Cool Earth has been trialling methods of direct giving to rainforest communities for forest protection for the last ten years, focusing particularly on income generation schemes. This talk briefly describes the journey and shares some of the similarities in issues faced and successes found working alongside different communities from Peru to Papua New Guinea. We discuss the need for new methods for fairer, more effective support for forest families and plans to utilize local NGOs and innovative technology to improve impact. We’re on the lookout for new ideas and organizations to collaborate with.