Courses begin at the end of February and strengthen skills related to writing proposals to access funds and designing and executing recovery projects.
PDF version of the press release
San Juan : Tuesday, January 28, 2025 | For the second consecutive year, the Puerto Rico Community Foundation (FCPR) and Hunter College come together to offer the Professional Certification for the Multisectoral Reconstruction of Puerto Rico. Courses for this extraordinary continuing education opportunity, online and free of charge, begin at the end of February. With certification, participants will expand and strengthen their job skills in economic recovery projects and proposal writing for funding.
All you have to do is register at www.reconstruyepr.com or in this link. At a minimum, the participant must complete one of the 12 virtual courses available.
To date, 128 people have been able to strengthen their skills and add value to their careers by obtaining the certification, which began last year thanks to a grant from the Puerto Rico Department of Housing through the funds CDBG-DR.
The certification is aimed at fundraisers or professionals in the Development area of an entity; and to personnel of organizations that deal with housing issues such as the Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs). In addition, undergraduate or graduate students, municipal or state staff, and leaders of social enterprises or community boards who aspire to or are working on post-disaster reconstruction projects may apply.
“We are excited to once again offer Puerto Rico's professionals the exceptional opportunity to strengthen their professional skills. The certification expands the participant's job opportunities, while contributing to the reconstruction of the country,” said the president and chief executive officer of the FCPR, the Dr. Nelson I. Colón Tarrats.
The courses offered are as follows:
Housing courses
- How to transform a nonprofit organization into a community development corporation (CDC)
- Development of community assets
- Financing and development of housing and commercial buildings
- Housing in economic recovery and urban revitalization
Community leadership courses
- Community advocacy
- How to create a resilient community center
- Models, sustainability and legal options for social enterprise
- Comprehensive post-disaster planning
Courses on funds
- Administration and management of federal grants
- CDBG-DR funds and other economic recovery funds
- Writing successful proposals
- Philanthropic fundraising
Courses are offered on weekdays and at a variety of times between 8:00am and 9:00pm. Students starting in February will be part of the fifth cohort. For more information, please write to: jcrivera@fcpr.org.
The certification comes in response to the opportunities offered by federal recovery and mitigation funds, which require a labor market capable of overcoming the challenges of a post-pandemic period, and the increase in economic inequality and natural disasters caused by climate change (hurricanes and earthquakes).