Press Release

The GEF Small Grants Programme Awards Grants To Support 33 Civil Society Organizations

02 December 2021

On Thursday December 2, 2021, the GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) held a grant awards ceremony. The ceremony was held at the Mae Gordon Park in Belmopan during which 33 civil society organizations are being supported through recently approved project grants following three call for proposals published. The total envelope of approved project grants is BZ$2,525,823.00 (US$1,262,911.50) with leveraged in-kind and cash co-financing of BZ$3,608,508.00. This collaborative investment will directly impact the lives of approximately sixty- thousand (60,000) beneficiaries throughout Belize. In attendance were members of GEF SGP National Steering Committee, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management & GEF Operational Focal Point, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of the Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, grassroots indigenous organizations, government representatives, media and other stakeholders during the grant award ceremony.

Mr. Ian King, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Belize, Dr. Kenrick Williams, CEO of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management & GEF Operational Focal Point, Kennedy Carrillo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of the Blue Economy and Civil Aviation and Ms. Angeline Valentine, Chairperson of the National Steering Committee delivered brief remarks and presented symbolic cheques to the following organizations:

Plenty International Belize Limited - a strategic grant of BZ$300,000.00 for project titled “Indigenous Female Solar Engineers Scaling up Solar Energy to Machakilha and Graham Creek Villages- Belize`s Most Rural and Remote Communities.”

Toledo Institute for Development and Environment - a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for project titled “Building Capacities in Forest Fire Management Among Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Belize.”

Ya`axche Conservation Trust - a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for a project titled, “Strengthening Community Agroforestry Cooperatives Governance for Sustained Local Livelihoods” in support of Green Creek Farmers Cooperative and Aguacate Conservation and Development Committee.

Humana People to People Belize – a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for a project titled, “Full Circle Belize: Addressing Plastic Waste and COVID19 in Belmopan and Surroundings.”

Placencia Tour Guide Cooperative Society Limited - a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for project titled “Local Management of Blue Economy Resources for Sustainable Livelihoods.”

Southern Environmental Association - a total grant of BZ$99,998.00 for project titled “Building Capacity in Proper Solid Waste Management in Belize's Southern Coastal Communities.”

National Garifuna Council - a grant of BZ$100,000.00 for project titled “Empowerment of the National Garifuna Council Towards Landscape and Seascape Stewardship.”

ReefKeeper Belize - a total grant of BZ$80,000.00 for project titled “ReefKeeper Ambassadors: Community Stewardship & Recycling Program.”

Hummingbird Environmental Tourguide Association in partnership with Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology - a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for project titled, “Empowering Hummingbird Environmental Tourguide Association as Co-Manager of the Five Blues Lake National Park.”

Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations - a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for project titled “Supporting the APAMO Central Resource Centre Program Management and its Governance Structures.”

Friends for Conservation and Development – a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for a project titled, “Promoting a Landscape Watershed and Biodiversity Protection Program.”

Itzamna Society - a total grant of BZ$60,000.00 for project titled “Enhancing Community Stewardship of the Noj K’aaxH’men Elijio Panti National Park.”

Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association - a strategic grant of BZ$300,000.00 under the project titled “Fostering Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer Towards a Sustainable Seaweed Mariculture Industry Empowering Women and Youth in Belize and Mauritius.”

Belize National Indigenous Council in partnership with National Garifuna Council- a total grant of BZ$99,825.00 for a project titled, “Strengthening the Indigenous Peoples of Belize National Participation in Landscape and Stewardship”

Belize Wildlife Referral Clinic - a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for a project titled, “Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic Wildlife Ambassador Program.”

University of Belize Environmental Research Institute - a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for a project titled, “Building Community Environmental Stewardship in the Maya Forest Corridor through Avian Ecology.”

Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association - a total grant of BZ$136,000.00 for project titled “Applying Adaptive Management Practices to Enhance Compliance with Fishery Management Measures at the TAMR.”

Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association – a total grant of BZ$100,000.00 for a project titled, “Improving Agroecological Practices and Integrating Gender Equality, Women and Youth in Climate Smart Agriculture.”

Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology/Department of Cooperatives in partnership with New River Farmers Cooperative, Los Pequenos Agricultores y Ganaderos, Maskall Agriculture Cooperative, Hibiscus Cooperative, Santa Familia Grains Vegetables and Legumes Cooperative, Pachakan Farmers Cooperative, Hopkins Farmers Cooperative, Santa Cruz Women Cooperative, Western Mopan Farmers Cooperative, Cooperativa De Frutas Tradicionales and Trio Bladen Farmers Cooperative – a total grant of BZ$200,000.00 for a project titled, “Cooperatives Rapid Response to COVID19 and 2020 Floods in Belize.”

Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development - a total grant of BZ$150,000.00 for project titled “Seascape Collaboration in the Northern Belize Coastal Complex.”

These investments support the localization of national policies and global priorities for sustainable development through innovative, impactful, and inclusive community-driven actions enhancing landscape and seascape stewardship aligned to the GEF SGP Operational Phase 7 Country Programme Strategy and the Country Strategy for Territories and Areas Conserved by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (ICCA-GSI) in Belize. These projects contribute to the localization and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, GEF priorities and UNDP`s strategic plan. The GEF Small Grants Programme is a corporate programme funded by the Global Environment Facility implemented by UNDP and executed by UNOPS. Additional information regarding the GEF SGP`s efforts in Belize can be found in the 25th anniversary publication. The GEF Small Grants Programme has supported more than 26,000 civil society organizations and community initiatives in 135 countries.

For more information on the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), please visit www.sgp.undp.org or email gefsgp@btl.net.