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WHO WE ARE

FPR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that seeks to unleash Puerto Rico’s potential in the global economy, so more people can live, visit, work, and invest in our beautiful island. Our targeted economic development and resilience programs work hand in hand with our community partners, providing resources, training, funding, and networks that improve the local economy from within. 

We go from knowledge to action, combining innovative, data-driven thinking with strong field-based work across more than 32 communities. We’ve supported over 600 small businesses and collaborated with over 100 local and national NGOs. Our mission control runs out of El Colaboratorio, an 8,700-square-foot facility in the heart of Santurce equipped to foster collaboration, sharing new ideas, and creating synergies among other NGOs—all united by the goal of transforming Puerto Rico. Our motto, “there is no future in rebuilding the past,” reflects our transformative vision and dream for the future of our island: a prosperous Puerto Rico that unleashes the talent, creativity and passion of its people.

Our collaborative approach to problem-solving is what’s made us a trusted and reliable partner and recipient of a number of prestigious federal and public grants from entities such as the USDA Rural Development Agency, the US Economic Development Agency, the Kauffman Foundation, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Support from these partners allows us to operate our programs with the highest compliance standards.

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Value Proposition

  • Our communities and networks are fundamental to the solutions. LOCAL EMPOWERMENT
  • Our innovation is driven by researching, convening, prototyping, and scaling. KNOWLEDGE TO ACTION.
  • We can create better practices and social infrastructure to bounce back quicker. RESILIENCY
  • Our economic development needs to be accessible and inclusive of the majority of people. INCLUSION & EQUITY
  • People with the right vision and support can succeed. ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • There is a way to do things so they will last. SUSTAINABILITY

FOUNDATION FOR PUERTO RICO:

A BRIEF HISTORY

2011
FPR was founded with the goal of becoming a thought leader in the economic development of Puerto Rico.
2011
2013
Established a think tank unit focused on research, public policy and coalition building.
2013
2015
Focused efforts around researching, advocating, and promoting the Visitor Economy as Puerto Rico’s best strategy for achieving short to medium term economic growth.
2015
2016
Developed working plans that created a local DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) as a recognized worldwide tourism best practice.
2016
2017
VIEWPR, Act 17, Hurricanes Irma and María, $4M in funds, Fiscal Sponsor to local NGOs, Economic Recovery Programs
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2017
2018
Whole Community Resiliency Program (WCRP)
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2018
2019
Bottom Up, WCRP design, Emprende 360
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2019
2020
Earthquake Relief Fund, New Regions for Bottom Up, COVID-19, WCRP Interactive map & conference
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2020

