Straddling the Divide: Global-Local Partnerships, Sustainability and the Monteverde Institute Noemi Danao, Executive Director August 2007 Instituto Monteverde

Situating Monteverde, Costa Rica Monteverde-Arenal Forest Reserve Complex Forest Cover and Protected Areas 2003

What is Monteverde?

Monteverde Institute Costa Rican non-profit association de utilidad pública founded in 1986 by Monteverde residents Purpose: Advance knowledge on the sustainable management of resources through education, research, and community collaboration Governance Structure: General Assembly, Board of Directors, Staff

Twenty-one years later…

What Does the Monteverde Institute Do? Education Abroad –Place-based learning –Logistic and content provider –25 courses a year Applied Research –Water, Ecotourism, Land Use Planning, Community Health Collaboration –Global learning community, Local community

Income Generation Through University Education Abroad Income from education abroad courses → Funding for community programs (art and music, scholarships, community planning…) BUT… Funding and resources to reinvest in “business?”

For Whom Does the Monteverde Institute Exist? Quaker/North American community? Universities? International students? Local and national organizations? Everyone?

Global-Local Intermediary Monteverde Institute Instituto Monteverde International Universities University of California State University of New York University of South Florida Boston College University of Missouri Local Organizations Municipal Government Planning Commission Women’s Cooperatives Public High School Asociación de Parceleros Area of intersection

Income generation: achievements and challenges

Lessons Learned Define why we exist and for whom. Clarify why we do it. Build on our strengths. Clarify what resources we need to achieve to and how we will obtain them. Invest the resources needed to do it well. Diversify risk.

What Does Sustainability Mean for the Monteverde Institute? Generating income through multiple sources and clarifying what it can or should be used for. Creating partnerships that meet the needs and expectations of its global clientele while meeting the needs and expectations of the local community. Defining what we are and excelling in that endeavor.

Questions… Obrigado, Gracias, Thank you! Noemi Danao, Executive Director Instituto Monteverde