Case Study
A pioneering South American nonprofit committed to preserving the Amazon rain forest needed a business strategy to achieve its ambitious goals. Since 2008, our Bain São Paulo consulting teams have served as strategic advisors to Rain Forest Org, helping it significantly boost fundraising, identify business opportunities and turn local communities into rain forest "guardians".
Senior managers of Rain Forest Org* knew it needed to put the nonprofit on firm financial footing. But the organization lacked a long-term business plan for meeting two key challenges: creating a dependable source of fundraising to cover program and administrative costs and determining the best ways to sell its products and services.
Without a reliable source of funding and income, the innovative nonprofit jeopardized its mission to romote sustainable development of the Amazon rain forest, prevent deforestation and preserve the extraordinary biodiversity of the Amazon by replacing the income that local communities made from harvesting the forest.
To succeed, Rain Forest Org had cover the income gap for Amazon residents, located in 34 designated areas. They counted on the organization for family allowances and basic needs such as schools and healthcare. In exchange, their communities agreed to act as "guardians," committed to saving the rain forest.
Our Bain São Paulo case teams applied the same results-oriented consulting tools and processes that we use with our business clients to collaboratively develop solutions. Acting as strategic advisors, we helped Rain Forest Org's senior management develop a comprehensive business plan. The plan addressed each major challenge:
With our help, Rain Forest Org now has the financial engines needed to promote its goals: environmental conservation and improving the quality of life for Amazon residents. In just two years, the groundbreaking nonprofit has:
Our collaboration was a win-win. With Rain Forest Org’s help, Bain São Paulo has reduced its carbon footprint significantly.
