Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future

News & Events

Belize Fund Approves BZ $1.13 Million for Eight New Projects, Prioritizing Support for Community-Led Conservation

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PRESS RELEASE: (City of Belmopan, March 28, 2025) – The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future (Belize Fund) is proud to announce the approval of eight new projects that support community-led conservation, strengthen marine and coastal ecosystems, and promote sustainable development. A key highlight is the introduction of a Community Grants window, designed to address barriers that smaller, grassroots groups face in accessing funding. These grants ensure that local knowledge and community-driven solutions are central to protecting Belize’s natural resources. “We realized that while our process ensures accountability, it wasn’t reaching everyone,” says Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts, Executive Director of the Belize Fund. “To truly create lasting impact in conservation, we needed a more inclusive approach that directly supports communities.” The approved projects represent diverse focus areas across protection for biodiversity, sustainable fisheries, climate resilience, and blue business innovation:1. Three Lagoon Sustainability Program (BZ $75,000)2. Creative Imageries Motion Art Studio (BZ $74,960)3. Chunox Fishermen Association (BZ $75,000)4. Shark Fishers Association (BZ $75,000)5. Sea of Life – Plastic Solutions Academy (BZ $150,000)6. ECOMAR – Barrier Reef Watch (BZ $139,225)7. Blue Nutrients Belize Ltd (BZ $149,740)8. World Wildlife Fund Mesoamerica (BZ $397,375.60) Beyond funding, the Belize Fund invests in capacity-building through in-person sessions, proposal-writing workshops, and direct support from consultants. “We don’t just provide funding—we help organizations develop skills to secure and manage resources effectively,” says Josue Oliva, Program Manager. “By meeting people where they are, we ensure they can focus on conservation and sustainable livelihoods.” “We want to do more than just provide funding for conservation,” says Dr. Cho-Ricketts.” We want to equip people with the tools they need to succeed and create a foundation for long-term impact.” The Belize Fund is committed to inclusion, innovation, and long-term impact.

News & Events

Winners of the Reef Week Art Contest 2025!

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🏆 CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners of the Reef Week Art Contest 2025!🎨 Category: Ages 12-17🥇 1st Place: $700 – Josiaha Castillo🥈 2nd Place: $550 – Eric Raymundo🥉 3rd Place: $450 – Erika Gutierrez🏅 4th Place: $300 – Rebecca Li🏅 5th Place: $200 – Chloé Martinez Category: Ages 18+🥇 1st Place: $1000 – Jaime Ramos🥈 2nd Place: $800 – Diana Ascencio🥉 3rd Place: $600 – Janeth Rosa🏅 4th Place: $400 – Sylvia Artiaga🏅 5th Place: $300 – Jdah Anderson ✨ People’s Choice Award: Gerald Wewe 🎉 Your creativity and passion for Belize’s marine life truly shine through your artwork! Thank you to everyone who participated—your artistic expressions help raise awareness about the beauty of our reefs and the importance of protecting them for future generations. 🐠💙

News & Events

Winner Announcement for Recycling Challenge 2025

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🏆 CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners! 🥳 As we celebrate the power of recycling, we extend our deepest gratitude to all participants of the Recycling Challenge 2025! Your video submissions delivered impactful messages on how we can protect Belize’s environment, reduce waste, and build a cleaner, more sustainable future for generations to come. 🌱💚 Why Recycling Matters♻️ Recycling protects our coast and ocean by reducing plastic pollution, conserves natural resources, and helps fight climate change by cutting emissions. It also saves money and reduces landfill waste, making it a win for both our environment and economy! 🌱✨ What Can We Do? ✅– Reduce single-use plastics to keep our ocean clean.– Sort and recycle materials like paper, glass, and metal properly.– Reuse containers, bags, and other everyday items.– Compost organic waste to reduce landfill waste.– Support local recycling programs and educate others.– Choose products with minimal packaging to cut down on waste.

News & Events

Happy International Women’s Day 2025 💜✨

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This year, Belize Fund joins the global movement in celebrating the power of women and the urgent need to Accelerate Action toward gender equality. 🌍💡 Change doesn’t happen by chance—it happens when we commit to breaking barriers, challenging biases, and creating opportunities for all women to thrive. Let’s take bold steps, uplift voices, and push for real progress—because when we invest in women, we transform the future. 💪💖

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📌 Save the Date!

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Join us for our 3rd Awards Ceremony on Thursday, March 27th at 1:00 PM as we celebrate impactful ocean conservation initiatives in Belize! 🏝️🐠 This year, we continue our commitment to funding projects that protect our marine ecosystems, strengthen coastal resilience, and support sustainable livelihoods. 🌿🪸 At the Belize Fund, we believe long-term sustainable financing is key to protecting our ocean. Every grant awarded helps drive lasting investments in conservation and responsible development—because a healthier ocean means a better future for all.

