Sangha Tri-national Trust Fund Limited

Charity Number: 1123276

Annual Expenditure: £3.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Legal Status: UK Registered Charity (1123276), established under English law in 2007
  • Annual Giving: £3,550,000 (€2-3 million in grants to parks)
  • Total Assets: €63.8 million (2021) with target of €100 million
  • Geographic Focus: Central Africa (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo)
  • Grant Range: Not disclosed publicly
  • Application Process: No public application process - restricted beneficiary model

Contact Details

Registered Office: C/O Howard Kennedy LLP, 1 London Bridge, London, SE1 9BG

Operational Base: Yaoundé, Cameroon

Website: https://fondationtns.org/en/

Note: The trust fund operates primarily from Cameroon and focuses exclusively on the Sangha Tri-National landscape in Central Africa.

Overview

The Sangha Tri-National Trust Fund Limited (FTNS - Fondation pour le Tri-National de la Sangha) was established in 2007 as a conservation trust fund under English law and registered as a UK charity. With investment capital of €63.8 million (as of 2021) and a target of €100 million, FTNS provides long-term sustainable financing for conservation, eco-development, and cross-border cooperation activities within the Sangha Tri-National UNESCO World Heritage Site. The trust fund distributes approximately €2-3 million annually in grants to support the three national parks that comprise the TNS: Lobéké National Park (Cameroon), Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park (Republic of Congo), and Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas (Central African Republic). With annual income of £2.16 million (including £524,000 in investment income) and charitable expenditure of £3.55 million, FTNS has positioned itself as a major player in Central African conservation over its 15+ year history. The fund operates under a governance structure featuring a Board of Directors for decision-making and an Executive Bureau for coordination, emphasizing the values of participation, good governance, flexibility, and transparent fund management.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

FTNS operates as an endowment fund model, providing sustainable annual funding to predetermined beneficiaries rather than through competitive grant rounds. The fund distributes approximately €2-3 million annually to support conservation activities across the three national parks.

Primary Funding Streams:

  • Annual operational grants to the three TNS national parks (Lobéké, Nouabalé-Ndoki, Dzanga-Sangha)
  • Project-specific funding for conservation initiatives within the TNS landscape
  • Support for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) project execution
  • Co-financing for international conservation projects (e.g., GEF-funded initiatives)

Priority Areas

Conservation and Biodiversity Protection

  • National park management and operational support
  • Protected area monitoring and enforcement
  • Wildlife conservation in the 1.3 million hectare protected complex
  • Transboundary conservation cooperation across three countries

Eco-Development and Sustainable Resource Management

  • Environmentally sustainable natural resource management
  • Community-based conservation initiatives
  • Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities engagement
  • Ecotourism promotion

Cross-Border Cooperation

  • Tri-national coordination and collaboration
  • Transboundary management mechanisms
  • Regional conservation partnerships

Climate Change Mitigation

  • Forest conservation for carbon sequestration
  • Climate-resilient conservation strategies

Geographic Restrictions

FTNS funding is exclusively dedicated to the Sangha Tri-National landscape, specifically:

  • Lobéké National Park and surrounding areas (Cameroon - Boumba et Ngoko department)
  • Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park and buffer zones (Republic of Congo - Sangha and Lokouala departments)
  • Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas complex (Central African Republic - Sangha Mbaere department)

The trust fund does not provide grants outside this specific transboundary forest complex.

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Governance and Leadership

Board Structure

FTNS operates with a Board of Directors responsible for strategic decision-making and grant allocation, supported by an Executive Bureau that handles coordination and implementation.

Key Partners

The trust fund works closely with:

  • WWF (World Wildlife Fund) - Co-manages Dzanga-Sangha and Lobéké parks
  • Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - Manages Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park under PPP agreement until 2038
  • National governments of Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Republic of Congo
  • International donors including German Cooperation (KfW), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), European Union, and Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Operational Approach

FTNS emphasizes four core values in its operations:

  • Participation and dialogue: Partner opinions considered in priority-setting
  • Good governance: Ensuring collective interests over individual interests
  • Flexibility: Quick response to beneficiary needs
  • Responsibility: Transparent fund management

The trust employs 6 staff members and is governed by 11 trustees, none of whom receive remuneration for their service.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: This funder does not have a public application process.

The Sangha Tri-National Trust Fund operates as a restricted conservation trust fund with predetermined beneficiaries. Grants are not available through open competition or public application. The fund provides sustainable annual financing exclusively to:

  1. The three national park management authorities (government agencies)
  2. Co-management partners (WWF and WCS) operating under formal agreements
  3. Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) within the TNS landscape for specific project components

Funding decisions are made by the Board of Directors in consultation with the tri-national governance structures, including the Tri-national Supervision and Arbitration Committee (CTSA), the Tri-national Monitoring Committee (CTS), and the Tri-national Planning and Implementation Committee (CTPE).

Organizations not already formally engaged in TNS conservation activities through government partnerships or existing frameworks cannot apply for funding from FTNS.

Decision Timeline

Grant allocation operates on an annual cycle based on:

  • Park operational planning processes
  • Tri-national conservation priorities
  • Board of Directors meetings and decisions
  • Available investment income from the endowment

Beneficiary Categories

The trust fund provides resources to:

  • State-appointed park managers in all three countries
  • Technical partner NGOs (WWF, WCS) under co-management arrangements
  • Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for project execution
  • Government agencies (COMIFAC receives budget and forwards contributions as grants to FTNS beneficiaries)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Not accessible to UK charities: This trust fund cannot be approached through standard grant application processes - it serves only predetermined beneficiaries in Central Africa
  • Specialized conservation vehicle: FTNS is a restricted trust fund created for a specific UNESCO World Heritage Site, not a general grant-maker
  • Long-term partnerships only: Organizations must have formal co-management agreements or government partnerships to access funding
  • Geographic restriction absolute: Only projects directly within the three TNS national parks are eligible - no exceptions for related work elsewhere
  • Endowment sustainability model: The fund prioritizes long-term financial sustainability over responsive grant-making, with income distribution planned annually
  • Not relevant for UK-based projects: UK charities seeking conservation funding should look to other funders - FTNS exclusively serves Central African protected areas
  • Transparent governance: With 11 unpaid trustees and public charity accounts, FTNS maintains strong governance standards despite its restricted focus

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