$300K Emergency Grants for Beachfront Businesses Hit by Sargassum

The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future has announced BZ$300,000 in emergency response grants to assist properties struggling with heavy seaweed buildup along the coast.

The project, called “Rapid Response Support to Coastal Hotels for Sargassum Management and Cleanup”, is being implemented by the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) in partnership with the Belize Hotel Association (BHA).

Over the next six months, the grant will support approximately 40 beachfront properties in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Hopkins, Seine Bight, Placencia, and other offshore islands.

“Eligible businesses will be able to submit documented cleanup costs and receive reimbursement through a transparent grant mechanism administered by BTIA,” the Fund said.

The project sets targets of removing at least 1,250 wet tonnes of sargassum per month and maintaining 12,000 linear feet of beachfront. It is also expected to create temporary work for around 200 local workers.

Executive Director of the Belize Fund, Dr Leandra Cho-Ricketts, said the problem goes well beyond tourism. “It affects jobs, families, public health, and coastal communities. This grant helps ensure that affected businesses have the support to respond quickly and responsibly,” she said.

Coastal hotel and tourism property operators in the affected communities who want to apply should contact the BTIA directly for eligibility details and application requirements.