At Acolyte Applications, we partner with purpose-driven organizations that are out to change the world—and in celebration of earth day, we are proud to spotlight the way Rainforest Trust is doing just that. Over the last decade, they’ve rapidly scaled their global impact, expanding from fewer than 40 conservation partners to over 300, and growing their protected land footprint from 9 million to more than 55 million acres.
That kind of growth doesn’t just happen—it takes vision, commitment, and the right tools.
Building for Growth Without Losing What Matters
Rainforest Trust’s model is deeply rooted in local partnerships—with Indigenous communities, grassroots NGOs, and conservation leaders across the globe. As their network grew, so did the complexity of managing it. They needed a system that could evolve with them—something robust enough to handle the scale, but flexible enough to each of the relationships at the heart of their work.
That’s where we came in.
Leveraging Claris FileMaker to Support Global Impact
We worked closely with Rainforest Trust to redesign and improve a custom solution built on Claris FileMaker—one that could grow with them and meet their real-world needs across continents and time zones.
Here’s how that system is making a difference:
- Grant Management: We streamlined the process of tracking and disbursing conservation funding, improving transparency and speeding up decision-making for the board and executive team.
- Monitoring & Evaluation: Their teams now have real-time access to project outcomes and environmental impact data—helping them adapt and respond with agility.
- Global Collaboration: With over 300 partners worldwide, Rainforest Trust needed seamless communication. Utilizing FileMaker’s Webdirect technology, everyone can be connected and informed from where ever they are.
Scaling Conservation, Measuring Impact
The numbers speak volumes:
- 55M+ Acres Protected: Up from just 9M in 2015.
- 99% Forest Retention: Just 1% of protected forests have been lost—a powerful testament to their model’s effectiveness.
- Species & Climate Impact: Their work safeguards critical habitats for endangered species and stores billions of tons of carbon.
This is conservation at scale—and tech is a key enabler.
A Model for Mission-Driven Innovation
Rainforest Trust is proving that smart systems and strong values can go hand in hand. Their success holds valuable lessons for any organization working at the intersection of mission and complexity:
- Invest in tools that scale with you.
- Build systems around the people who make the mission possible.
- Let data guide your impact.
What’s Next
As Rainforest Trust continues to expand its reach, we’re proud to support the infrastructure that helps power their progress. Their story is a reminder of what’s possible when technology is built for good—and when growth is guided by purpose.
At Acolyte Applications, we’re honored to be part of that journey and if you would like to find your part, follow the link below to support the planet by supporting Rainforest Trust.
