The Foundation

Image: Hitchster

The Small Island States Foundation is committed to the creation and dissemination of independent public policy options that promote sustainable development in and among small island developing states.  Our bias is to highlight best practices that work, rather than debate esoteric policy arguments that only a think tank would love.  In other words, through our blog, conferences, and forums we seek to reach out to the islanders and island lovers who are searching for practical solutions to the sustainability challenges they face on a daily basis.

Additionally, we provide grant support for island experts throughout the world in their research.  Much of this research and the resulting policy recommendations are focused on sustainable economic development, but because of the inter-sectoral nature of sustainability these policy options address environmental protection and social development issues as well.

The Foundation was established in 2007 by Owen Bethel, who had been the Bahamian representative to UNESCO’s Board of Directors (2006-2007) and whose work has focused for many years on sustainable development in The Bahamas.  We are positioned to work with researchers from the University Consortium of Small Island States, which includes the University of Malta, the University of Mauritius, the University of the South Pacific, the University of the Virgin Islands, and the University of the West Indies, as well as from the College of the Bahamas and from experts at other universities and institutes around the world whose work focuses on sustainable development as it applies to small island nations.

Our interest is in applied research that brings practical solutions to the intractable problems of sustainable development as experienced by these island nations.  Our audience includes policy makers, government officials, business and labor leaders, management and staff at international organizations, other research institutions and nongovernmental organizations, university scholars and their students, the media, and the general public.

The Foundation is registered as a charitable organization in Nassau, the Bahamas and has 501(c)(3) status in the United States.  We are not an endowed Foundation, and we depend on contributions from a wide range of individuals, corporations, foundations, and governments to support our work.