Program Support Fund Grant History
Program Support Fund Projects[1]
1998
Barely six months old, FDR sent $500 to Peace Corps Country Director, Natalie Woodward, to be used at her discretion in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane disaster $500
2000
FDR received an urgent request from PC/DR for money which was needed to contract buses to take Dominican participants to an Earth Day celebration. $400
2002
Two documents in the records show FDR made the following donations to Peace Corps/DR at the 40th Anniversary Reunion:
- A Laminating machine for posters created by PCVs and used in their “charlas”
- A slide scanner to be used for the PC history project undertaken by PCVs
- Books for the PC library
- Plaques of Appreciation for the PC/DR staff
The total value of these donations was $2,432.84.
2003
Two other documents show that FDR also provided six Stop Smoking Kits for Volunteers, chocolate, and cards for PCVs at the year-end holiday season and paid for the first Historical Tour of the Colonial Zone for newly arrived PCVs in 2003. These donated items reflected $839 in total disbursements.
A letter from FDR Treasurer, John Evans, indicates that FDR purchased nearly $869 worth of Educational CD-ROMS, in Spanish, for use by Volunteers in the Technology Sector working in 20 Dominican Schools. The letter also said a Finnish manufacturer of CDs made an In-Kind contribution of network licenses and Typing Master CDs worth almost $15,900 for use in the 20 Dominican schools.
2004
Four activities were funded through the Program Development Fund
- $200 for Historical Tours of the Colonial Zone for Volunteers
- $234.47 for a Hand-held GPS instrument with batteries and charger for Water/Sanitation projects
- $396.99 for pipe threading equipment, also for Water/Sanitation projects.
- $700 in response to an urgent request from PC/DR to support PCV Parenting Workshops.
For total investments of $1,531.46.
2011
The Program Support Fund made only one grant during the year to purchase additional equipment for PCVs to use during the construction of community water systems or aqueducts. The grant was in the amount of $1,753.26.
2012
The Program Support Fund supported the following PCV projects in 2012:
- Additional computer RAM for a community/youth education lab- $ 133
- Computer equipment, materials and supplies for education labs $2,600
- A three-day Promotor training program for Declaro Mis Derechos $1,553
Total Investment: $4,286
2005
Program Development Fund:
- Brigada Verde Youth Environmental Workshop- $2,199
- Flood Relief Following last-fall’s Hurricanes- $2,000
- School Library Books and Supplies- $ 200
- Two Historical Tours of the Colonial Zone for
New Volunteers and staff 200
Total: $4,599
2006
There were no disbursements from the Program Development Fund in 2006.
2007
The Program Development Fund made two grants in support of the 45th Reunion/Conference:
- Souvenir pens for the 45th Reunion/Conference $ 538
- Five Colonial Zone Tours $ 500
Total Investment: $1,038
2008
The only Program Development Fund expense for 2008 was a $166.70 payment representing one-half of the loss suffered by FDR and Fondo Quisqueya for sponsoring the 45th Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic Reunion/Conference in 2007.
2009
The newly renamed Program Support Fund approved two projects:
- Adobe Design Software for the editors of Gringo Grita $ 209
- The printing of an HIV Health Manual $2,100
Total PSF Investment: $2,309
2010
Reorganizing the Program Support Fund was discussed in 2010 but no changes were made due to the work on the 50th Reunion. Only one grant was made during the year to support aqueduct development. FDR purchased a pipe threader, 7 Abney levels, 4 dry boxes, 2 Garmin GPS navigation systems and an accessory power pack for the GPS, for a total cost of $1,572.40.
PSF Donated Water Project Equipment in Use
2011
The Program Support Fund made only one grant during the year to purchase additional equipment for PCVs to use during the construction of community water systems or aqueducts. The grant was in the amount of $1,753.26.
