Grant Status Report: $60,000 to Ecology Project International for Empowering Youth Conservation Leaders in Galapagos

Earlier this year, IGTOA provided over $150,000 in grants to organizations working on the frontlines of Galapagos conservation. Recently, grant recipients were asked to provide an update on the status of the projects for which the grants were awarded.

Ecology Project International (EPI) received a $60,000 grant from IGTOA to fund the participation of local students and teachers in applied conservation and experiential education. Education was among the 15 issues identified by the World Heritage Committee in 2007 when it recommended that Galapagos be placed on the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. noting that there is a lack of formative extracurricular activities in Galapagos to complement and reinforce what is learned in the classroom and to expand environmental literacy. EPI's wildlife ecology education programs are unique in that they combine a rigorous science-focused academic program with hands-on conservation service and citizen science. You can read the grant application here and the full grant status report here. 

To date, EPI has spent $46,777 of IGTOA's grant. Because of COVID-19, EPI has been forced to cancel most of its planned 2020 programming, including its five-day field courses serving local students. The organization was able to complete some of its scheduled activities, including instructor training and community outreach activities. EPI has been forced to lay off 60% of its staff and reduce its budget by $1.4 million. They have requested that IGTOA release the remaining funds to help cover ongoing operational costs.