August 2025

News & Events

PRESS RELEASE: Belize Fund Awards $250,000 in Emergency Response Grants to BTIA and BHA to tackle Sargassum

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(City of Belmopan, August 28, 2025) – Today, the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future awarded Emergency Response Grants totalling BZ$250,000 to the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) and the Belize Hotel Association (BHA), to help address the worsening sargassum emergency impacting people, ecosystems, and livelihoods. The emergency funding is equally distributed between the BTIA and BHA, with each organization receiving BZ$125,000 to support affected hotels in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Hopkins, Seine Bight, Placencia, and other offshore islands. The Funds will be used to support sargassum removal through equipment rental, hiring of personnel, and safe disposal. This intervention will also help maintain cleaner beaches for both residents and visitors. “Beyond tourism impacts, decomposing sargassum creates serious respiratory health risks for coastal communities, kills marine life through oxygen depletion, contaminates our waters, and threatens the livelihoods of fishermen and other coastal workers,” expressed Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts, Executive Director of the Belize Fund. “While we cannot solve this emergency alone, we want to help reduce its immediate impacts on both our environment and our people.” The Signing Representatives were: • Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts (Belize Fund) • Ms. Linette Canto (BTIA) • Mr. Reynaldo Malik (BHA) The two-month intervention operates through a re-granting mechanism, allowing BTIA and BHA to distribute funds directly to the most severely affected hotels in coastal areas where they are needed most urgently.

News & Events

Three Lagoons Eco Guardians: Youth Leading Coastal and Mangrove Protection

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From the beaches of Sarteneja to the mangrove-lined shores of Chunox, a new generation of conservation leaders is rising. What began as a family-led effort has grown into the Three Lagoons Sustainability Program—a movement of young “Eco Guardians” cleaning coastlines, restoring mangroves, and inspiring their peers to protect the environment they call home. Every cleanup tells a story of stewardship: plastic pulled from mangroves, bottles lifted from beaches, seeds planted where erosion once claimed the land. And every action teaches us that safeguarding our environment is not someone else’s job, it’s a responsibility we share as a community and a country. With support from the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future, the Three Lagoons team is proving how community-based action, powered by sustainable financing for conservation, can build resilience, create pride, and safeguard our coastlines for generations to come. This feature is part of the “Financing for Belize’s Ocean Space” series—stories that show how innovative conservation funding is strengthening Belize’s blue economy and empowering people across the country. #BelizeFund #EcoGuardians #YouthInAction #MarineConservation #SustainableFutures 🎥 Produced in partnership with and by Greater Belize Media/ News 5 Live.

News & Events

The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future has opened its 4th Call for Proposals!

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📣We’re seeking bold, community-rooted, and science-backed ideas under two key themes:  🐟Sustainable Fisheries  🌿Blue Business Innovation Whether you’re innovating with seaweed, piloting reef-friendly tourism, or testing new traceability tech for fishers, this funding can help you scale impact. 🐬🐙 If you have a project aligned with our mission, apply for a grant and make a positive impact on Belize’s coastal and marine resources!🌊🌿  📅 Apply by 12th September 2025  🔗Learn more about the eligibility criteria and application process, and apply through our platform: www.belizefund.bz  📣 Tag someone who should see this._#BelizeFund#OceanConservation#SustainableFinance#CoastalCommunities#BlueEconomy#Biodiversity#SustainableFishing#ClimateResilience#SaveOurOceans

News & Events

From Fishers to Conservationists: Safeguarding Sharks, Safeguarding Our Seas

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Sharks may be feared for their teeth, but in Belize, they’re valued as guardians of the sea. At Glover’s Reef, local fishers are teaming up with scientists to tag sharks, track their movements, and collect vital data that informs how we protect marine life. What once was seen only as fishing is now evolving into conservation, where every dive, every tag, and every discovery helps keep our ocean in balance. Through the Belize Shark Fishers Association, second-generation fisherfolk are blending traditional knowledge with modern science, creating new livelihoods while contributing to global shark research. Their work proves that conservation is not only about protecting species—it’s also about protecting communities and building a sustainable blue economy. Backed by sustainable financing through the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future, local partners like the Shark Fishers Association are proving that conservation can create jobs, protect species, and strengthen coastal livelihoods. This feature is part of the “Financing for Belize’s Ocean Space” series—real stories of how conservation funding supports Belize’s blue economy, its people, and its future. #BelizeFund #SharkConservation #BlueEconomy #MarineConservation #SustainableFutures 🎥 Produced in partnership with and by Greater Belize Media/ News 5 Live.

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