Over the past 40 years, RDI’s work in more than 40 developing countries has proved to be a great social investment, bringing huge returns on each dollar contributed.

During that time, each dollar invested in RDI has, on average, produced new land rights for six families.

More than 100 million farm families worldwide — representing well over 400 million people — have received land rights.

That means that nearly one out of every sixteen people on the planet has been helped by RDI.

This change—from land insecurity to land ownership—has boosted agricultural productivity in the developing world by billions of dollars per year, and placed scores of billions of dollars in new land wealth in the hands of the rural poor.

Families Benefitedby RDI

* The years shown above are those of active land reforms (with RDI’s in-country work beginning at least two years earlier).

** Quantity of land allocated in ownership or equivalent secure tenure (acres).

Today, more than 270 million acres of land — roughly seven percent of the world’s arable land— is in the hands of the poorest. It’s amazing what a little land can do.

2009: Evergreen Award, Executive Alliance

2009: Telly Award (for film “Land is Hope), People’s Telly Awards

2008: Development Marketplace Award, World Bank

2008: Razoo Top 100 Nonprofits, Razoo

2008: Finalist, United Nations Public Service Award, United Nations

2008: World Citizen of the Year, World Affairs Council

2007: Featured Committment, Clinton Global Initiative, Clinton Foundation

2007: Finalist, Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, Hilton Foundation

2007: Finalist, Alcan Prize for Sustainability, International Business Leaders Forum

2006: Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership, Henry R. Kravis Institute in Leadership, Claremont McKenna College

2003: Gleitsman International Activist Award, Gleitsman Foundation

2002-2007: Outstanding Global Social Entrepreneur, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

1996: Courageous Award, Washington State Bar Association

1991-1996: John and Marguerite Walker Corbally Professor in Public Service

1993: International Citizen of the Year, Seattle International District Rotary

1990: Outstanding Public Service Award, University of Washington

1973: Ralph Bunche Award for Outstanding Contribution to World Peace through Law, Seattle-King County Bar Association

Nominations: Nobel Peace Prize, Hilton Humanitarian Award, Skoll Social Entrepreneur Award, World Food Prize, Rio Tinto Alcan Prize for Sustainability, United Nations Public Service Award, Gates Award for Global Health, and the Civic Ventures Purpose Prize

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