2012
The Program Support Fund supported the following PCV projects in 2012:
- Additional computer RAM for a community/youth education lab- $ 133
- Computer equipment, materials and supplies for education labs $2,600
- A three-day Promotor training program for Declaro Mis Derechos $1,553
Total Investment: $4,286
Program Support Donated Computer Equipment in an Education Lab
2013
The Program Support Fund made the following grants in 2013:
- Supported a National Brigada Verde Conference for
Dominicans and Volunteers $1,500
- Supported a Declaro Mis Derechos training Conference
For Dominican Promotors- $ 500
- Provided general support to the Education Sector- $2,557
Total Invested: $4,557
PSF Supported National Brigada Verde Conference Participants-2013
2014
The Program Support Fund made the following grants:
- An 8-week Declaro Mis Derechos course in Elias Pina on the
Haitian-Dominican border-
- A two-day national conference for 40+ graduates of past Declaro Mis
Derechos courses; and
- Two community library projects, in Gurabito and Hato Viejo.
Total Investment: $2,952
PSF Supported Declaro Mis Derechos Conference- 2014
2015
The Program Support Fund supported two grants during 2015:
- Printed 100 copies of the Brigada Verde Manual for PCVs- $ 285
- Provided Books, shelving and supplies for two community
libraries- $1,005
Total PSF Investment: $1,290
2016
The Program Support Fund provided the following grant during 2016:
- Printed another 100 copies of the Brigada Verde Manual- $ 377
2017
Through our Program Support Fund, we helped:
- Purchased two Gringo Grita PCV Editorial Board software licenses- $ 919
- Provided funding for a Dajabon teachers conference- $ 186
- Committed to equip a community center in Samana area- $3,000
- Printed 102 copies of the Brigada Verde Manual 368
Total PSF Investment: $4,473
2018
With the Program Support Fund, we funded the following projects:
- Three regional Brigada Verde workshops in Dajabon, Elias Pina
and El Seibo in cooperation with PCV’s, Dominicans and the National Environmental School students and faculty- $1,460
- A regional Escojo Ensenar Teacher Training Fair and Conference, organized by Volunteers working with local schools in Samana- $ 778
- A grant for the purchase of computers, an Inverter, tables and chairs, window bars & other equipment for a Rural community Resource Center
in Los Algarrobos, Samana- $3,000
- Peace Corps participation in the Marisco Ripiao Seafood Festival and Ecotourism Trade Show in Sanchez- $1,400
- The printing and binding of 150 copies of a course manual for use by Volunteers organizing Brigada Verde groups in their communities- $ 475
- A two-day regional “Train the Trainers” workshops for 40 PCV’s and local Dominican Leaders to teach the PC Skilz youth program on healthy decision
making and HIV/AIDs education- $3,000
Total PSF Investment: $10,113
PSF Supported Brigada Verde Participants picking up garbage-2018
Program Support Fund Activities in 2019
March - Printing of 80 copies of the 140-page Volunteer-written Brigada Verde training manual used by PCVs forming Brigada Verde youth groups in their communities. Half were distributed in May to the graduating class at the National Environmental School in Jarabacoa. ($310)
- Attended the National Brigada Verde youth environmental conference at the National Environmental School in Jarabacoa and met with PCVs involved in Brigada Verde youth group activities to help plan regional Brigade Verde workshops.
April - Printing and free distribution of 150 copies of the Spring 2019 issue of the PCV-written and edited newsletter formerly known as Gringo Grita and now titled AplataNow! Printing of the approximately 70-page publication was previously paid by Peace Corps but funding was eliminated in 2019 due to budget cuts from Washington. ($1,070)
- Support for a one-day regional Brigada Verde youth environmental workshop organized by PCVs in the communities in the Northwest and held in Monte Cristi in cooperation with students and faculty from the National Environmental School. ($655)
May - Support for a one-day regional Brigada Verde youth environmental workshop organized by PCVs in communities in the East and held in Hato Mayor in cooperation with students and faculty from the National Environmental School in Jarabacoa. ($402)
- Attended graduation ceremony for the National Environmental School in Jarabacoa and conferred with school faculty and administrators concerning selection of an outstanding graduate for the proposed Brigada Verde University Scholarship Program.
