The United States provides more money for international conservation than any other country in the world. The leadership of the U.S. government serves as a catalyst to other nations and sectors to finally meet the challenge of protecting our natural resources at a level that truly makes a difference. 

Conservation International (CI) works with U.S. policy makers to ensure that the funding for international conservation is provided at the necessary scale and directed to projects and places where it can do the most good.  Through our broad presence in the global community we understand where the needs are and how to make the most of limited resources. 

Our partnerships with U.S. government agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) allows us to work directly with local communities to better manage their natural resources and ultimately create opportunities for economic development.  Through these partnerships we have found ways to leverage U.S. government funding – together with investments by other nations and the private sector – to seriously make an impact on the ground.

Our efforts on Capitol Hill have been about education and partnership. For example, in 2003, CI's Center for Conservation and Government helped establish the bipartisan International Conservation Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives.  A complementary Senate caucus followed two years later.  Members of the caucus have since led efforts to pass the Congo Basin Forest Partnership Act, secure resources for the Global Environment Facility, reauthorize the Tropical Forest Conservation Act, and incorporate forest conservation into reconstruction plans for Liberia.

Additionally, CI has joined forces along with other leading conservation organizations to create the Alliance for Global Conservation.  This alliance is dedicated to helping the U.S. government lead the global effort to solve the extinction crisis.