The Bustamante Hospital for Children has received a generous donation of more than $3.1 million from the Sandals Foundation to support critical renovations to the hospital’s Nursery Department - a move aimed at reducing the risk of infection and significantly enhancing the life-saving care provided to Jamaica’s most vulnerable patients.

As part of the project, the Sandals Foundation installed six air conditioning units to improve air quality and comfort for both patients and staff. Additional upgrades include the partitioning of the counselling office from patient care areas to enhance privacy, along with carpentry, tiling, and other infrastructural repairs carried out in collaboration with SERHA and the Sandals Foundation.

The upgraded facility is expected to serve between 800 and 950 babies annually. Services will include neonatal resuscitation, non-invasive respiratory support, infection treatment, jaundice management, care for premature infants requiring prolonged feeding and weight optimization, nutritional support, and minor surgical procedures.

Chief Executive Officer of the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Mr. Anthony Wood, expressed his appreciation for the timely support: “These upgrades will make a lasting difference in how we deliver care, ensuring our young patients receive treatment in a more comfortable, child-friendly, family-centred, and healing environment.”

For Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation, Heidi Clarke, the investment reflects the philanthropic organisation’s commitment to improving pediatric healthcare services across the region.

“We are honored to be able to facilitate the reopening of the Nursery Department and hope that the families served here will feel a sense of relief as the renovations were aimed at meeting the evolving needs of families in privacy and comfort.”

Describing how the space will support families, Head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Dr. Carmen ‘Cindy’ Rhoden said,“ Parents will now be able to participate in their baby’s care, access counselling in private, and receive emotional support during what can often be an incredibly stressful time."

The development forms part of continued support provided by the Sandals Foundation, who is in 2024, also supported the renovation of the hospital’s chapel at a cost of $1.5 million. The space is a multipurpose area that facilitates the function of social work, including counselling and private meetings with parents, as well as a prayer/meditation facility for staff members and patients alike.

The Bustamante Hospital for Children remains the only specialist pediatric hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean and continues to rely on corporate partnerships to deliver high-quality medical care to children in need.

Are you seeking funding towards an initiative that positively transforms communities and changes lives? We can help you make this a reality when you submit a project proposal for Sandals Foundation consideration. Application for 2026 project consideration opens August 1 – September 24, 2025.

Geographic Scope

Projects must take place within the Caribbean islands where Sandals & Beaches Resorts operate (e.g. Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Antigua, Curacao, Turks & Caicos, St. Vincent & the Grenadines).

We also extend support to neighbouring islands during times of crisis (e.g. disaster relief).

 Strategic Focus Areas

We invest in initiatives that build local capacity and promote sustainable development, including:

• Education – school infrastructure, teacher training, digital literacy, scholarships

• Environment – biodiversity protection, marine conservation, environmental education, coral restoration

• Community Development & Health – youth engagement, sports, culture, mental & physical health

• Economic Empowerment – skills training (artisans, farmers, fisherfolk), social enterprise

• Disaster Preparedness & Relief – crisis support and leadership building

 Funding Range

Grants typically range from US$5,000 to US $80,000, tailored to the project's scope and sustainability.

Eligibility Criteria

Projects should:

• Be based in Caribbean locations served by Sandals & Beaches Resorts

• Clearly align with one or more strategic focus areas

• Demonstrate strong governance, transparency, and sound financial management

• Include a sustainable model with clear, measurable outcomes and long-term community benefit

• Be inclusive, accessible, non-discriminatory, and promote equity, gender parity, and environmental justice

• Have community support, including government/authority approvals if required

Ineligible Projects

The Foundation does not fund:

• Political, partisan, fraternal, labour, or purely religious activities

• Individual grants (unless scholarships or hardship-based)

• For-profit enterprises (unless structured as social enterprises)

• Government entities/agencies

• Activities outside the Caribbean

• Sponsorships, uniforms, and prizes without community-wide benefit

• Raffles, giveaways, and travel for unrelated purposes

• One-off events without measurable, lasting impact

• Projects lacking community buy-in, regulatory approval, or a sustainability plan

• Equity, Inclusion & Crisis Response

• Preference given to initiatives serving marginalized or vulnerable groups

• Projects that support equity, inclusion, gender balance, and environmental justice are valued

• We provide emergency response funding to Caribbean islands during crises

All Set to Submit an Application?

Proposal Essentials

Submissions must include:

• Project overview – title, location, summary (150–250 words)

• Needs assessment – problem statement and community context

• Objectives & beneficiaries – SMART goals, direct/indirect beneficiaries

• Implementation plan – timeline, activities, roles, partnerships

• Budget – detailed costs, co-funding or in-kind contributions

• Monitoring & evaluation – performance indicators and reporting methods

• Sustainability plan – post-grant continuation and community/partner engagement

• Evidence of support – letters, approvals, endorsements

How to Submit

• Ensure Project Alignment

  • Before submitting, ensure your project aligns with the Sandals Foundation’s core focus areas and eligibility criteria.

