Community Q&A

There is no doubt that as Caribbean people, many of our societies thrive on a sense of community – that idea of connecting, collaborating and achieving together. Similarly, First Citizens has enjoyed many partnerships throughout the years with an extensive corporate social responsibility programme and so when we thought of a concept that would embody and represent the work that we do and more so the partnerships that we’ve shared, Community became an excellent fit. First Citizens Community now represents our social investment programme, under which we have amalgamated all of our various initiatives.

First Citizens has definitely been a major part of the social fabric of Trinbagonian communities for decades, evident through our involvement in a myriad of initiatives. In 2019 however, we established the First Citizens Foundation with the intent that the Foundation would have oversight for our CSR performance and operationalize our framework for good governance and transparency. As the work of the Foundation deepens, we felt it was critical to bring our investments under one umbrella brand, and so First Citizens Community was born.

As part of the UN’s agenda for sustainable development they have identified several sustainable development goals, in a call for global partnership to address various issues e.g. Gender Equality, Quality Education, Clean Water and Sanitation. Critical to achieving these goals for many organizations, has been the development of Environmental, Social and Governance programmes to streamline several initiatives that would allow them to support in achieving these goals. First Citizens Community is our first step towards implementing a full scale ESG programme and is at the heart of our efforts to create a sustainable future for all.

At First Citizens we truly believe in the power of Community – that by coming together to participate in various positive initiatives we can make a change and difference in the lives of our citizens. In doing so we’ve recognized that this goal is not something we can achieve on our own and so we hope that the programme will attract those who also have the best interest of these five communities at heart and are willing to work with us to get the task done. We look forward to receiving a long list of exciting, innovative and meaningful projects that can create maximum impact across the country in the areas of Environment, Sport, Youth Development, Education, Culture and Gender.

All of the information on First Citizens Community is available on our website. An application form, along with the proposal and registration documents can be submitted directly via the website.

Based on our segmented pillars or communities of Environment, Sport, Youth Development, Education, Culture and Gender, social interest groups and non-governmental organisations can submit partnership proposals for the Group’s consideration and funding, once they meet the identified criteria e.g.

• Be aligned to First Citizens Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Pillars
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to equity and inclusion by clearly showing one or more of the following:
  1. Expanding access to education and learning opportunities.
  2. Ensuring equitable geographic reach across the communities and regions served.
  3. Supporting vulnerable or marginalised groups.
  4. Advancing gender equity and balanced participation.
• Be aligned to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations established in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly
• Be clear with respect to background/context, objectives, outputs, timelines, benefits to the sponsor, impact metrics, outcomes and evaluation
• Contain a detailed budget
• Include a detailed Public Relations plan

Yes.

Projects should demonstrate alignment with at least one of the Group’s CSR Pillars and map to a minimum of two relevant UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets.

All applications must demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion. Your project should clearly show how it addresses one or more of the following:

• Expands access to education and learning opportunities.
• Ensures equitable geographic coverage across the communities and regions served.
• Supports vulnerable or marginalised groups.
• Advances gender equity and balanced participation.

Projects that do not demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion may not be eligible for funding.

No.

Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee approval. Funding decisions also consider other factors.

The Group will not support:

• Political activities
• Gambling enterprises
• Tobacco production, marketing or distribution
• Arms or weapons
• Direct or indirect funding to individuals or private commercial ventures (exceptions for hardship funds managed by vetted NGOs).
• Individual religious bodies or entities
• Projects that present material environmental harm
• Organisations unable to demonstrate financial accountability

Once a project is approved, it is assigned to a representative from the Group Marketing & Communications team who will serve as the primary point of contact throughout the implementation period. The assigned officer or assistant will work closely with the successful organisation to monitor progress, ensure compliance with the terms of the sponsorship or donation, and facilitate effective reporting. This includes:

• Monitoring project implementation and progress against agreed objectives.
• Collecting demographic details, including participant numbers, age ranges, and gender demographics, where applicable.
• Reviewing financial reports and supporting documentation to ensure accountability and appropriate use of funds.
• Conducting site visits, where required, to verify project delivery and provide ongoing support.
• Ensuring First Citizens branding and recognition requirements are implemented in accordance with agreed guidelines.
• Completing a final project evaluation to assess outcomes, impact, and alignment with the objectives of the CSR Policy.

The review process takes approximately thirty (30) working days.

Yes, but it is highly recommended that applicants ensure alignment with our criteria and assessment guidelines before resubmitting.