The Omidyar Network has announced a $1.5 million grant over eighteen months to the Rights and Resources Initiative, a global coalition of organizations engaged in forest and land policy reform in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Awarded through ON's Property Rights initiative, the grant will fund critical technology upgrades that enable the enhanced capture, analysis, and monitoring of data in support of RRI's efforts to increase local and indigenous ownership of forest areas. RRI, which comprises local community and indigenous peoples' organizations, research institutions, development assistance organizations, and human rights groups, works closely with governments and private enterprises to encourage forest land tenure and policy reforms.

"The work of RRI is core to our property rights strategy," said Peter Rabley, who heads ON's property rights investments worldwide. "RRI works to open up political and market processes so that indigenous peoples and local communities can confirm and protect their property rights, thereby creating real social and economic opportunities for families and communities all over the world."