July - Support for a PC Skilz "train-the-trainers" course held in Hato Mayor for 15 PCVs and 15 community counterparts. The course prepares the PCVs and counterparts in Peace Corps' Youth, Family and Community Sector to teach PC Skilz training courses focused on sexual health, healthy decision making and HIV/AIDS education. ($3,000)
August - Creation of a revolving fund to support the printing of the Fall issue of AplataNow! and future issues of the PCV newsletter on a self-supporting basis. Under the plan worked out with PCV editors, copies of the newsletter will be sold and proceeds from each issue will go into the revolving fund to pay for printing succeeding issues. Pricing, print-runs, and printing-costs will be adjusted to keep the publication self-supporting once the fund was established. ($900)
September - Began scholarship support for the first graduate of the National Environmental School to be awarded the Brigada Verde four-year university scholarship under a joint agreement with the environmental school. The student, Keisel Rivas, was chosen by the school faculty and is majoring in industrial engineering at Universidad Tecnologica de Santiago (UTESA), with mentorship by a member of the environmental school faculty. The scholarship cost of $2,000 per academic year is being jointly shared by FDR and Fondo Quisqueya. ($1,000)
November - Provided a grant for a series of six workshops over two months taught by outside experts and facilitators for 30 local community leaders from 12 communities in and around the city of Samana. The workshops concerned gender equity and equality, new masculinity, empowerment of women and girls and implementation of national legal mandates for greater participation by women in municipal governance and budgeting. The workshops were organized by Zena Clements, a former PCV living in Samana, in collaboration with a local neighborhood association in the community of La Colonia-Ranch Espanol, which received the grant. ($2,229)
- Provided funding for a bus to take about 30 students from three schools in Montecristi Province on a one-day field trip to the Cilpen Global plastics recycling plant in Santiago. The trip was organized by a PCV and a local counterpart. ($268)
December - Completed funding for a regional Construya Sus Suenos entrepreneurship conference and competition on Montecristi Province organized by a Volunteer in the Community Economic Development Sector. Total funding for the project was $5,156 and PSF provided $320 needed to complete funding for the project to be held in early 2020. ($320)
Total Program Support Fund Support: $10,154
Hato Mayor Brigada Verde Conference Graduates-May 2019
The Program Support Fund Activities in 2020
2020
- Provided $1,000 towards the yearly college scholarship for a selected graduate from the National Environmental College, in cooperation with Fondo Quisqueya, who provided the other $1,000.
- At the request of Peace Corps/DR, provided $3,000 for Youth Business Development Awards in the Construye Tus Suenos Youth program in cooperation with Fondo Quisqueya, who also contributed $3,000.
- Provided $3,000 for food and health kits for 250 poor Dominican families in cooperation with our NGO partner, TECHO.
- In cooperation with our NGO partner Rustic Pathways Foundation, provided community pandemic relief to 100 poor Dominican families in six Bateyes near Consuelo, San Pedro de Marcoris, worth $3,000,
- Supported the printing and distribution of the last edition of AplataNow, the Volunteer magazine, for evacuated Volunteers, worth $725.
2021 In 2021, the Program Support Fund made the following grants:
- Working with Puente, FDR funded a data collection/project investigation process prepared by residents in Consuelo, a Haitian-Dominican barrio in San Pedro, to document community needs and develop community plans for infrastructure improvements, including cement floors, latrines, and a community water system- $1,500.
- Working with Puente, FDR supplied the necessary funds to promote an existing Dominican staff member to the position of Program Manager to help Puente’s community projects-$1,500
- The PSF, in cooperation with Fondo Quisqueya, our partner RPCV group from the DR, provided the third year of a four year Brigada Verde College Scholarship for a student from the National Environmental School, studying to become an industrial engineer. Each organization provided one-half of the $2000 scholarship for 2021-$1,000
2022 The Program Support Fund of Friends of the DR was also active in 2022. The following is a list of the PSF grants made during the year:
- Jan. 2022 – A $403 grant to print and deliver 80 bound copies of the PCV-written, 140 page, Brigada Verde environmental education training manual for distribution to staff, students, and graduates of the National Environmental School in Jarabacoa.
