The World Environment Center & Its Partners Seek Organizations That Support Msmes Led by Women Working to Address Climate Change

Versión en español

The Climate Innovation Challenge (CIC) is an online competition open to the Central American region that awards grants to 10 organizations with innovative solutions to support MSMEs led by women and to expand their sustainable businesses with the incorporation of greenhouse gas mitigation projects and/or adaptation to climate change.

October 1, 2024 /3BL/ - A project funded by the U.S. Department of State, implemented by the World Environment Center (WEC) and its partners,Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC) de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV),Baastel, Incubatec UFRO, ProMujer y La RED Innovación e Impacto, have launched a new initiative, the Climate Innovation Challenge (CIC).

The Climate Innovation Challenge will select 10 organizations to be awardedUS125,000 each and given membership to La Red de Innovación e Impacto (La RED). La RED is a Latin American membership organization that grants access to networking opportunities, continued training, and business updates among its members.

The mission of the Challenge is to empower women-led MSMEs from Central American countries to promote the sustainable growth of green economies, as well as to improve the capacity to face and adapt to climate change.

Beginning on October 1, 2024, applications for the Challenge will be accepted online at the following link: https://EICLaRED.org/CIC. Applications are due by November 15, 2024, 11:59pm EST. Applications are open to organizations that have projects or initiatives located in Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and/or Panama.

Eligible participants include non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations, private institutions of higher education, associations or private unions that are supporting women-led MSMEs ventures through their projects, as well as for-profit entities. For-profit entities must include in their proposal that no profits will be generated through the grant.

The Climate Innovation Challenge will support green and sustainable projects aimed at improving economic development, GHG mitigation, and adaptation to climate change to address gender- specific barriers to sustainable growthin Central America.As the framework of CIC will focuson projects associated with climate change, special emphasis will be placed on monitoring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions among the selected beneficiaries.

“Our comprehensive approach connects democracy, economic development, and sustainability and represents a path to greater economic opportunities, democratic governance, and security. Consequently, it seeks to address in an innovative way the root causes of inequality and create a platform to seek better opportunities and living conditions in the region,” concluded Samayoa.

For additional information, visit https://EICLaRED.org/CIC and www.laredinnovacionimpacto.com

For additional inquiries, please contact: Patricia Breuer Moreno, [email protected]

About the World Environment Center

WEC is a neutral, independent, global non-profit organization that promotes sustainable development through the operations of its member companies and in partnership with governments, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities, and other stakeholders. The mission of WEC is to promote business and its social value by fostering solutions to problems related to sustainable development. https://www.wec.org

About Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC)

NBC of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso is an I+D+i (investigation, development, and innovation) center made up of academics and professionals of excellence with more than 10 years of experience in technological development, innovation, and technology transfer. NBC seeks to make companies more productive, sustainable, and competitive, envisioning itself in three years as a reference center to support MSMEs so that they can increase their competitiveness. NBC develops innovative trends to address new economic, social, and environmental challenges so that tomorrow we may live in a more sustainable world. http://nbcpucv.cl

About Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel)

Baastel is recognized for its quality services in monitoring and evaluation (M&E), results-based management (RBM), strategic planning, project and program management, and individual and institutional capacity building in these areas. The outstanding reputation of Baastel in the industry has been built on a history of national and international success and expertise backed by attention to detail, quality, transparency, and neutrality. https://baastel.com

AboutLa RED de Innovación e Impacto (La RED)

La RED is an initiative that brings together nonprofit and for-profit organizations to support MSMEs in orderto promote sustainable economic growth and prosperity in LAC. La RED was born in 2014 through a selection process of organizations that have been accelerating the development of sustainable business and promoting economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. The project was funded by the U.S. Department of State (DoS) and implemented by WEC and its partnersLe Groupe-conseil Baastelltée (Baastel) and RioSlum Studiountil June 2021. Asof July 2021, La RED is supportedthrough the leadership of its own member organizations and coordinated by NBC of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso in Chile. www.laredinnovacionimpacto.com