From Barriers to Opportunities: CS4LDN Supports Civil Society to Navigate the Financing Landscape for Land Restoration

Access to finance remains one of the greatest challenges facing civil society organisations (CSOs) working to restore degraded lands and support sustainable livelihoods. Yet across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, organisations continue to play a critical role in advancing Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) despite limited access to funding, complex application procedures and growing competition for resources. 

To help address this challenge, the CS4LDN initiative brought together 252 participants from across the three regions through a series of regional webinars focused on financing for land restoration. The high level of participation reflected a growing demand among civil society organisations for practical guidance on navigating funding opportunities and strengthening their capacity to access finance. 

Organised by IUCN in partnership with Both ENDS and Drynet, and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the webinars centred around the newly launched report, Unlocking Finance for Land Degradation Nuetrality. Drawing on evidence from more than 200 organisations worldwide, the report highlights the barriers preventing civil society organisations from accessing finance while providing practical recommendations for both CSOs and donors to strengthen financing for restoration. 

The webinars confirmed that many of the challenges identified in the report are shared across regions. Participants highlighted the need for simpler funding procedures, stronger donor engagement with local actors, and greater investment in capacity development. At the same time, regional experts shared practical insights on donor landscapes, proposal development, partnerships and innovative financing approaches, helping participants better understand how to position their organisations for funding opportunities. For many organisations, these discussions provided an opportunity to see that the barriers they face in accessing finance are not isolated challenges, but shared realities experienced across regions.  

By connecting evidence, practical guidance and peer learning, the webinar series helped transform the findings of the Unlocking Finance for Land Degradation Neutrality report into practical knowledge that civil society organisations can apply to strengthen funding readiness, engage more effectively with donors and develop stronger restoration initiatives.  

As the CS4LDN initiative moves forward, the insights gathered through these webinars will continue to inform future capacity-building activities, donor engagement efforts and regional dialogue. While financing barriers remain significant, this webinar series highlighted the growing community of civil society organisations ready to drive restoration efforts—provided they have the knowledge, partnerships and financial support needed to succeed. 

Resources 

Unlocking Finance for Land Degradation Neutrality 

Webinar Presentations 

Webinar Recordings