Foundation for PR to manage United for PR grant applications
From left: Mariely Rivera and María Jaunarena.
United for Puerto Rico reached an agreement with Foundation for Puerto Rico, through which the latter will provide technical and administrative support in a cost-efficient manner to increase the organization’s capacity and agility to process grant applications, the nonprofits announced.
“In view of the widespread support received by United for Puerto Rico, the amount of funds raised and the number of proposals received, we have established a working relationship with Foundation for Puerto Rico to be more agile in deploying our working plan, all in accordance with the strict norms that rule an organization certified as a 501c3 entity,” said Mariely Rivera, executive director of United for Puerto Rico.
“Foundation for Puerto Rico is a highly reputable nonprofit organization composed of a team of professionals with the expertise and experience in managing socio-economic development programs,” she added.
“We believe Foundation for Puerto Rico is the ideal collaborator for United for Puerto Rico, thus allowing us greater responsiveness in managing donations to organizations serving the needs of individuals and communities affected by the natural disasters,” said Rivera.
Foundation for Puerto Rico will provide the technology to facilitate the documentation, management and grant proposal analysis. United for Puerto Rico will benefit, as part of this agreement, from the Foundation’s experience and knowledge regarding administrative aspects of nonprofit organizations.
United for Puerto Rico, its Board and executive director, will continue to exercise their fiduciary responsibilities of establishing priorities for the use, approval and disbursement of donations; ensuring the assignment of funds to the groups already identified by the organization as those in most need, the entity stated.
The agreement, which is in effect immediately, provides three services:
- Management of donation pledges through a specialized IT platform that allows the communication with donors;
- Support during the life cycle of a grant, including progress monitoring of funds granted; and
- supervision of the human resources that will be in charge of these administrative functions.
“In view of the enormous challenge all Puerto Ricans face in the process of providing relief, recovery and rebuilding after Hurricane Maria, we embrace the opportunity to collaborate with United for Puerto Rico,” said María Jaunarena, executive vice-president of Foundation for Puerto Rico.
“Foundation for Puerto Rico has the infrastructure, the technological tools and expertise to support United for Puerto Rico with great efficiency,” she said.
“This function is a service we have assumed with various local and international nonprofit organizations that have united as part of the relief response to our people. All of us should take a stance at this time and together take the path toward a new beginning,” Jaunarena said.
Rivera said Puerto Rico’s unprecedented challenges require the strengthening of nonprofit non-governmental organizations, (NGOs) including building alliances among organizations that provide aid to communities in need.
