FORWARD Puerto Rico Fund’s grantees have strengthened their resilience and sustainability through the implementation of fiscal and financial strategies such as:

• At the beginning of the pandemic, Instituto Nueva Escuela used its emergency reserve (seeded by the Forward Fund) to pay for the salaries of its teacher assistants during the government -imposed lockdown. The salaries were supposed to be paid by the Puerto Rico Department of Education but due to the haste with which the lockdown was implemented, payment policies for contracted services such as these were not in place yet.

• Nuestra Escuela strengthened its organizational capacity by establishing contingency plans based on reliable budget projections, and best financial practices that safeguard and grow its emergency reserve, also seeded by the Forward Fund.

“Initiatives like the emergency reserve give us peace of mind and endow us with flexibility to respond in real time to emergencies, attuned to the needs of our beloved communities.” Ana Yris Guzmán, Executive President, Nuestra Escuela

• Taller Salud increased its fiscal and operational capacity to advance its service agenda by diversifying its source of grants, attracting new investors, establishing new alliances, and creating an online giving platform.