Ford awards $85K to 7 Puerto Rico eco projects
Ford Motor Co. is marking the 25th anniversary of its Ford Environmental Grants program in Puerto Rico by awarding $85,000 to seven community projects focused on environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
The program, which has supported local environmental efforts for a quarter century, continues to align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, the company said.
Most of this year’s awardees were selected under the “Conservation and Recovery of Biodiversity” category, which targets the protection and restoration of ecosystems, native species and water resources.
The recipients are Certámenes ProDesarrollo de Maunabo (Pro-Development Contests of Maunabo), submitted by Comité ProDesarrollo de Maunabo (Pro-Development Committee of Maunabo); Larga Vida a los Corales 2.0 (Long Life to Corals 2.0), from the Agricultural Extension Service; and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Puerto Rico, submitted by United Nations Association of the United States of America Puerto Rico Chapter Inc.
Other winners include Ruta Borinquen in Guajataca (Borinquen Trail in Guajataca), from Borinquen Trail Inc.; SARGATOPIA: From environmental threat to socioeconomic opportunity in Culebra, from Mujeres de Islas Inc. (Women of the Islands Inc.); and “Sendero interpretativo para el contacto verde en CASA: Proyecto para un bosque urbano sostenible” (Interpretive trail for contact with nature at Santa Ana Environmental Center: Project for a sustainable urban forest), from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico Inc.
A seventh project, “Expandiendo comida sin huella: una iniciativa que promueve la economía circular en el suroeste de Puerto Rico,” submitted by Alelí Environmental Inc., received funding under the “Waste Management” category. The project promotes reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering community waste while encouraging civic engagement and responsible disposal practices.
“We’re proud to know that over the past 25 years of our Ford Environmental Grants program, which has been running uninterruptedly, we have contributed to environmental sustainability through community projects as worthy as the initiatives selected as winners in this edition,” said Vivian T. Dávila, manager of public affairs and communications for Ford in Central America and the Caribbean.
“We congratulate the entities responsible for these projects for their environmental commitment that goes hand in hand with socioeconomic development and a better quality of life in their communities,” she said.
Since its launch, the Ford Environmental Grants program has invested more than $2.1 million in hundreds of projects across Puerto Rico, Central America and the Caribbean. It has supported initiatives related to biodiversity restoration, environmental education, waste management, energy efficiency, renewable energy and food security.
This year’s proposals were evaluated by a panel of environmental experts that included Dr. Jorge Bauzá-Ortega, Perla Sofía Curbelo, Yogani Govender and Adrianne G. Tossas-Cavalliery. Projects were assessed based on their contribution to sustainable development, community impact, partnerships and multiplier effect.
The next call for proposals for the Ford Environmental Grants program will open in April. More information is available online.
This is great to see the investment from Ford Motor Company in Puerto Rico. As a stakeholder in Ford Motor this makes me proud.