• Complete the Application Form

  • Please complete the Sandals Foundation Project Application Form

• Prepare Your Proposal

  • Submit a clear and detailed project proposal in either PDF or Word format. Your proposal should include:

  • Project objectives

  • Target beneficiaries

  • Timeline

  • Budget

  • Expected outcomes

• Include Supporting Materials

  • Attach any relevant supporting documents, such as:

  • Photographs or visuals

  • Evidence of past results or impact

  • Letters of support from partners or community stakeholders

• Submit by the Deadline

Send your completed application form, project proposal, and supporting materials to:

 Email: foundation@grp.sandals.com

 Submission Deadline: September 24, 2025

We appreciate your interest in partnering with the Sandals Foundation to create meaningful change across the Caribbean. Please note that only complete submissions received by the deadline will be considered.

Grant Review Process

Proposals are evaluated based on:

• Alignment with geographic and thematic priorities

• Governance and financial robustness

• Clarity of impact, sustainability, and community engagement

• Cost-effectiveness and measurable outcomes

• Inclusivity and equity considerations

Approved projects will proceed to due diligence, followed by funding and collaborative rollout.

AFC Ajax, Sandals Resorts and the Sandals Foundation today announced a renewed commitment of their impactful Future Goals program in Curaçao, continuing their partnership through June 2028. This commitment will open the door for even more schoolchildren to benefit from Future Goals – a transformative program that uses soccer as a gateway to teach environmental responsibility, teamwork, and creative problem-solving.

To mark this milestone, Ajax and Sandals have unveiled a heartfelt new film that captures the transformative spirit of the program, spotlighting the joy of play, the power of purpose, and the promise of a cleaner future for Curaçao's next generation.

A Winning Play for Kids and the Caribbean

Launched in 2022, Future Goals is a unique initiative by Netherlands soccer club AFC Ajax, Sandals Resorts and its philanthropic arm, the Sandals Foundation. The program takes an inventive approach to youth engagement: tapping local Curaçao company Limpi Recycling to turn plastic waste from the ocean into sustainably produced soccer goals for primary schools.

Beyond gear, the program also implements an annual eight-week curriculum that blends in-class learning with on-the-field training, all centered around the game of soccer. Sessions are delivered by local "Future Coaches" who are trained by AFC Ajax, and are designed to promote physical activity while teaching important life skills.

To date, the impact of the Future Goals program has been both wide-reaching and deeply meaningful. More than 1.4 million plastic bottles and caps have been removed from local communities, alongside over 3,000 square feet of discarded fishing nets pulled from the sea. More than 70 soccer goalposts have been creatively recycled from these materials and delivered to schools across Curaçao. In addition, sustainable soccer gear and educational kits have been distributed to the majority of the island’s primary schools, equipping students with the tools to learn, play, and grow.

These numbers are set to grow as the program reaches even more students and schools across the island. The expanded initiative will also feature more annual events for students like the Plastic Art Challenge, inter-school tournaments, and island-wide clean-up days, through which 743 children from 21 schools recently collected litter across local communities to close out the 2024-2025 year.

“This partnership gives children the opportunity to play, to lead, and to connect with the environment in ways that truly matter,” said Patrice Gilpin, PR Manager of the Sandals Foundation. “It’s proof that when we invest in children, we invest in a stronger, more sustainable future for the Caribbean.”

“Together with Sandals Resorts, we’re showing the impact Ajax can have on the other side of the world,” said Cas Biesta, Commercial Director of AFC Ajax. “It is wonderful to see that the Future Goals program has been running non-stop in Curaçao for three years now. The basis is ‘love for soccer,’ but it also teaches children about teamwork, creativity, resilience, and caring for the environment. We are very proud to be working together toward more Future Goals.”

To learn more about Future Goals, visit: https://www.sandals.com/futuregoals/

During the star-studded King’s Trust Awards in London’s Royal Festival Hall on 26 June, Roslyn, a young woman from Saint Lucia received the King’s Trust Global Young Achiever Award presented by Nigerian DJ, producer and ambassador for The Trust, DJ Cuppy.

Founded by His Majesty King Charles III, the former Prince of Wales, The King’s Trust International, supports young people across the world through employment, education and enterprise programmes. This year, the charity celebrates ten years since it expanded its work globally, bringing its programmes to over 100,000 young people in under-served communities.

The King’s Trust Awards celebrate young people who have participated in King’s Trust programmes around the world. Guests at the ceremony included Amal Clooney, Charlotte Tilbury MBE, DJ Cuppy, among many others.

At the awards ceremony, Roslyn was surprised on stage with a video from Paris Saint-German players including Ousmane Dembélé congratulating her on her win.

The Global Young Achiever, Roslyn has overcome personal challenges, including hardship and trauma, proving that resilience and ambition can thrive against all odds. After taking part in the King’s Trust 12-week TEAM programme, delivered in partnership with the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force and funded by Sandals Foundation and The Maria Holder Memorial Trust, Roslyn was able to develop key skills from communication to confidence, transforming her into an inspiring young woman who is taking charge of her future. She is now working in a bakery whilst also supporting elementary school children in their educational journeys, empowering and supporting the next generation.

Highlights

• Roslyn from Saint Lucia received the King’s Trust Global Young Achiever Award at The King’s Trust and TK Maxx and Homesense Awards in London’s Royal Festival Hall.

• The Global Young Achiever Award sponsored by Watches of Switzerland Group celebrates an outstanding young person on a King’s Trust programme around the world.

• Ahead of the ceremony, Roslyn met His Majesty King Charles III during a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the winners’ achievements.