THE

TEAM

Jon Borschow

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Annie Mayol

President & Chief Operating Officer

Damaris Ocasio

Chief Financial Officer

Ana López

Vice President of Development & Communications

Ana Frontera

Economic Development Programs Director

Brian English

Development Director

Félix Aponte

Senior Program Officer

Niulka Quiñones

Human Resources Director

Carla Martorell

Development & Communications Manager

José Rivera

WCRP Communications Manager

Andrea Castro

Grants Manager

Luis Laguna

Marketing & Production Manager

Francis Pérez

Research & Analysis Manager

Jaime Rodríguez

Research & Analysis Manager

Anneliz Oliver

Program Manager - Emprende 360°

Carlos Ayala

Program Manager - Bottom Up

Christian López

Program Manager - Bottom Up

Michelle Torres

Program Manager - Bottom Up

Luz Rodríguez

Grants Manager

Francisco Chévere

Community Grants & Compliance Lead

María McCormack

Community Outreach Lead

Marisa Rivera

Research Data Analyst

Kevin O. Pérez

Procurement Officer

Hazel Garay

Accounting Coordinator

Mariany González

Facilities Coordinator

Ramón Quiñones

Project Coordinator

Carmen Villanueva

Community Outreach Coordinator

Marie Ann González

Regional Community Outreach Coordinator

Soraya Flores

Regional Community Outreach Coordinator

Rosamaría Ramírez

Regional Community Outreach Coordinator

César García

Regional Planning Associate

Lourdes Pérez

Regional Planning Associate

María Gabriela Méndez

Regional Planning Associate

Zaimara Vera

Regional Planning Associate

Jorge Carrasquillo

Grants and Compliance Officer

Valery Alicea

Grants and Compliance Officer

Vladimir García

Administrative Coordinator

Verónica Montalvo

Procurement Associate

Verónica Rodríguez

Copywriter & Translator

Lydette Lanzó

Communications Content Associate

Nelson Villalobos

Development Associate

Joshua Candelario

Accounting Associate Clerk & Support

Pedro J. Vélez

Compliance Office Internal Auditor

THE

BOARD

Jon Borschow

Chairman & Cheif Executive Officer

Graciela Eleta

Vice Chairwoman

Rafael Ortiz

Treasurer

Ingrid Rivera

Secretary

Dr. Rafael Bras

Director Emeritus

Alexander Borschow

Ronald Castro

Milton Cruz

Vicente Feliciano

Daneris Fernández

Ramón Mellado

Juan Antonio Ramos

Ricardo

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CAREERS

2017

  • Launched an island-wide Visitor Information and Experienced Warehouse database - VIEWPR - with over 11,000 geo located points of interest in the island, including attractions, restaurants, and lodging services for visitors.
  • Convened and collaborated with leaders in state government, NGOs, and the private sector to get the government to approve and sign into law Act 17, which created the Puerto Rico Destination Management Organization (Discover PR).
  • Raised over $4M for the Hurricane Maria Relief Fund, allowing us to launch hundreds of missions, provided direct aid to families, farmers, artists, and small businesses, and pilot innovative recovery programs like the Small Business Cash Grant Program (later renamed the Small Business Support Programs).
  • Served as fiscal sponsor of more than $10M to local NGOs.

2018

  • Designed, piloted and funded the Bottom Up Destination Recovery Initiative (Bottom Up) in Orocovis and later on in Humacao. As a result, we received a $7.9 million federal grant from the Economic Development Agency, U.S. Department of Commerce (EDA), allowing us to scale Bottom Up to 12 additional municipalities island-wide.
  • In December, FPR was chosen to lead the Whole Community Resiliency Program (WCRP) by the Puerto Rico Department of Housing (PRDOH). This makes FPR a sub recipient of Community Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CBDG-DR) funds established in the Action Plan approved by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

2019

  • Bottom Up started work in the regions of Aguadilla & Isabela, Cabo Rojo & San Germán, Arecibo & Camuy, and Barceloneta & Manatí.
  • Began the program design phase for the WCRP, expanded our team, and engaged with NGOs and municipalities across Puerto Rico.
  • Received a grant from the prestigious Erwing Marion Kauffman Foundation under the Inclusion Open 2019 competition. Our small business incubation initiative - Emprende 360 - marks the first time the Kauffman Foundation supported a program in Puerto Rico

2020

  • Puerto Rico suffered a series of earthquakes, including a 6.4 magnitude earthquake on January 7th mainly affecting the Southwestern part of the island. FPR created the Earthquake Relief Fund to ensure emergency resources get where they are needed most, including the reactivation of the Small Businesses Support Program to provide relief to small businesses impacted by the earthquake.
  • Bottom Up expanded to new regions: Luquillo & Fajardo and Naguabo & Ceiba.
  • Puerto Rico underwent an island-wide lockdown starting on March 16th as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, dealing a devastating blow to the local and global economy. FPR published the Biological Border Proposal as a policy recommendation for controlling the spread of infections stemming from the LMM Airport. We also launched the Stay Open, Stay Safe campaign, which looked quickly and carefully into ways to keep our economy active without compromising the health and safety of our people. We’ve also held over 40 webinars since March to support small businesses to transition into the new realities of doing business in a pandemic.
  • WCRP developed an online interactive map of Social Capital and a Risk & Vulnerability Index, and hosted the 1st Community Resilience Conference in September.
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