Hispanics in Philanthropy and Fundación Falcondo Host Grant Award Ceremony in Dominican Republic
Building on the success of two Funders’ Collaborative grant making rounds, which provided capacity building support to seventeen Dominican nonprofit organizations, Hispanics in Philanthropy partners once again with Fundación Falcondo and the Inter-American Development Bank to lead a transnational initiative in Dominican Republic.
On April 23, 2008, representatives from HIP and the local collaborative fund participated in a grant award ceremony for selected projects under the transnational program in Dominican Republic. This program, supported by HIP, the Inter-American Development Bank and a cohort of eleven local Dominican donors led by the Fundación Falcondo, will finance community-based productive initiatives led by local NGOs and cooperatives, with the participation of Dominicans abroad. The three projects selected are part of the first transnational grant making round launched in the summer of 2007.
During the event, remarks were made by Manuel Arsenio Ureña, local philanthropist, and Ana Gloria Rivas-Vásquez, HIP’s Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer, who recognized the importance of strategic partnerships, such as this one, in bringing about economic development and change in the region. Representatives of the grantee organizations spoke sincerely of the tremendous impact that these projects will have not only have in the lives of those who directly participate in them but also on the communities. Thanks to the expected increases in income levels, parents will now have sufficient earnings to send their children to school, who are now forced to stay at home without a formal education. The selected projects anticipate outcomes in the areas of economic development, education, employment and civic organization in some of the poorest regions of the Dominican Republic.
Project Highlights
Apoyo a la Producción de Casabe en Santiago Rodríguez
This two year grant totaling $150,820 is being led by the Instituto para el Desarrollo de la Producción Organizada (INDEPRO). Founded in 2000, INDEPRO’s mission is to contribute to economic development through the implementation of collaborative and efficient means of production by local producers.
INDEPRO will conduct a two-year program to increase the production and open new distribution channels for casabe producers in Monción, Santiago. Casabe is a traditional delicacy, made from cassava or “yucca”, with large demand in the Dominican nostalgia market in the U.S. INDEPRO will provide technical assistance to a local group of 20 casabe producers in order to help them achieve vertical integration, promote the use of modern technologies, improve administrative processes and create new markets with the support of the “Asociación de Bodegueros de Estados Unidos” (ASOBEU). ASOBEU is New York based diaspora association, composed 7,000 Dominicans in New York who will distribute the casabe in their own “bodegas.”
Producción de Plantas “in vitro”
An eighteen month grant totaling $77,082, the Producción de Plantas "In vitro" project will be based in the Los Dajaos region and led by the organization “La Asociación de Agricultores de Los Dajaos” (ASADA). Founded in 1994, ASADA’s mission is to promote local development through the design and implementation of income generating initiatives, facilitation of access to basic services for the poor and the conservation of natural resources.
The funded project seeks to increase the income of an association of small-scale agricultural producers of fruits and vegetables through the application of cutting edge ‘in vitro’ greenhouse and laboratory bio-technologies in response to heightened demand in Los Dajaos region for a diversity of environmentally sustainable horticultural products not currently available.
Proyecto Orgánico de Producción de Musáceas Para el Mantenimiento del Ecosistema Productivo en la Provincia de Azua
A two year grant totaling $194,714, the Proyecto Orgánico de Producción de Musáceas Para el Mantenimiento del Ecosistema Productivo en la Provincia de Azua will be based in Azua province and led by the “Cooperativa de Servicios Multiples de la Federación de Productores, Campesinos y Microempresarios de Azua” (COOPFEPROCA). Founded in 1994, COOPFEPROCA is a nonprofit that provides savings and microcredit services and educates its members through technical assistance and financial training. It aims to promote a culture of savings and to encourage relationships between local producers in Azua.
The project seeks to improve the quality of life of small producers of organic bananas while improving the sustainability of the Azua valley ecosystem by diversifying and improving current production practices in one of poorest regions in the country. With the support of the Asociación de Bodegueros de los Estados Unidos (ASOBEU), COOPFEPROCA will seek new markets for the product in the United States, while providing technical assistance to the producers to improve their productive activities, become certified organic producers and formalize their participation in the global fair trade network.