Grant: 26-002E
Project Title: Scaling Impact in Hispanic Communities: A Proven Model for Sea Turtle Conservation
Project Manager: Yvette Fernandez
Organization: Inwater Research Group (Non-Profit Organization)
Grant Amount: $11,077.50
Completion Date:
Summary: IRG's Amigos de Las Tortugas program addresses a vital need in sea turtle conservation by engaging Hispanic communities throughout Florida. Through culturally responsive education, hands-on experiences, and practical tools that reduce plastic pollution, the program has made significant strides. Previous support from the Sea Turtle Grants Program enabled it to expand from Tampa Bay to Miami and Orlando. As a result, over 2,000 participants have benefited, and hundreds of Conservation Starter Kits have been distributed, empowering families to take conservation action at home. Building on this success, IRG will conduct the next step: transforming an effective pilot into a replicable, data-driven model that fosters measurable behavior change. The program will strengthen its impact through community workshops and by introducing a structured 21-Day Conservation Challenge for 60 families. These workshops are essential for engaging participants directly and ensuring the proper use of the kits. While IRG will continue leading workshops as match support, this request focuses on producing kits and funding participant stipends. This approach will provide real-time insights into product use and habit formation, providing measurable data that can be shared with the scientific and conservation community. Improved pre- and post-tests will measure knowledge gains with tools accessible to all ages and literacy levels.
Results: