CMPC launches the eighth edition of its Social Fund focused on 46 communities in southern Chile

The grant competition for fiscal year 2023 will benefit more than 500 non-profit social organizations.

Since 2016, CMPC has contributed to improving the quality of life of the many residents of the different territories of Chile where the company operates, either by training or providing support to community organizations that present innovative and sustainable proposals that directly benefit local communities. 

This means several districts in the regions of Araucanía, Biobío, Los Ríos, Maule and Ñuble, Chile will be part of the CMPC 2023 Grant Competition including Tirúa, Cañete, Nacimiento, Curacautín, Laja, San Rosendo, Negrete, Collipulli, Lumaco and Victoria. This program, sponsored by the Industrial Corporation for Regional Development (CIDERE), aims to support various non-profit social, functional and territorial organizations throughout southern Chile, who propose to improve their community spaces or develop innovative ideas that have a positive impact on their regions.

The 2023 CMPC Grant Competition was launched this Thursday in the district of Los Angeles in the Biobío Region of Chile with fund beneficiaries from various parts of the country in attendance. 

“Our company has a presence in several municipal districts of Chile, neighboring many communities, which is why one of our goals is to be an agent of development in those communities. That’s what these grants are for; making our small contribution so the communities can move forward and realize their projects and make dreams come true using this support fund,” said CMPC Forests Corporate Affairs Manager Ignacio Lira.

This year, CIDERE will be a key player in managing the fund, which has been in existence for several years already and will benefit hundreds more families. “It is essential for today’s world-class companies, such as CMPC, to have initiatives as significant as this one. It’s definitely the largest social impact fund in southern Chile, so we’re very happy to be part of the process. We believe this is a historic, unprecedented event that must be highlighted,” said Camilo Carrasco, Manager of the Industrial Corporation for Regional Development, CIDERE Biobío.

The Voice of the Beneficiaries

Juvenal Bravo is President of the Palmilla Neighborhood Council and the Rural Community Center of Nacimiento in the Biobío Region. He and his neighbors also expressed their happiness about the fund’s contribution. “I look at my colleagues and rural organizations, and note that significant progress has accrued to the applicants, most of whom get selected, so the fund has been very beneficial for the communities,” said the community leader.

Carmen Gallardo comes from the district of Lumaco in the Araucanía Region and represents the Senior Citizen Community Center. Her experience with the fund has been remarkable, and it has greatly impacted her community. She said, “The benefits to the community have been wonderful and very necessary because, as everyone knows, social organizations look everywhere for ways to get enough resources for our organizations. CMPC always provides us with funding for many projects each year, which we’re very grateful for.”

Sandra Reyes came to the ceremony from the district of Lanco in the Los Rios Region. As President of the Aylin Neighborhood Council, she promotes the Childhood Improvement Program in her area. She acknowledges how the fund has made a tremendous impact on her community, especially for the little ones. “These children are very vulnerable, and their access to pre-school in town is limited because it’s quite far away, so this program helped us a great deal. We received a double benefit with both the neighborhood council and the pre-school getting grant funding.”

Lines of application

The first line is for community spaces and surroundings, which finances projects aimed at improving, repairing and implementing community or public places, including infrastructure such as equipment that promotes the well-being of the community as a whole.  

The second line is for the care and conservation of the environment, financing projects that contribute to its care and preservation in the community or local area in connection with the conserving biodiversity or recycling initiatives. 

Lastly, the third line encompasses social innovation projects, which seek to bet on innovative social ideas presented by community organizations, which address the pain points of the communities. 

Who can apply?

Any non-profit territorial or functional community organization whose purpose has to do with the common good of its members and that belongs to one of the 46 districts of Chile established in the CMPC Fund terms and conditions can apply, which can be reviewed on https://fondocmpc.vform.cl/and/or requested by email at fondocmpc@cmpc.cl 

Applications are open from Monday, October 30 to Monday, November 27, 2023.