Airbnb Community Fund grants $150K to support Puerto Rican entrepreneurship
The Airbnb Community Fund has awarded grants totaling $150,000 to Foundation for Puerto Rico ($100,000) and Grupo Guayacán ($50,000) to support programs that educate and develop entrepreneurs.
Airbnb’s grants enable local, regional and national organizations to positively impact their communities. In 2020, the company established the Airbnb Community Fund, with plans to invest $100 million by the end of 2030 to strengthen global communities.
This year, more than 25 nonprofit organizations across 13 countries in Latin America received grants.
“For the past four years, our organization has been working in the eastern region of Puerto Rico, engaging with the community and local stakeholders to develop initiatives that will create a transformational economic impact for everyone in the area,” said Alma Frontera, vice president of operations and programs at Foundation for Puerto Rico. “Now, thanks to the support of Airbnb, we will not only continue these efforts but also amplify them. Funding, like the one provided by Airbnb, allows us to bridge operational gaps during the implementation of our crucial projects.”
The $50,000 grant to Grupo Guayacán supports programs that develop Puerto Rico’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Laura Cantero, the executive director of Grupo Guayacán Inc., said: “As a mission-driven organization, Grupo Guayacán is committed to fostering socioeconomic impact for Puerto Rico. The entrepreneurs we support are our driving force. During our 28-year history, our organization has created and offered a suite of global programs that provide educational and business resources to help local entrepreneurs in different stages build their ventures.
“We have worked with more than 2,650 participants and 1,100 companies and awarded more than $2.7 million in seed capital. We are committed to creating a sustainable economic model where entrepreneurs can grow businesses, contributing to thriving and vibrant communities across the island. The Airbnb Community Fund grant will help us to expand this impact, and we look forward to expanding our collaboration for years to come.”
Last Year, Airbnb’s Community Fund supported Ecoexploratorio: Museo de las Américas, which used the funds for programs to educate children about biodiversity. EcoExploratorio also produced safety glasses for viewing the October solar eclipse and carried out an educational tour during the hurricane season and promoted related safety tips, including for Airbnb lodging hosts.
María Cuba, Airbnb director of Community Partnerships said: “At Airbnb, it is an honor to continue focusing on local entities for a second consecutive year. Together, we will continue working to protect biodiversity and support communities in need. Additionally, we aim to connect the host and guest community with sustainability initiatives that can help safeguard our planet.
“We are thrilled to add the resilience of tourism as a significant component of sustainability through our efforts. We trust that these donations will support local communities in preserving Puerto Rico’s natural heritage for future generations and promote tourism entrepreneurship.”
Casi casi un chiste.
In the meantime, the short term rental business is destroying neighborhoods all over the place. After hurricane Maria, this business has brought in a lot of unruly people to our condominium in Condado. Police interventions, fights in the lobby, and everywhere by drunk people, show complete disrespect and consideration to the residents. And several senior citizens have been displaced to continue growing the business. A completely immoral and unethical line of business that is.