Donor Advised and Special Funds
The Guanacaste Community Fund creates and operates special funds to serve the specific needs of donors or communities. Contributions to these funds are tax deductible in Costa Rica or the United States. Following are some examples:
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In these cases, the staff of the GCF works with the donor to identify and support projects and organizations in the donor’s community or area of interest deserving of their support. The GCF administers these funds and helps ensure that donations are effectively spent.
Harmony Fund. John and Susan Johnson are the owners of the Harmony Hotel and are also deeply involved in a number of other economic and social initiatives in the area of Nosara. They created the Harmony Fund to further their interest in sustainable agriculture, education, environmental protection and public interest journalism, among other issues.
Las Catalinas Fund. Las Catalinas is a newly created model village on the coast of the Nicoya Península, designed to maximize environmental sustainability and a sense of living in community. Homeowners and investors in Las Catalinas created the Las Catalinas Fund to support environmental protection, education and community development in the nearby communities of Playa Potrero and Brasilito, and throughout Guanacaste.
Blue Spirit Fund. Blue Spirit, a retreat center located in Playa Guiones of Nosara, has created a donor-advised fund so that visitors to the center can support education and community development initiatives in the surrounding area.
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Project Nandamojo Fund. This fund was established in conjunction with the Proyecto Nanadamojo Association, an organization created by residents to protect and restore the watershed of the Rio Nandamojo and promote grass-roots economic development. The watershed is located in Santa Cruz, between the town of 27 de Abril and Junquillal.
Community Water Fund. This fund supports the activities of ASADAS, which are community based nonprofit organizations responsible for providing potable water in rural areas. Because of extremely dry conditions in over the past few years, many ASADAS are facing a state of emergency and are in need of training, administrative and financial assistance and improved access to governmental institutions and resources. The Fund is administered by the Liga Comunal del Agua, a federation of ASADAS that the GCF helped create.
Solar Schools Fund. This project places solar panels and solar cookers in elementary and high schools throughout Guanacaste and organizes the most motivated students into Solar Clubs, where they undertake activities to learn about and contribute to the development of renewable energy, the significance of climate change, and the importance of conservation of the environment and energy. The project is being implemented by the GCF in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, the electric utility COOPEGUANACASTE, ASI Power, S.A, the Sol de Vida Foundation and Asociación Creciendo Juntos.
GCF Endowment Fund. This permanent endowment helps support the operation of the Guanacaste Community Fund.
[side-ribbon]Contact:[/side-ribbon]
If you are interested in creating a donor advised fund, or in supporting or establishing a geographical or topical fund, please contact the GCF’s Executive Director, Steve Mack, at:
[icon]email[/icon] guanacastefund@gmail.com, [icon]call[/icon] (506) 8608-9939