Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund

Ensuring a future where Indigenous Peoples, their medicines and knowledges thrive for generations to come.

We're working to protect five keystone biocultures: Ayahuasca, Iboga, Mushrooms, Peyote, and Toad.

Our partners address the urgent threats these biocultures face, and ensure their thriving futures.

Partner organizations lead ecological, economic, cultural and spiritual processes and structures in place to navigate the pressures of the newly-commercializing psychedelic field, existing extractive industries and political / economic imbalances, all while building community and cultural health and strength.

Our work is Indigenous-led.

Leadership by communities on the ground represents an entirely new paradigm in philanthropy.

Our council of Indigenous spiritual and community leaders direct multi-year support to biocultural conservation efforts of medicine communities in Africa, and the Americas, maintaining trust and deepening understanding with funders and western allies.

Substantive philanthropic investment in these communities is still new. As of 2023 only 0.4% of all philanthropic funding by large U.S. foundations was directed to Native communities.

Relationships are required to know where to channel resources and implement effective solutions. For example, only 7% of a $1.7 billion COP 26 pledge to support Indigenous peoples and local communities has gone directly to those groups so far. Meanwhile, around 50% of the delivered funds have been been given to intermediaries and large international NGOs, meaning less money reaches the people and places that needed.

Indigenous-Led Conservation is Essential

“IP and LC live at the center of a global climate and biodiversity crisis. There is strong evidence that their solutions to climate mitigation and protecting nature are highly effective, but they only receive a tiny fraction of the climate finance that they need to protect forests.” -- Zac Goldsmith, U.K. Minister at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

With the low levels of support that reach Indigenous communities, increased financial investment has incredibly high impact.

When Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities lead the efforts or are equal partners in the strategy design processes, there is much greater success and effectiveness. However, when Indigenous People are used as consultants or left out of the processes, the results are not only less effective, but actually not effective. The Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund is led by Indigenous Community Representatives, ensuring successful outcomes where resources are distributed. We practice engaged philanthropy: our partner organizations are actively involved in the development of the IMC Fund.

Join Us

Your support is critical over the next 3 years. Together we will ensure medicine abundance. Supporting Indigenous traditional knowledge is a crucial nexus solution with incredibly high impact. We are collectively addressing the healing potential of this time, focusing on mental health, climate solutions, creating equity and balance across communities, and reducing trauma from ongoing violence. 

The support you are bringing in to these communities and biospheres have direct impact on individuals’ and children’s lives, their families, territories, and the survival of sacred medicines. Your monetary donation has reached unprecedented levels of impact! We need to ensure regional bio-cultural conservation of these keystone Medicines. We are honored to have undertaken this effort alongside you. We urge you to continue to walk with us to ensure the seeds we’ve planted together are strong, and are able to take root and expand.

Join us in ensuring a thriving future for Indigenous medicines. 

Donate now.