The Active Communities Fund Provides Incentives to Small Businesses

Monterrey, Nuevo León; October 13, 2020. The negative economic impacts on communities across the country are being addressed through the Active Communities Fund, thanks to a collaboration between Comunalia, the Coca-Cola Foundation, and the community foundations in our Small Business Support Alliance.

The health crisis in Mexico has forced many businesses to shut down or has caused their revenue to drop dramatically, which in turn has also affected the communities that depended on them.

For this reason, through the Active Communities Fund, Comunalia’s community foundations, civil society organizations, and grassroots groups in the states of Quintana Roo, the State of Mexico, Oaxaca, Nayarit, Chihuahua, Morelos, and Querétaro are helping to strengthen, train, and revitalize the economy through local businesses.

Learn about the 9 initiatives participating in the Active Communities Fund under the "Support for Small Businesses" theme here:

Transformation of Microenterprises in Cozumel During the Pandemic by the Cozumel Community Foundation in Quintana Roo.
This initiative provides 10 microenterprises in Cozumel with specialized training and equipment to increase their business longevity and strengthen their competitiveness within the framework of the new normal.

Economic Revitalization and Food Sovereignty by the Malinalco Community Foundation in the State of Mexico.
The project benefits between 20 and 50 agricultural producers and provides funding for five initiatives aimed at transforming agrochemical production practices to transition toward agroecology. The initiative’s process consists of five steps: assessment, business development training, project evaluation, and technical monitoring.

From my region, Fundación Comunitaria Oaxaca in Oaxaca.
This initiative aims to promote local economic development by supporting 30 individuals—including artisans, small-scale producers, and service providers—who are guided in strengthening and making their activities more sustainable, while also promoting the region’s economic recovery so they can mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis.

Art inspired by nature from the San Pancho Bird Observatory Center for Conservation Studies, A.C., in Nayarit.
The initiative benefits 15 marginalized youth and women through a workshop on the artistic production of paper and products made from water lilies, such as notebooks, bookmarks, and sculptures. In addition, it aims to promote the sale of these products in the region to create green jobs.

LILHA's Jardín de la Alegría in Nayarit.
The project supports 5 small businesses, 4 workshop leaders, and 40 middle and high school students, for a total of 49 people directly involved, plus their employees and family members.

The goal of Jardín de la Alegría is to foster the economic and social revitalization of agents of change through seed funding for local businesses and workshops led by four artists and teachers from the community, who will be compensated with vouchers.

Mita Reactiva by the Punta de Mita Foundation in Nayarit.
Mita Reactiva will benefit 25 local businesses, helping them weather the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative supports small businesses, particularly in the areas of marketing and digital marketing, as well as other tools that help them boost sales and promote sustainability.

The project is implemented through four lines of action: visibility, training, a fund for micro and small businesses, and personalized coaching in marketing and digital marketing.

"Entrepreneurship for Social Change," 4th Edition, organized by the Center for Leadership and Human Development A.C. in Chihuahua.
Through the 4th edition of the "Entrepreneurship for Social Change" Award, the organization is supporting 125 businesses and 500 trained entrepreneurs, and will also award prizes to 12 projects.

The goal of the contest is to bring together, train, inspire, and reward residents of the state of Chihuahua who have innovative ideas and projects that contribute to economic recovery and strengthen social initiatives in the areas of access to water, women and youth, humanitarian aid, and support for small businesses.

The Chihuahua Business Foundation is responsible for collaborating with the Center for Leadership and Human Development, A.C., on this initiative.

Mobilizing cooperation and solidarity networks in the Morelos communities supported by Fundación Comunidad in Morelos.
The initiative benefits 4 local businesses and approximately 35 people through three lines of action: workshops to strengthen and share skills and capabilities with various social and thematic stakeholders; the development of innovative strategies for existing and/or new markets; and the administration of a sub-grant fund to help cover operating expenses, the purchase of supplies, and other costs.

The goal of the project is to revitalize the local economy of small businesses in the state of Morelos.

Health and Income Through the Promotion of Amaranth Leaf and Grain Production in Querétaro, Mexico: "Land of Amaranth" in Querétaro.
The project will support 898 women between the ages of 35 and 59 and their families—a total of 1,326 people—by building the technical, collaborative, and organizational skills of amaranth producers and promoters.

In addition to the training, they will be provided with the necessary supplies for planting amaranth, as well as guidance and timely follow-up to support their activities.

The Merced Querétaro Foundation and México Tierra de Amaranto A.C. are collaborating on this project.

The Malinalco Community Foundation encourages local farmers to adopt agroecology as a sustainable farming practice. Photos courtesy of the Malinalco Community Foundation.