Author name: Blythe Thompson

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.

News & Events

On the Water with Belize’s Fishers

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Over the past two days, our team hit the water for a boat-to-boat outreach with fishers from Chunox, Copper Bank, and Libertad. We spoke with them about the Belize Fund’s upcoming Call for Proposals, opening August 25th, and how they can access grant funding to support their livelihoods and ideas for sustainable fishing. 🐟🦞 📣 Fishers are at the heart of our ocean communities, and we’re working to ensure they have the tools, info, and support to benefit from this opportunity. From giant lobsters to nurse shark encounters, our Program Manager, Josue, and Project Officer, Patty, got to see fishers in their element and learn more about life at sea. 🦈🛶 We’ll continue engaging fishers across Belize to build awareness and promote healthy oceans, sustainable practices, and thriving coastal communities.

News & Events

Belizean Women Lead Blue Revolution Through Seaweed Farming

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Off the coast of Placencia, women are redefining what it means to work with the sea. Through the Belize Women’s Seaweed Farmers Association, they are transforming a traditional practice into sustainable businesses that support families, protect marine ecosystems, and strengthen Belize’s blue economy. From seaweed gels and scrubs to soaps and natural skincare, their products are creating waves of opportunity both locally and internationally. But this story goes beyond seaweed. It’s about women breaking barriers in the maritime world, inspiring the next generation of girls to dive into conservation, science, and seafaring with confidence and purpose. The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future, established as a private conservation trust fund under the Belize Blue Bonds, is proud to finance and support initiatives like this. By channeling resources directly to community-based organizations, the Belize Fund is helping women, youth, and coastal communities thrive while safeguarding our ocean’s future. This feature is part of the “Financing for Belize’s Ocean Space” news series—stories that bring to life how conservation finance is driving resilience, innovation, and sustainable livelihoods across Belize. #BelizeFund #WomenInSeaweed #BlueEconomy #MarineConservation #SustainableFutures 🎥 Produced in partnership with and by Greater Belize Media/ News 5 Live.

News & Events

Belize Fund hosted a two-day Media Tour to some of Belize’s most iconic marine protected areas, on June 26–27, 2025.

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Over June 26–27, the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future hosted a two-day Media Tour to some of Belize’s most iconic marine protected areas — Gladden Spit & Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, Laughing Bird Caye National Park, and the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve. We were joined by representatives from 7 News Belize, Love FM, News 5, Hot Off The Press, San Pedro Sun, and Climate Spotlight, who got a front-row seat to conservation in action. Day 1: At Gladden Spit and Laughing Bird Caye, journalists heard from our grantee partners: They also took to the water to snorkel and experience the vibrant marine life these MPAs protect. Day 2: The tour continued to Hunting Caye in the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve, where shared insights on enforcement, biodiversity protection, and expanding Belize’s ocean protection zones to 25%. Through its Grants Award Program and Government Strategic Allocation, the Belize Fund supports the stewardship of 14 MPAs covering over 612,000 hectares — funding local innovation, strengthening enforcement, and ensuring long-term sustainability for generations to come. This media tour helped connect storytelling with science, giving journalists a deeper look into the people and partnerships shaping Belize’s ocean future.

News & Events

Announcing the Winners of our Ocean Awareness Poetry Contest

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🎉 Congratulations to the Winners of our Ocean Awareness Poetry Contest! 🐚🌊 We’re proud to celebrate the young voices who used the power of creative expressions to speak up for our oceans. Under the theme “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us”, these poems captured creativity, care, and a call to action about the ocean’s beauty, power, and importance in our lives, and why ocean health matters. A heartfelt thank you to all participants who inspired us with your words and passion! 💙 Standard 4 1st Place – La’Briah Dawson 2nd Place – Josse Lattibadare 3rd Place – Susana Penner Standard 5 1st Place – Anthony Quan 2nd Place – Eryn Peters 3rd Place – Juliana Belisle Standard 6 1st Place – Dylan Teul 2nd Place – Conner Ferguson

News & Events

Upcoming information sessions on accessing grant funding

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📢 We’re inviting all interested individuals to join our upcoming information sessions this July to learn how to access grant funding through the Belize Fund’s upcoming Call for Proposals, opening in August 2025. 🌊🇧🇿 These sessions will walk you through the application process, share details on funding opportunities, and help ensure you’re ready to submit a strong concept paper. 🗓️ Mark your calendars! Don’t miss this opportunity to engage, ask questions, and explore how your work can help protect and sustain Belize’s marine and coastal resources. 🐠🌍

News & Events

Belize Fund’s 2025 Ocean Awareness Poetry Contest

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In celebration of Ocean Awareness Month, the Belize Fund is launching a national poetry contest for primary school students under the World Ocean Day 2025 theme “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us.” This contest invites young ones to think about the ocean’s beauty, power, and importance in our lives, and why ocean health matters. Through poetry, students will explore how wonder leads to care, connection, and action for a more sustainable future.  Contest Duration: June 16 – 23, 2025  Winners Announced: June 30, 2025  Eligibility: Open to students enrolled in Standard 4, 5, and 6 in any primary school in Belize.  How it Works:  Each participant will write an original poem on this year’s theme and submit a video reciting the poem (no longer than 60 seconds). Poems may be recited in English or Belizean Creole.  In their video recorded poem, students should clearly express:  Rules and Guidelines:  Judging Criteria:  Prizes:   Winners in Standard 4, 5, and 6:  Disclaimer:   By submitting an entry, participants agree and grant permission for full use by the Belize Fund to be displayed, distributed, reproduced, and created as derivative works of the texts, in whole or in part, in any media currently existing or subsequently developed, for any educational, promotional, publicity, exhibition, archival, scholarly, or all other standard purposes of the Belize Fund’s communication activities and product development related to Belize coastal and marine environment. 

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