Our official name is “Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future.” However, for the sake of clarity, consistency, and ease of communication, we have adopted the shorter and more accessible name “Belize Fund” as an abbreviated reference instead of BFSF. WHY?
In celebration of World Fisheries Day, which is observed on November 21st, we asked our partners to nominate a fisherman or woman for a special feature to recognize and commend their commitment to responsible fishing practices. Meet the nominees who sustainably harvest while safeguarding the marine environment for future generations, contributing to job creation and Belize’s thriving blue economy. Agustina Cruz – a second-generation fisherwoman in Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, transformed her traditional unregulated fishing practices into sustainability. Influenced by SACD’s conservation efforts, she became a steward actively promoting sustainable fishing, transitioning from full-time fishing to innovative eco-tourism and earned SACD’s Fisher of the Year 2022-2023. Alexander Garbutt – Born and raised in Monkey River, Alex is a seasoned commercial fisher and member of the MarAlliance research team, actively contributing to shark protection regulations. Diversifying as a fisher, tour guide, and research technician, he integrates fishers into conservation, reducing fishing pressure. Carlos Arevalo – showcases sustainable fishing through selective harvesting, adherence to regulations, and active involvement in educational initiatives. As a veteran fisherman, he embraces responsible adaptation, incorporating solar panels and promoting cleanliness in seafood processing, and champions environmental causes, inspiring the next generation through his environmental activist son. Hilmar Salazar – a seasoned commercial fisher in Sarteneja, Belize, serves as MarAlliance’s Community Field Coordinator, advocating for large marine wildlife. With over 20 years of fishing experience, he not only leads training initiatives but also stands as a testament to fishers taking a leading role in conservation, actively influencing policy changes for shark protection in Belize.
The 2nd Call for Proposals under the Grants Award Program (GAP) 2023 grant cycle closed on 3rd November 2023. It followed a two-step process that involved preparing a Concept Paper for acceptance before developing a full Proposal. In this 2nd Call, the Belize Fund is providing funding focused on sustainable fisheries, climate resilience, and blue business innovation! We support projects that are aligned with our mission and positively impact Belize’s coastal and marine resources!
Did you know? In the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC), there are: This week, our Executive Director, Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts, and Kennedy Carrillo, CEO of the Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation and Chairperson of the Belize Fund’s Board of Directors, are in Cusco, Peru attending the Regional Latin American and Caribbean Congress on Environmental Funds. Dr. Ricketts is sharing her insights on “Networks Creation and Collaboration for Marine Conservation within the framework of 30×30.” This Congress is all about finance for biodiversity and climate change, paving the way for a sustainable future. Learn more about the congress here: https://congreso.redlac.org/en/
Celebrating Art and Climate Action! Our Belize Coastal Resilience Art Contest has come to a close. 32 artists and creatives conceptualized climate change impacts and solutions for coastal resilience through their beautiful artworks. As we commemorate the International Day of Climate Action, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our participants. Your entries gave powerful statements on how we can work together to build a more resilient Belize and sustainable world for future generations. And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for… CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners! Category: Ages 12 – 17 years 1st Place: $500 –Â Bryan Garcia 2nd Place: $300 –Â Ireni Requena 3rd Place: $200 –Â Zaira Rodriguez Category: Ages 18+ years 1st Place: $800 –Â Arodi Patt 2nd Place: $500 –Â Yorleni Ricalde 3rd Place: $300 –Â Joanie Bradley For more information on the Belize Coastal Resilience Art Contest, see Belize Coastal Resilience Art Contest. Also, peruse the video of the winners here.