News & Events

Happy World Wildlife Day! ✨🦈

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Today, we celebrate and commit to protecting the incredible biodiversity that makes our world so unique. Habitat destruction, climate change, and poaching threaten countless species, but together, we can make a difference! 🌱💙 Join the global movement by supporting conservation efforts, spreading awareness, and making sustainable choices in your daily life. Every action, no matter how small, helps protect our wildlife for future generations!

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🌱 Strengthening Impact Through Collaboration! 🌊

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On February 28th, we hosted a dynamic Learning & Knowledge Sharing Workshop, bringing together 14 grantee partners under our Grant Awards Program. Their engagement and contributions enriched every discussion, reinforcing our shared commitment to sustainable impact. From grant processes to adaptive management, monitoring & evaluation, and real-world lessons shared by SACD, TIDE, and Sea of Life, the day was filled with insightful exchanges and valuable connections. A heartfelt thank you to our grantees for your participation and to our facilitators for leading such an interactive and informative session. We look forward to seeing these insights translate into even greater success for your projects!

News & Events

The Belize Fund, the Ministry of Economic Development, and the Climate Finance Unit

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Our Executive Director, Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts, recently met with Carlos Pol, CEO of the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), and Leroy Martinez, Director of the Climate Finance Unit, to explore opportunities for collaboration. As a private conservation trust fund, the Belize Fund provides sustainable financing to support both government and non-government partners in marine conservation, scientific research, climate adaptation, and blue business development. In this meeting, discussions focused on:🔹 Strengthening ocean governance and local stewardship🔹 Expanding financing for conservation and climate action🔹 Promoting nature-based solutions that benefit both people & nature By working together, we’re ensuring long-term investment in Belize’s coastal and marine resources, creating a more resilient and thriving blue economy for our country and people. 🌿🌊

News & Events

8 New Approved Projects under the Grants Award Program’s 2024 grant cycle

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The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future is proud to announce the approval of eight new projects in our 3rd Call for Proposals under the Grants Award Program’s 2024 grant cycle, totalling BZ $1.1 million in funding! These projects support community-led conservation, sustainable fisheries, blue business innovation, and climate resilience! 🌊🌿 👏 Join us in congratulating our new grantees: ✅ Three Lagoon Sustainability Program – Community-led management of the 66’ reserve around the Three Lagoons System ✅ Creative Imageries Motion Art Studio – Raising awareness and empowering youth through eco-tourism initiatives ✅ Chunox Fishermen Association – Strengthening sustainable fishing and diversifying livelihoods ✅ Shark Fishers Association – Ensuring compliance with international shark fishery reporting standards ✅ Sea of Life – Tackling marine plastic pollution through blue business innovation ✅ ECOMAR – Expanding the Belize Barrier Reef Watch database for marine conservation ✅ Blue Nutrients Belize Ltd – Developing a self-sustaining seaweed industry ✅ World Wildlife Fund Mesoamerica – Boosting climate resilience for coastal communities These projects will empower local communities to protect our environment while building a sustainable future for Belize. Stay tuned as we share their journey!

News & Events

Belize Fund’s 2025 Reef Week Art Contest: Building Resilience from Ridge to Reef  

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Belize Reef Week 2025 is here! This year, the Belize Fund is launching a national art competition that highlights the connection between land and sea. Under the theme “Building Resilience from Ridge to Reef,” this contest invites artists to creatively depict the importance of conservation, sustainability, and ecosystem protection. Through visual storytelling, we aim to inspire greater awareness and action for the health of Belize’s coastal and marine environments.  Contest Duration: February 19 – March 12, 2025  Winners Announced: March 21, 2025  Categories: Ages 12-17 and Ages 18+  How it Works:  Your artwork should reflect this year’s theme, Building Resilience from Ridge to Reef, and may showcase:  Submission Styles:  🖌 Paintings (watercolour, acrylic, or oil)  🎨 Crayon Art & Drawings (pencil, charcoal, ink, or crayons)  💻 Digital Art (graphic illustrations, digital paintings)  Rules and Guidelines:  Judging Criteria:  Prizes:   Ages 12-17  Ages 18+  🥇 1st Place: $700  🥇 1st Place: $1000  🥈 2nd Place: $550  🥈 2nd Place: $800  🥉 3rd Place: $450  🥉 3rd Place: $600  🏅 4th Place: $300  🏅 4th Place: $400  🏅 5th Place: $200  🏅 5th Place: $300  ✨ Overall Fan Favourite (awarded to the submission with the most engagement (likes, comments, and shares) on Belize Fund’s social media platforms) – $200  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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