The Rapid Response Facility (RRF) – an effective partnership
Founded in 2006, the RRF is a partnership between the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Fauna & Flora. These global organisations, with their extensive ‘on the ground’ experience and in-depth situational knowledge, give the RRF compelling credibility and rigour.
The RRF Secretariat is hosted by Fauna & Flora, based in Cambridge, UK. Valued financial support and other input is provided by our partners, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Arcadia, Fondation Franz Weber, and Fondation Iris.
Fauna & Flora
Fauna & Flora is a nature conservation charity protecting the diversity of life on Earth. For the survival of species and habitats, the planet and people. As the world’s first international conservation charity, Fauna & Flora has been shaping best practice in community-focused conservation for over 120 years. Today, the charity works closely with local conservation partners in over 40 countries to protect habitats, revive the ocean, reduce extinctions, stop illegal wildlife trade, combat climate change and influence global policy and corporate sustainability. Fauna & Flora acts as the RRF Secretariat.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre, established in 1992, is the Secretariat responsible for the daily management and implementation of the World Heritage Convention. Operating within UNESCO, it coordinates the efforts of States Parties to ensure the effective protection of cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value. The Centre serves as the main point of contact for the nomination and evaluation of World Heritage sites and oversees their conservation and monitoring. It provides technical assistance, mobilises international support in times of crisis, and promotes education and awareness around heritage preservation.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Through its partnership with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the Government of Norway is supporting actions to protect threatened World Heritage properties, in particular natural sites in Africa and those inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Arcadia
Arcadia is a charitable fund that works to protect nature, preserve cultural heritage and promote open access to knowledge. Since 2002 Arcadia has awarded more than $1 billion to organisations around the world.
Fondation Franz Weber
Fondation Franz Weber (FFW) carries out a diverse range of campaigns in Switzerland and around the world to protect animals and nature since 1975. FFW actively fights to preserve nature and the countryside, to increase biodiversity and to keep natural environments unspoilt. FFW works tirelessly to show that nature in all its glory, flora and fauna do not belong to one single country, but to all of humanity.
Fondation Iris
Fondation Iris is a French philanthropic organisation established in December 2012 under the aegis of the Fondation de France. Its mission is to "safeguard the fragile beauty of the world" by supporting initiatives that protect and restore natural environments as well as projects promoting biodiversity and endangered species.
Protect our natural heritage
The RRF relies on support from key partners who value our proven, cost-effective response to protect iconic sites from disaster. With their help, we’ve directed over $1.9 million in emergency funding to UNESCO natural World Heritage sites. As disasters are unpredictable, we seek new partners to help safeguard our planet’s heritage.