Quienes Somos – FUNDECOR

Leaders in

sustainable

development

Our History

Three decades of resilience, leadership, & innovation for development

Since its founding on May 17, 1989, FUNDECOR has established itself as a resilient pillar of sustainable development in Costa Rica. Its trajectory is defined by a solid vision focused on protecting natural heritage and a constant ability to adapt to global environmental challenges.

The core of its strategy is located in the Central Conservation Area, a territory that has served as a "Living Laboratory" for designing and scaling innovative landscape management solutions. Through this territorial approach, the organization has positioned the country as a global benchmark in sustainable forest management, climate resilience, and biodiversity conservation.

Adaptation and transformation in the face of new challenges

FUNDECOR's resilience has been tested at multiple historical junctures. In 2019, the organization faced a key turning point that led it to rethink its internal mechanisms for impact. Guided by its governance bodies and the appointment of a new Executive Directorate, FUNDECOR began a process of profound transformation: a critical review of its intervention model, oriented toward an institutional Theory of Change that would allow for more strategic, measurable, and effective action within the territories.
The findings of this process made it clear that strengthening planning, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms was essential to ensure a more relevant and timely response to the real needs of communities. This led to the creation of the Prospective Strategic Planning Process (PPEP), designed to overcome structural limitations and anticipate future scenarios with greater clarity.

The Pandemic: A Test of Institutional Resilience

Gemini ha dicho The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 served as a definitive test of FUNDECOR's institutional resilience. Amidst high uncertainty and transforming territorial dynamics, the organization reacted with agility and precision: it redirected efforts toward short-term actions that offered tangible results for local populations, without losing sight of its long-term mission. This balanced approach reaffirmed its relevance as a strategic national actor and its credibility as a reliable partner in sustainable development processes.

Rather than retreating, FUNDECOR transformed the crisis into an opportunity for growth and reinvention, consolidating its role as a flexible, proactive, and resilient organization capable of adapting to challenges without compromising its principles.

Future Vision: Consistency, Impact, and Sustainability

The 2021–2026 period represents a key moment of consolidation for FUNDECOR. The organization has directed all its efforts toward action consistent with its mission, responding to the structural changes and social urgencies brought about by the pandemic and the global context. This stage has been characterized by greater rigor in project management, evidence-based strategic planning, and a renewed commitment to social and environmental innovation.

FUNDECOR has understood that the ability to anticipate the future, coupled with decisive action in the present, is key to achieving its mission-driven vision in the medium and long term. Its transformation is not only structural but also deeply cultural: an astute reading of the context has allowed the organization to reorient its work toward building solutions with a genuine impact on the territories.

FUNDECOR Today: A Resilient Organization with a Strategic Outlook

Today, FUNDECOR represents a model of a resilient organization, with more than three decades of experience and continuous learning. Its legacy lives on in protected forests, empowered communities, and the public policies influenced by its technical work and commitment to the common good. The history of FUNDECOR is one of permanent transformation. It is the story of an organization that has evolved with purpose without losing its essence. Above all, it is the story of an institution that continues to build, with resilience and vision, a sustainable future for Costa Rica and the world.