Resources Legacy Fund

TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, EDUCATION, AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, RESOURCES LEGACY FUND BUILDS ALLIANCES THAT ADVANCE BOLD SOLUTIONS TO SECURE A JUST AND RESILIENT WORLD FOR PEOPLE AND NATURE.

IN 2021, RESOURCES LEGACY FUND (RLF) FURTHERED ITS WORK TO CONSERVE LAND, WATER, AND OCEAN RESOURCES WHILE ADVANCING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES AND SOCIAL EQUITY.SELECT RLF ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING 2021:DAM REMOVALIN 2021, RLF'S OPEN RIVERS FUND (ORF) CONTINUED SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO REMOVE OBSOLETE DAMS, MODERNIZE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RESTORE RIVERS IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. ORF FUNDING SUPPORTED THE DECONSTRUCTION OF 21 DAMS IN CALIFORNIA, IDAHO, OREGON, WASHINGTON, AND WYOMING, AND THE PLANNING NECESSARY TO ADVANCE REMOVAL OF 16 ADDITIONAL DAMS IN STATES ACROSS THE WEST. ORF PROJECTS REDUCE FLOOD RISK, ELIMINATE THE LIABILITY OF A DECAYING DAM, RESTORE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL PRACTICES, MODERNIZE IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RANCHERS AND FARMERS, IMPROVE BOAT PASSAGE, AND IMPROVE HABITAT FOR FISHERIES THAT PROVIDE FOOD, SUSTAIN NATIVE CULTURE, AND ATTRACT ANGLERS. RLF LAUNCHED ORF IN NOVEMBER 2016 WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE WILLIAM AND FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION. ORF IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON PROJECTS IN 54 WATERSHEDS SPANNING ALASKA, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, IDAHO, MONTANA, NEW MEXICO, OREGON, WASHINGTON, WYOMING, AND UTAH. ORF'S PORTFOLIO OF PROJECTS IS DIVERSE IN SIZE, BENEFITS, PARTNERS, APPROACHES, AND PROSPECTS FOR SUCCESS. ORF IS ALSO MAKING PROGRESS ON ITS BROADER GOAL OF GENERATING POLICIES, FUNDING, AND PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE TO FOSTER ONGOING SUPPORT FOR DAM REMOVAL.EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICEIN 2021 RLF SUPPORTED PARTNERS WITH FUNDING, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ACHIEVE POLICY AND PUBLIC FUNDING OUTCOMES THAT CREATED MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES AND REMOVED BARRIERS FOR HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. SELECT ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE:SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT AND ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW CALIFORNIA REGIONAL CLIMATE COLLABORATIVES PROGRAM THAT HELPS UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES ACCESS FUNDING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION AND HELPING TO SECURE $20 MILLION FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION.WORKING WITH THE CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY UNDER A COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT TO SUPPORT A DIVERSE AND ROBUST STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS INFORMING CALIFORNIA'S 30X30 STRATEGY, WHICH PRIORITIZES EQUITY AND ACCESS AND ESTABLISHES STRONG ROLES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GROUPS AND TRIBAL ENTITIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 30X30.WITH RLF POLICY COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT, THE PARKS NOW COALITION ELEVATED THE IMPORTANCE OF PARKS AND OUTDOOR RECREATION IN CALIFORNIA, HELPING TO SECURE OVER $400 MILLION IN PUBLIC FUNDING FOR THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF PARKS IN COMMUNITIES THAT LACK THEM; MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS AT CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS; AND SUPPORT FOR PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE STATE'S PARKS, BEACHES, AND OTHER OUTDOOR SPACES.RLF PARTNERS AND GRANTEES HELPED SECURE OVER $1 BILLION IN STATE FUNDING FOR INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITY CLIMATE RESILIENCE. THESE INVESTMENTS WILL PROVIDE LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WITH CLEAN ENERGY UPGRADES; BUILD COMMUNITY RESILIENCE CENTERS THAT PROVIDE SHELTER DURING EXTREME HEAT, SMOKE, AND OTHER EVENTS; PLANT TREES AND DEVELOP GREENSPACES IN URBAN AREAS; AND SUPPORT LEADERS IN THE STATE'S MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHALLENGES.OCEANS AND COASTSDURING THE LAST YEAR, RLF IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMS AND GRANTS SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE OCEAN, COASTAL, WATERSHED, AND FISHING SUSTAINABILITY IN CALIFORNIA, HAWAI'I, AND WORLDWIDE. IN 2021, RLF SUPPORTED SCORES OF DIVERSE AND EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO ADVANCE MORE EQUITABLE OCEAN GOVERNANCE IN CALIFORNIA; SECURE COASTAL PROTECTION AND ACCESS; ADDRESS IMPACTS OF SEA LEVEL RISE; IMPROVE STATE AND INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT; IMPLEMENT HAWAI'I'S HOLOMUA MARINE 30X30 INITIATIVE; AND SUPPORT EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF CALIFORNIA'S MARINE PROTECTED AREA (MPA) NETWORK. EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES THAT RLF ENGAGED IN INCLUDE: RLF SUPPORTED GRANTEES AND INDIGENOUS PARTNERS IN THEIR WORK TO HELP STEWARD AND RESTORE CALIFORNIA WATERSHEDS AND MPA NETWORK.RLF PROVIDED STRATEGIC ADVICE AND OTHER SUPPORT TO THE NORTHERN CHUMASH TRIBAL COUNCIL IN ITS SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN TO SECURE NOMINATION OF THE CHUMASH HERITAGE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY; THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION RECEIVED OVER 30,000 COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED SANCTUARY DURING A RECENT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.RLF-SUPPORTED PARTNERS IN HAWAI'I ENGAGED WITH INDIGENOUS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE'S 30X30 MARINE CONSERVATION EFFORT AND ARE ENSURING A STRONG FOCUS ON CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL VALUES IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.RLF AND ITS PARTNERS SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR POLICIES AND PUBLIC FUNDING TO PROTECT CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES FROM SEA LEVEL RISE; CONSERVE COASTAL HABITATS AND WILDLIFE; PRESERVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC BEACHES; AND EXPAND COASTAL RECREATION AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STATE'S VULNERABLE AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. RLF PROVIDED GRANTS FOR SIX SMALL FISHERIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND ASIA TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES RECOVER FROM THE SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND CONTINUE PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY DESPITE THE PANDEMIC'S SEVERE ECONOMIC DISRUPTIONS.FISCALLY SPONSORED PROJECTSAS A FISCAL SPONSOR, RLF PROVIDES FIDUCIARY OVERSIGHT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES-INCLUDING HUMAN RESOURCES, LEGAL, FINANCIAL, AND TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT-TO A PORTFOLIO OF PROJECTS THAT ACCELERATE CHANGE AND ADVANCE ENDURING OUTCOMES IN NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION, CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION, PUBLIC HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY, AND EDUCATION. RLF PARTNERS WITH DONORS AND PROJECT LEADS TO QUICKLY AND COST-EFFECTIVELY LAUNCH HIGH-IMPACT INITIATIVES THAT LACK 501(C)(3) STATUS.