Sociobioeconomy Philanthropic Fund
Ancestral knowledge. Future economy.
"Mako nyinaa mpatu mmere" =
not all peppers ripen at the same time.
What has inspired our brand and illustrates our purpose.
The Adinkra symbol "Mako" — or "pepper," which illustrates this proverb and inspires our brand — is a powerful reflection on how growth and opportunities do not occur uniformly in our society. It is an excellent representation of Fund Ancestra's mission: to empower communities to grow through the sociobioeconomy, valuing their traditional knowledge and Brazilian biodiversity.
Since 2009, GSS has been working to enable the corporate world to embrace this cause as both a challenge and an opportunity, recognizing that those who have made progress have a unique opportunity to elevate others, understanding that circumstances can change and that mutual support strengthens everyone. This work intensified with the creation of VBIO.eco, our sociobiodiversity project platform, which serve as the fundamental stone to our Program Implementation area, mapping over R$120 million in inspiring projects proposed by a network of more than 1,200 social organizations across all Brazilian biomes. And in establishing our first fund dedicated to the sociobioeconomy, we are certain that we have found in the GEN Institute and Action, partners in the management of the Ancestra Fund, people dedicated to demonstrating that this cause speaks as much about responsibility as it does about possibility.
The Mako symbol reminds us that the achievements of a few demonstrate what is achievable for all, inspiring those still on their journey to continue with resilience and determination. Through the Ancestra Fund, we want to prove that through collaborative efforts and strategic and constructive philanthropy, we can ensure that every pepper on the branch — every community in the sociobioeconomy — has the support, resources, and opportunities necessary to reach its full potential. Together, we cultivate an environment where growth through sustainable development becomes not just a vision, but an achievable reality for all communities.
Who leads the Fund.
GSS, Instituto GEN, and Action are joining forces to transform both the lives of communities through sociobioeconomy and the way strategic donations are allocated and managed — from the origination and implementation of projects to corporate‑grade financial stewardship and long‑term impact measurement. We do this through a holistic approach that centers communities and biodiversity, recognizes territorial complexity, and treats donations as a transformational tool far beyond paternalistic charity.
GSS Impact Development Company
Project Implementation
Instituto GEN
Management and Social Curation
Action
Financial Operations and Report
Project Selection.
Thematic Priority Areas.
The Ancestral Fund is a social fund that finances sociobioeconomy projects with capital donated by global sponsors for allocation in Brazilian communities.
01
Climate Resilience and Conservation.
-
Socioproductive Value Chains;
-
Socioproductive Infrastructure;
-
Workforce Training;
-
Cooperative Systems Management Financing.
02
Socioproductive Infrastructure and Supply Chain Inclusion.
-
Socioproductive Value Chains;
-
Socioproductive Infrastructure;
-
Workforce Training;
-
Cooperative Systems Management Financing.
03
Bioscience and Bioprospecting.
-
Bioprospecting;
-
Research and Development;
-
Academic production.
04
Social Development and Inclusion.
-
Traditional knowledge valuation;
-
Social inclusion;
-
Environmental education.
Rethinking Philanthropy
The ultimate Social Fund: expertise, governance, and cutting-edge technology designed to improve the condition of traditional communities through sustainable development.
Project origination using a specialized platform.
Joint project implementation between GSS experts and local beneficiary organizations from a network of over 1,200 institutions.
Project curation with a multidisciplinary committee.
Joint curation with the team of experts in sociobiodiversity and sociobioeconomy at GSS and its VBIO.eco platform, with the expertise of social inclusion projects from Instituto GEN.
Implementation with excellence in governance.
Implementação de projetos conjunta com time especializado da GSS e organizações beneficiárias locais, com operações financeiras executadas com governança em nível corporativo pelo Front BPO da Action.
Impact assessment and unique accountability.
Impact assessment and classification following the MEL Framework, econometrics, and AI technology brought by GSS and GEN Institute – in addition to the well-established reporting systems to donors made by Action.
Project Selection
Pre-launch Project Selection.
Finding good projects to sponsor within the sociobioeconomy requires knowledge of the communities' realities, expertise in understanding how corporate value chains are formed, and a broad network of social organizations.
To ensure impact and traction from the first rounds of fundraising, GSS has curated a diverse project portfolio across themes and biomes, working with the main proposing communities in its network.
Project Profiles.
Learn more about the general profile and numbers of the projects curated through the VBIO.eco platform for the launch of the Ancestra Fund.
Portfolio Profile.
Learn more about the general profile and numbers of the projects curated through the VBIO.eco platform for the launch of the Ancestra Fund.
59
sociobioeconomy projects
R$ 75M
communities mapped within the sociobioeconomy
07
biomes
25
states
SP, MG, AM, PA, CE
Top 5 states by number of projects
R$ 1.1M
average project ticket
Distribution by Biome
Number of projects per biome
Impacted SDGs
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Who leads the Fund.
GSS, Instituto GEN, and Action are joining forces to change not only the reality of communities through sociobioeconomy, but also the way strategic donations are allocated and operated — from project origination and implementation to accountability and long-term impact measurement. We do this with a vision of communities as territory and donations as a tool that goes far beyond welfare.
GSS Impact Development Company
Project Implementation
Instituto GEN
Management and Social Curation
Action
Financial Operations and Report
Discover the projects already implemented by GSS.
Program Implementation > Sociobioeconomy
You'll soon be able to learn more about the projects supported by the Ancestra Fund. In the meantime, to learn more about the project models that will be part of the fund, browse through the sociobioeconomy projects already implemented by GSS on the VBIO.eco platform.