Every month in 2024, and now into 2025, we are highlighting the work of Give Lively member nonprofits in one category of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. 

The United Nations website states that “the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)... are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.”

We find inspiration and insight from these selected nonprofits and hope you do too. Is your nonprofit engaged in similar work? Use the feedback tool at the bottom of this article to tell us about it.

‍SDG Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

The nonprofits

‍

Homegrown National Park 

This awareness-raising organization aims to inspire people across the United States to address the biodiversity crisis by adding native plants and removing invasive ones where people live, work, learn, pray and play. Homegrown National Park shares online guides and resources, hosts a directory of service providers and maintains a map of its members’ biodiversity projects across the country.

Homegrown National Park uses a Give Lively-powered Branded Donation Widget on its website, and used a Campaign Page with an embedded video for its 2024 Year-End Campaign. 

‍

Old-Growth Forest Network

Founded in 2011 by Dr. Joan Maloof, author of Teaching the Trees: Lessons from the Forest and Among the Ancients: Adventures in the Eastern Old-Growth Forests, this organization strives to protect old-growth forests across the United States. To accomplish this goal, the Old-Growth Forest Network is identifying one forest in each county of the United States where forests grow (approximately 2,370 counties out of 3,140) and maintains a directory of the protected forests. 

Old-Growth Forest Network links to their Give Lively-powered Core Profile on the donation page of its website. 

‍

Island Conservation

This organization’s mission is to restore islands to support vibrant biodiversity, resilient oceans and thriving island communities. Through removing invasive species and accelerating the recovery of native plants and animals, Island Conservation creates cascading benefits – from healthy biodiversity and improved coral recovery to increased food security and climate resilience. Everything is connected, and the impact of restoring native habitat and species is felt far beyond the coastline, building a healthier planet one island at a time.

Island Conservation uses a Give Lively-powered Simple Donation Widget to collect donations on its website and a Campaign Page for its April 2025 fundraiser to Support the Marshall Islands. 

More nonprofits

For more in our UN SDG series, see the previous article.

Learn about three nonprofits working to combat climate change

Learn about three nonprofits working to achieve sustainable consumption

It's Earth Month: Let's talk about – and listen to – trees (they speak!)

Five nonprofits in honor of World Wetlands Day