Sumatran Orangutan Society

Charity Number: 1158711

Geographic Focus: Indonesia

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Not publicly disclosed
  • Total Income: Not publicly disclosed
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (works with established partners)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: Sumatra, Indonesia (funds local Indonesian conservation organisations only)

Contact Details

Address:

Sumatran Orangutan Society

6 Lombard Street, Abingdon

Oxfordshire, OX14 5BJ

United Kingdom

Phone: 01235 530825 (UK) / +44 1235 530825 (International)

Website: https://www.orangutans-sos.org/

Email: Contact via online form on website

Partnership Inquiries: Via website contact form

Overview

Founded in 1997, the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) is a UK-registered charity (No. 1158711) dedicated to protecting critically endangered Sumatran orangutans, their forests, and their future. SOS works exclusively with grassroots Indonesian conservation partners on the ground in Sumatra. Led by CEO Helen Buckland, SOS is a proudly women-led organisation. The charity co-founded the Orangutan Information Centre (OIC) in 2001 and helped establish TaHuKah in 2022, demonstrating a long-term commitment to building local conservation capacity. SOS receives significant funding from the UK government's Darwin Initiative.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

SOS does not operate open grant programs for UK charities or general conservation organisations. Instead, they provide strategic funding and capacity-building support to a small number of established Indonesian conservation partners working specifically on Sumatran orangutan conservation.

Current Funding Partners:

  • Orangutan Information Centre (OIC) / Yayasan Orangutan Sumatera Lestari - Co-founded by SOS in 2001, works across Leuser Ecosystem and Batang Toru on forest regeneration, wildlife conflict mitigation, sustainable livelihoods, and law enforcement
  • TaHuKah (Tangguh Hutan Khatulistiwa) - Established with SOS support in 2022, focuses on community-based rainforest conservation, sustainable livelihoods, land management, and biodiversity conservation
  • Nature for Change (NfC) - Works with communities around eastern border of Gunung Leuser National Park on forest rehabilitation, anti-poaching patrols, and sustainable agriculture
  • PETAI (Yayasan Pesona Tropis Alam Indonesia) - Medan-based NGO (established 2007) focusing on sustainable natural resource management, community-based forest management, social business development, and capacity building

Priority Areas

SOS funds projects that:

  • Protect and restore Sumatran orangutan habitat
  • Mitigate human-orangutan conflict
  • Support community-led conservation initiatives
  • Develop sustainable livelihoods for forest-edge communities
  • Build capacity of local Indonesian conservation organisations
  • Implement social forestry schemes that empower communities as forest custodians
  • Conduct forest regeneration
  • Install wildlife crossing infrastructure (e.g., canopy bridges)
  • Develop technology platforms for geospatial data and conservation mapping

What They Don't Fund

  • UK-based charities or organisations
  • Organisations outside Indonesia
  • Conservation projects unrelated to Sumatran orangutans and their habitat
  • General wildlife conservation programs
  • Organisations without established track record in Sumatra
  • Projects not aligned with community-centred conservation approach
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Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

CEO: Helen Buckland - Responsible for developing programs and partnerships

Conservation Director: Koen Meyers - Over 20 years' experience in natural environment management, 15+ years working in Indonesia

Programme Manager: Lala Amiroeddin - Sustainable development project management

Corporate Partnerships Manager: Emma Cowley

Individual Giving Manager: Rhia Docherty

Finance & Operations Manager: Sarah Blake - 20 years' experience in accountancy and not-for-profit sector

Marketing and Communications Manager: Roisin Claridge

Leadership Quotes:

Helen Buckland, CEO: "We're thinking long-term, big-picture, striving to bring about fundamental changes to the way that Sumatra's forests and wildlife are valued, managed and protected."

Koen Meyers, Conservation Director: “The mission of SOS... is critically important for sustaining both ecosystem health and human wellbeing in Sumatra.”

How to Apply to Sumatran Orangutan Society

How to Apply

There is no public application process. The Sumatran Orangutan Society does not accept unsolicited grant applications from UK charities or international organisations.

SOS works exclusively with established local Indonesian conservation partners on the ground in Sumatra. The organisation takes a highly strategic, long-term partnership approach, having co-founded OIC in 2001 and helped establish TaHuKah in 2022. These partnerships are built over years, not through application rounds.

Partnership Model

Rather than making grants through an open application process, SOS:

  • Identifies or helps establish grassroots Indonesian conservation organisations
  • Provides multi-year strategic funding and technical support
  • Builds organisational capacity through training and development
  • Collaborates on program design and implementation
  • Facilitates access to other funding sources (e.g., Darwin Initiative)

The charity's approach emphasises that “long-term, sustainable change must come from within communities” and prioritises empowering local Indonesian leadership.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no public application process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - partnerships are established through direct relationship-building over extended periods, not competitive application processes.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - not a grant-making organisation open to external applications.

Application Success Factors

This section is not applicable as SOS does not accept applications from UK charities or external organisations.

For organisations working on Sumatran orangutan conservation in Indonesia, the pathway to partnership involves:

  • Demonstrated commitment to community-led conservation
  • Established track record working in Sumatra
  • Alignment with SOS's values of empowering local communities
  • Capacity for long-term partnership and organisational development
  • Shared vision for orangutan and forest conservation

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Not a funding source for UK organisations - SOS fundraises from UK donors but grants exclusively to Indonesian partners working on the ground in Sumatra
  1. Highly specialised focus - Only funds Sumatran orangutan conservation; not appropriate for general wildlife, UK conservation, or other geographic areas
  1. Partnership over grants - SOS builds long-term partnerships with local organisations rather than making discrete grants through application processes
  1. Community-centred approach - All funding emphasises community empowerment, local leadership, and sustainable livelihoods alongside conservation
  1. Capacity building focus - SOS strengthens partner organisations through training, technical support, and access to other funding sources
  1. Darwin Initiative leverage - As a Darwin Initiative recipient, SOS can help partners access UK government biodiversity funding
  1. Consider as a model, not a funder - UK conservation charities should view SOS as an example of effective partnership-based conservation funding rather than a potential funding source for their own work

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References

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