This morning, the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future (Belize Fund) awarded grants amounting to $559,563.00 BZD to five (5) non-government agencies for the management of eight (8) protected areas across Belize. At a signing ceremony held at the office of the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future in Belmopan, the Chair of the Belize Fund’s Board of Directors â CEO Kennedy Carrillo of the Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation – executed these first ever awards under the Belize Fund. The recipients of the awards are: The funds will be used towards the effective management of these marine protected areas, which comprise critical habitats for marine species and include iconic natural heritage sites within the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Commenting on the significance of these first grant awards, CEO Kennedy Carrillo noted that, âThe Belize Fund has achieved its targets for 2022, the first year of its existence. True to our commitments, we have put in place a competent team and operationalized the fund, as evidenced by this first disbursement of just over half a million Belize dollars to non-government agencies who manage our marine protected areas.â Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts advised that this is just the start of the Grant Awards Program, which will be granting approximately $3.6 million Belize dollars per year to non-government, community-based, and private sector entities through annual funding cycles. She elaborated that, âOn December 16th, we issued a Call for Proposals. Eligible agencies are invited to submit proposals by January 31st of 2023. After careful evaluation, proposals which fit the criteria and align with our strategic objectives will be awarded grants in April of 2023. In December, we also launched our website, www.belizefund.bz, where you can find all the information needed to develop winning proposals as well as download and submit application forms.â The Belize Fund’s four thematic areas of the Grant Awards Program are: The Belize Fund was legally established in March 2022 as an independent, non-profit fund. It is the mechanism that will manage the funds generated by Belizeâs Blue Bond debt conversion agreement, which was finalized in November 2021 through the efforts of the Government of Belize and The Nature Conservancy. This ground-breaking agreement has allowed Belize to convert its national debt into a conservation fund that will generate an estimated BZ$360 million dollars for marine conservation and the sustainable development of Belizeâs marine resources over the next 20 years.  In addition to the Grant Awards Program, the Belize Fund will also provide funding to government agencies through the Government Strategic Allocation program to support government agencies in fulfilling Belizeâs conservation commitments under the Blue Loan Agreement and the Conservation Funding Agreement, which effected the blue bond debt conversion transaction. ENDS. For more information, please contact us at: info@belizefund.bz Updated on January 24, 2024.
The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future Announces Appointment of its Executive Director FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Belize City, 16 September 2022 â The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future (Belize Fund) is pleased to welcome on board its first Executive Director, Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts. Her appointment is a critical step forward in operationalizing this new conservation fund for Belize. Since the Blue Bonds debt conversion was agreed in November 2021, the Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation (MBECA) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have been working to legally establish the fund and set in place the necessary governance mechanisms. The Belize Fund was incorporated as a 501(c)3 charitable organization in March 2022. It is governed by a Board of Directors comprising nine members, of which five are non-government, who form the majority, and four are government. The selection of a qualified Executive Director, who will lead the operationalization of this fund, has been a priority for the new Board of Directors. Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts is exceptionally qualified to assume leadership of the new Belize Fund. She earned a Ph. D. in Marine Sciences from the Centre for Marine Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica. Over the past two decades, she has applied this expertise to advance marine conservation and scientific research in Belize. Dr. Cho-Ricketts brings decades of experience in marine conservation science, management, developing multi-stakeholder partnerships, strategic planning, and fundraising. Key achievements in her career include co-founding the University of Belize Environmental Research Institute which is dedicated to building scientific capacity for the sustainable use and conservation of Belizeâs natural resources, and serving as Director of the Coastal Zone Management Institute and Authority from 2002 to 2004. The Executive Director will be responsible for the development, management and implementation of long-term strategic plans, annual operating plans, and grant award programs as well as the day-to-day management of the Belize Fund. Dr. Cho-Ricketts assumed her new post as Executive Director on August 22nd, 2022. ENDS. Updated January 24, 2024.
