Philanthropy

Support a resilient future for wild orangutans.

When you choose to make a significant gift to SOS, either directly, through your Donor Advised Fund, or family Trust, you will make a significant difference to the future for rare, wild orangutans, forest-edge people and the irreplaceable rainforest in northern Sumatra.

At the heart of rainforest conservation in Sumatra

You can choose to fund a specific programme of work focussed on protecting, connecting and rewilding Sumatra’s precious rainforests to ensure the future for orangutans, or give an unrestricted gift to be used wherever the need is greatest.

Working through our local frontline partners, your gift will support the long-term conservation of critically endangered Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans, and enable us to deliver progressive, community-centred conservation programmes that break the link between poverty and unsustainable forest exploitation.

At SOS, our mission is driven by three pillars: to PROTECT the remaining rainforest, biodiversity and unique ecosystems of northern Sumatra; to REWILD degraded landscapes; and to CONNECT fragmented forest areas to enable orangutans and other wildlife to move freely and safely at the scale they need to thrive, not just survive.

By 2030, through our network of partners and engagement of forest-edge communities, we seek to help protect 1.8 million hectares of standing forest, rewild 10,000 hectares of degraded forest and connect critical orangutan landscapes for the long term in order to halt the decline of wild orangutans in northern Sumatra.

Make a difference today

To find out more about how your generous gift can help wild orangutans to thrive in resilient rainforest landscapes, please contact helen@orangutans-sos.org or call SOS HQ on 01235 530825 (+44 1235 530825 if calling from outside the UK).

We will keep you up to date on the impact of your donation however you prefer to be contacted. We are a small team and value human connection – we love to have a quick chat on the phone, as well as sending reports and sharing information in online and in-person events. You will have the opportunity to meet key members of the SOS team in the UK and in Indonesia – we can even arrange for you to visit our projects in Sumatra so you can see the impact of your support first hand.

You will join a community of generous supporters who share your passion for wild orangutans thriving in resilient forests – we look forward to welcoming you.

How to make a tax-efficient donation from the US

If you would like to make a tax-efficient donation from the US, we are delighted that Chapel & York US Foundation can accept US donations on our behalf.

This partnership allows us to save on the costs required to operate our own US 501(c)(3) nonprofit while still providing you the opportunity to support SOS with tax-deductible donations.

Please visit https://chapel-yorkusfoundation.org/donate/ and select SUMATRAN ORANGUTAN SOCIETY as the recipient fundholder.

Donor Advised Funds

We are delighted to accept donations through Donor Advised Funds, offering donors a flexible and tax-efficient way to contribute towards the protection of Sumatran Orangutans and the forests in which they live.

Some of our donors already support us in this way, and we have already started to build relationships with DAF providers.

Want to donate through your DAF?

If you want to make a meaningful difference to Sumatran orangutans, rainforest landscapes, and the people who live alongside them, and already hold a Donor Advised Fund, please contact your DAF provider and request that they make a donation to:

Sumatran Orangutan Society
Charity Number: 1158711

If you would like to discuss how your gift will be used, we would be pleased to speak with you or a representative from your DAF provider.

What is a DAF?

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a charitable giving account used solely to support charitable causes.

Individuals, families or organisations can contribute cash, shares, or other assets into their DAF account and then recommend grants to charities over time.

Six reasons to give through a DAF

Donating via a DAF enables effective, impactful philanthropy. Here are six great things about DAFs:

It’s flexible; You can contribute cash or assets. There are no timescales for making contributions or distributions. Donation size is up to you, as is the number of causes you choose to support.
It’s tax efficient

You can reclaim Gift Aid on eligible cash gifts
There is the potential for income and capital gains tax relief
Legacy gifts to DAFs are exempt from inheritance tax

Admin is simple; governance, reporting, and compliance are managed by your DAF provider. There are no start up costs beyond your initial investment.
Growth; Funds within the DAF can be invested. Growth is usually tax-free, helping maximise your long-term charitable impact.
It’s anonymous; DAFs make it easy to support your favourite causes while maintaining privacy.
A DAF can form part of your long-term estate planning, ensuring your commitment to Sumatran Orangutans can continue for the benefit of future generations.

To understand whether a DAF is right for you, we recommend you contact your financial adviser. They will be able to tell you more and help you to select the right provider.