Community engagement and power dynamics in conservation philanthropy grant making

• Published in: Conservation biology 2024-08, Vol.38 (4), p.e14272-n/a
• Main Authors: Betsill, Michele M., Gruby, Rebecca L., Blackwatters, Jeffrey, Enrici, Ash, Le Cornu, Elodie, Basurto, Xavier, English, Chad, Hudson, Charlotte, Meth, Leah, Fairweather‐Morrison, Imani, Okano, Dana, Secord, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: communities; Community involvement; Community participation; comunidades; conservación marina; Conservation; Decision making; decisiones de financiamiento; Decisions; environmental philanthropy; filantropía ambiental; Financing; Foundations; Funding; funding decisions; gestión; governance; grants; interviews; Marine conservation; Priorities; wildlife management
• ISSN: 0888-8892; 1523-1739; 1523-1739
• DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14272

Funding decisions influence where, how, and by whom conservation is pursued globally. In the context of growing calls for more participatory, Indigenous‐led, and socially just conservation, we undertook the first empirical investigation of how philanthropic foundations working in marine conservation globally engage communities in grant‐making decisions. We paid particular attention to whether and how community engagement practices reinforce or disrupt existing power dynamics. We conducted semistructured remote interviews with 46 individuals from 32 marine conservation foundations to identify how conservation foundations engage communities in setting their priorities and deciding which organizations and projects to fund. We found that community engagement in foundation decision‐making was limited in practice. Eleven of the 32 foundations reported some form of community engagement in funding decisions. Two of these foundations empowered communities to shape funding priorities and projects through strong forms of engagement. Many engagement practices were one way, one time, or indirect and confined to certain points in decision‐making processes. These weaker practices limited community input and reinforced unequal power relations, which may undermine the legitimacy, equity, and effectiveness of conservation efforts. We suggest that foundations aim for stronger forms of community engagement and reflect on how their grant‐making practices affect power relations between foundations and communities. Participación comunitaria y dinámicas de poder en la concesión de subsidios para la filantropía de la conservación Resumen Realizamos la primera investigación empírica sobre la forma en que las fundaciones filantrópicas que trabajan con la conservación marina a nivel mundial involucran a las comunidades en las decisiones para la concesión de subsidios. Prestamos especial atención a cómo y si las prácticas de participación ciudadana refuerzan o interrumpen las dinámicas de poder existentes. Entrevistamos de forma remota a 46 individuos de 32 fundaciones de conservación marina para identificar cómo las fundaciones de conservación involucran a las comunidades para establecer sus prioridades y decidir cuáles organizaciones y proyectos financiar. Encontramos que la participación comunitaria en las decisiones de financiamiento estaba limitada en la práctica. Once de las 32 fundaciones reportaron algún tipo de participación ciudadana en sus decisiones de financiamiento. Dos