- April 2022 – A $1,980 grant to San Rafael Surf School and Eco-Tours in Barahona Province to provide support to one if its staff members, Junior Sanchez, to complete his remaining 6 months of English immersion studies needed to assume enhanced dues for the community business. Junior completed the course in October, graduating first in his class of 26 students.
- May 2022 – A $4,000 grant to Puente to provide program and technical support to develop a water well project for Batey 4, an existing community goat farm business in Bahoruco Province. Based on this feasibility study, the FDR Community Challenge Fund determined to go forward with the well project.
- Nov. 2022 – A $2,500 grant to Puente to fund an intensive English language training pilot program for at least 12 members of its Spanish-speaking staff. The training will help Puente staff beer assist the more than two dozen medical mission groups it expects to work with serving communities in the Dominican Republic over the coming year.
The Brigada Verde University Scholarship Program, Funded Jointly by Friends of the Dominican Republic and Fondo Quisqueya.
- In addition to the PSF activities noted above, FDR began the Brigada Verde University Scholarship Program in 2019. However, support for this program was increased significantly in 2022 when the program was expanded from a single enrolled scholarship recipient to a total of three enrolled recipients as of September 1, 2022, with the support of Fondo Quisqueya.
The four-year scholarship is awarded to graduates of the National Environmental School chosen by the school's faculty when the school graduates a new class every two and a half years. The original recipient, Keisel Rivas, who started his studies in September 2019, is on track to graduate with a degree in industrial engineering in September of 2023 from the Universidad Technologico de Santiago.
The two new recipients, Ramon Candelario and Gabriel Veras, started receiving their scholarship support in September of 2022, and they expect to graduate in 2026. Candelario expects to graduate with a degree in civil engineering from the Universidad Dominicana O&M; and Veras with a degree in forestry engineering from the Universidad Nacional Evangelico.
As part of the program expansion, the annual scholarship spend was increased in 2022 from $2,000 per year to $3,000 per year. The scholarship program is jointly funded by FDR and our companion organization, Fondo Quisqueya. Total: 3 Scholarships for $4,500from FDR for 2022
Summary of Program Support Fund Grant Activities From 1998 Through 2022
Total Number of Grants: 71
Total Dollar Amount Granted: $ 84,320 (Rounded)
List of Activities/Programs Supported
- 7 Historic District Tours in Santo Domingo for Volunteers & conference attendees
- Flood and Hurricane Relief
- 10 or more different sets of specialized equipment for wáter system installations by PCVs and Engineers
- 12 Brigada Verde Environmental Youth workshops for Dominican Youth and PCVs
- The costs of printing more than 860 Brigada Verde Environmental Program Manuals for PCVs
- Books, Supplies and Computer Equipment for 6 libraries/community centers
- Various Computer Equipment for Youth Education Labs
- Purchase and Licensing for 3 Software Systems for use by PCVs for producing manuals and magazines.
- The Printing costs for 4 issues of the PCV magazine
- 4 or more Declaro mis Derechos (Citizenship Documentation Rights) Workshops for Dominicans and PCVs
- 3 Teacher’s Education Conferences with PCVs
- 6 Women’s Empowerment, Gender Equity & Governance Conferences
- 3 Youth Business Development Conferences and Awarded Scholarships
- Provided food and Health Kits for 350 poor Dominican families in cooperation with NGO partners, TECHO and Rustic Pathways Foundation, during the pandemic.
- Supported 2 data collection projects for potential funding by the Community Challenge Fund.
- Supported the specialized training and education of 12 Dominican employees of NGO’s working with FDR on projects.
- 6 years of Brigada Verde Environmental College Scholarships for graduates of the National Environmental School