There is a critical shortage of financial resources for implementing and scaling nature-based projects in the Global South, partly due to the private sector’s perception of these initiatives as high-risk investments. This challenge is particularly pronounced in communal land areas, such as the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala, where multiple families collectively manage land use decisions, and where illicit economies, including illegal cattle ranching, further destabilize conservation efforts. Rwanda has developed a longstanding conservation model that integrates local communities, fosters public-private partnerships, and implements revenue-sharing mechanisms from nature-based conservation projects. This research investigates how Rwanda’s successful conservation strategies can be adapted to the Maya Biosphere Reserve to promote scalable, community-driven conservation initiatives and attract private investment.