Port of Spain, September 8, 2020 – Eight small and microenterprises (SMEs) from the Bahamas Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were recently awarded microgrants by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) totalling US$13,500. This will support strengthening of these businesses for development of sustainable community livelihoods.

The microgrants are a key component of the regional project Powering Innovations in Civil Society and Enterprises for Sustainability in the Caribbean (PISCES) which is being funded by the European Union (ENV/2016/380-530). These microgrants were awarded under the Caribbean Sea Innovation Fund (CarSIF) facility established by CANARI in 2019 to address priority needs and actions in the Caribbean on marine and coastal resources governance and management.

The successful SME microgrant awardees are Captain Phil and
Mel’s Bonefishing Guide Services (The Bahamas), Local Area
Management Authority for Soufriere Scott’s Head Marine
Reserve (Dominica), Petite Martinique Women in Action (Grenada), KOOPA-3B (Haiti), KOOPEK-3B (Haiti), Bluefields
Bay Fishermen Friendly Societ (Jamaica), Eco South Tours Inc.
(Saint Lucia) and Ashton Multipurpose Cooperative Limited (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines). These SMEs are operated by local community entrepreneurs and are based on the sustainable use of coastal and marine ecosystems. The microgrants will support the
SMEs with developing business plans and marketing strategies, capacity building in core business areas such as financial management and record keeping as well as climate proofing and/or greening of their business operations.

All projects are expected to be completed by the end of February 2021. The SMEs will receive technical support to implement their projects from CANARI and in-country SME mentors who have been trained by CANARI in SME capacity strengthening, climate proofing and greening methodologies under the PISCES project.