and funding; it fostered a deeply bonded community across the Andes-Amazon region. Throughout the three days in late June, local partners—who have collectively supported the creation of over 33.4 million acres (13.5 million hectares) of protected areas across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia—explored innovative funding mechanisms and shared cross-border solutions. 

This year’s workshop focused on three themes: strategic communication, effective governance, and diversifying funding sources. In addition to the 12 organizations in the Institutional Strengthening program, speakers from Biome Conservation, Rainforest Trust, Climate and Land Use Alliance, and Re:wild, among others shared expertise to assist local NGOs as they scale and fortify operations.

With support from the Bobolink Foundation, Andes Amazon Fund (AAF) launched the Institutional Strengthening program in 2023 to provide a cohort of local partners with small grants and technical assistance to improve internal operations. Ultimately, the goal of the program is to build the resilience of local and regional conservation NGOs and to support their capacity and grow their impact.

“Protecting the Andean Amazon also entails building strong organizations capable of leading, innovating, and inspiring change from within their own territories.”

– Amazónicos por la Amazonía (AMPA)

It is apparent that through these annual workshops, the program has built a unique community. In between sessions, an executive director from Bolivia held a meeting with their Peruvian counterpart to tackle a pilot project with the private sector. During the poster presentations, two communications teams collaborated on a campaign to support a biological corridor between Ecuador and Peru. By continuing to host annual workshops for the Institutional Strengthening program participants, AAF is building a network to strengthen and expand conservation efforts across the Andes-Amazon region.

María Teresa Vargas Ríos, the executive director for Fundación Natura in Bolivia, commented, “This workshop was deeply meaningful—not only because of the landscape, but because it allowed us to do something rare: to reveal our shortcomings, to speak without fear about our weaknesses, to acknowledge our fears, and, at the same time, to share the dreams we carry as we strive to build stronger, more honest, and more humane conservation organizations.”

Reflecting on the workshop via a social media statement Amazónicos por la Amazonía (AMPA), a Peruvian NGO mentioned: “protecting the Andean Amazon also entails building strong organizations capable of leading, innovating, and inspiring change from within their own territories… Each workshop strengthens our capabilities, broadens our vision, and reaffirms that a robust organization can drive conservation efforts with greater reach, impact, and sustainability.”

Likewise, the Center for the Development of the Amazonian Indigenous Peoples (CEDIA), a Peruvian NGO stated: “these spaces for collaboration and learning exchanges are key to addressing the current challenges facing the Amazon.”

Throughout the next year, AAF and Bobolink plan to continue supporting program participants with diverse fundraising efforts, innovative partnerships, and impactful communications.

Participants shared that, upon returning home, they have a renewed passion and fresh perspectives to respond to pressing issues and achieve greater conservation outcomes.