PRESS RELEASE Belize City, April 26, 2023 The Belize Fund for A Sustainable Future (Belize Fund) celebrated its First Awards Ceremony on April 25th, 2023, recognizing the recipients of the Government Strategic Allocation (GSA) and the Grants Awards Program (GAP). The Belize Fund awarded grant funding to governmental and non-governmental entities that proposed projects to conserve marine and coastal life and build a sustainable future for Belize. Over the next three years, the Belize Fund will allocate BZ $14,768,913.50 to these initiatives. The GSA is crucial funding for the government and its agencies to enable the Marine Spatial Plan through enhanced governance, management, and monitoring of Belize’s coastal and marine resources. The Blue Bond & Finance Permanence Unit (BBFP) was granted BZ $11,692,815.20, with the funds disbursed across six implementing agencies: the Belize Fisheries Department with BZ $3,040,000.00, Belize High Seas Fisheries Unit with BZ $1,151,565.00, Belize Coast Guard with BZ $1,000,000.00, Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute with BZ $2,030,000.00, Belize Forest Department with BZ $1,759,639.00, and the Blue Bond & Finance Permanence Unit with BZ $2,711,611.00. The GAP awards are selected based on a competitive application process where proposals undergo a technical review to align with and support the Conservation Funding Agreement (CFA). Six non-governmental organizations received BZ $3,076,098.30 to safeguard Belize’s marine and coastal resources: Wildtracks was granted BZ$150,000, Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD) with BZ $350,000.00, Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA) with BZ $831,788.00, The University of Belize Environmental Research Institute (UB-ERI) with BZ $290,598.30, Fragments of Hope with BZ $801,370.00, and MarAlliance (MAR) with BZ $652,342.00. This accomplishment is a testament to the Belize Fund’s commitment to enhancing marine conservation and sustainability in Belize, promising a better tomorrow for the nation. The Belize Fund for A Sustainable Future looks forward to continuing its important work in nurturing a sustainable future for Belize. END
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Belize Fund Media Release 2023/002) (City of Belmopan, July 18, 2023) â The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future (Belize Fund) recognizes the importance of engaging with key stakeholders, including fisherfolks and grassroot communities, and is committed to fostering transparent and inclusive processes that support national and global marine conservation efforts. The Belize Fund acknowledges recent concerns raised by the Belize Federation of Fishers regarding their application submitted in the 2022 Grants Award Program (GAP) grant cycle. During the first GAP Call for Proposals, which took place from December 15, 2022, to January 31, 2023, the Belize Fund received fifteen (15) proposals with a total funding request of BZD $5.7 million. Following a rigorous and impartial evaluation process to ensure soundness, long-term sustainability, and positive impact of projects, six (6) proposals were approved, resulting in BZD $3.08 million grant funding. Although the Belize Federation of Fishers’ application did not meet all the necessary criteria, the Belize Fund encouraged them, along with the other organizations, to reapply after addressing the feedback provided. The Belize Fund firmly believes in the importance of supporting capacity development and building long-term relationships within coastal and marine communities and stakeholders. We extend a cordial invitation to all those interested to participate in our upcoming stakeholder engagement sessions, which will be held countrywide from July 25th to August 3rd, 2023. These sessions aim to define the capacity needs of our stakeholders and develop solutions that enable access to available funding. Additionally, in an effort to improve the quality of proposals and project management, the Belize Fund will offer a comprehensive training in proposal writing and development. We will also be hosting a Fisherâs Forum in the near future. Stay tuned for more information and updates regarding these events. The Belize Fund welcomes all stakeholders to directly engage with our team to address any concerns or questions they may have. We are committed to ongoing dialogue and collaboration with stakeholders to strengthen their involvement. We value the diversity of voices and are dedicated to working together for the sustainable management of Belize’s coastal and marine resources which are critical to coastal livelihoods. – End – The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future (Belize Fund) is a Belizean non-profit organization, formally incorporated on 8 March 2022 and established to support conservation and climate change adaptation activities in Belize, with a focus on marine resources. With the involvement of relevant stakeholders, the Belize Fund finances and supports initiatives aligned with Belize’s conservation commitments under the Blue Bonds Loan Agreement to ensure a sustainable future for Belize. ### Media Contact: Chalsey Gill Anthony, Communications Officer, communications@belizefund.bz.
The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future (Belize Fund) is pleased to announce our Belize Coastal Resilience Art Contest in celebration of International Day of Climate Action. We are encouraging artists and creatives to visually express their understanding of climate change impacts on coastal and marine resources in Belize and propose/demonstrate actionable solutions to build coastal resilience. Duration: September 14th – October 16th, 2023 How it Works: Participants create artwork that illustrates the climate change impact on Belize’s coastal and marine resources and propose practical actions or solutions to build coastal resilience. Submission Styles: Rules and Guidelines: Judging Criteria: Prizes ($BZD): Ages 12-17 Ages 18+ 1st Place: $500 1st Place: $800 2nd Place: $300 2nd Place: $500 3rd Place: $200 3rd Place: $300 Award Announcement: Winners will be announced on October 24th, International Day of Climate Action. 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 Fundâs communication activities and product development related to Belize coastal and marine environment. Additional Resources:
