13/07/2023

National Conservation Fund, Republic Bank partner to preserve Saint Lucia's ecosystems

By Republic Bank

On June 21, the Saint Lucia National Conservation Fund (SLUNCF) and Republic Bank (EC) Limited announced a partnership to support the conservation and sustainability of ecosystems and species within Saint Lucia. The Republic Bank (Saint Lucia) Sustainability Fund will provide a sum of EC$750,000 to the partnership over a five-year period under its Corporate Social Responsibility Programme. This will serve as the medium for financing projects that focus on conservation, sustainability, and protection of Saint Lucia's ecosystems and species.

Over the next five years, the partnership will focus to support projects that conserve, protect, and maintain the biological diversity and natural resources in Saint Lucia, starting with Biodiversity Protection and Sustainability of Livelihoods for 2023. Each year, the two agencies will jointly select projects that have a significant positive impact on the natural environment, with the aim of financing them through the Fund.

At the press briefing, Republic Bank (EC) Limited’s Managing Director, Michelle Palmer, said: “Through our joint efforts we are poised to contribute to safeguarding Saint Lucia's stunning natural beauty, its rich biodiversity, and its invaluable cultural heritage.”

SLUNCF’s Chair, Karolin Troubetzkoy, said the partnership between Republic Bank and SLUNCF is a natural fit, as both organizations share a common purpose to promote and preserve Saint Lucia's natural resources and biodiversity; while the Chief Executive Officer, Craig Henry, said: “This collaboration makes possible invaluable and strategic investments to support sustainability within our local community.”

The SLUNCF will be responsible for awarding grants from the Fund while also ensuring effective project monitoring, management, and assessment in accordance with its Grantmaking Framework (Sub-Grant Policy and Procedures). While the partnership is limited to projects within Saint Lucia, the scope of projects considered will align with principles of environmental sustainability, natural resource management, livelihood development, climate change, and human capacity building. For this year, focus will be on projects that support improved food security, sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity protection, and nature-based solutions in Saint Lucia.

Eligible applicants for funding include government agencies, registered local NGOs, community-based organizations, private businesses, local community associations, local universities or colleges, and other appropriate local entities of Saint Lucia.

To submit a project for consideration, interested parties are to respond to the Call for Proposals from the SLUNCF, which was publicly announced on July 3, 2023. The application details, submission process, and timeline have been made available on SLUNCF's and Republic Bank's websites at www.sluncf.org and www.republicbankstlucia.com/pmad.

TO RECEIVE NEWS NOTIFICATIONS VIA WHATS APP PLEASE SAVE OUR NUMBER AND SEND US A MESSAGE AT 7584896261 AND WE WILL ADD YOU TO OUR LIST