Since establishment in 1994, the Lewis Foundation has grown to be one of the largest private grant makers toward conservation in South Africa and has supported a range of programmes through organisations such as WWF-South Africa, Birdlife South Africa and the Endangered Wildlife Trust. In 2008, the Lewis Foundation trustees made a strategic choice to focus their grant making on a critical issue - Biodiversity HCD - where the Foundation's support could have a greater impact. Their ultimate aim is to play a catalytic role in developing a collective and innovative strategy to develop, attract, upskill and retain biodiversity professionals and conservation managers through GreenMatterZA.

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is responsible for exploring, revealing, celebrating and championing biodiversity for the benefit and enjoyment of all of South Africa's people.

SANBI is a respected authority in research and has an unmatched research record in the indigenous, naturalised and alien flora of South and southern Africa, and beyond. SANBI is the proud custodian of the National Botanical Gardens system and the lead agent in the development of the Human Capital Development Strategy for the Biodiversity Sector