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Amigos of Costa Rica
is a
nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the
State of Delaware exclusively for charitable, educational,
and scientific purposes within the meaning of Section
501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended. Amigos is a “supporting organization” that
is formed exclusively for the benefit of, to perform
the functions of, and to carry out the purposes of
the Fundación Costa Rica - Estados Unidos
de América Para la Cooperación,
known in English as the Costa Rica-United States of
America Foundation for Cooperation (“CRUSA”). Contributions
to Amigos are deductible to U.S. donors for United
States income tax purposes.
The primary
purpose for
which Amigos was formed is to provide financial and
other support for the programs of CRUSA. CRUSA is
a Costa Rican charitable nonprofit organization located
in Costa Rica which was formed to promote, encourage
and develop the widest possible collaboration between
the people and Government of Costa Rica and the people
and Government of the United States of America. CRUSA
makes grants and manages programs in four principal
areas: The environment, science and technology, education,
and competitive development.
 Ten
years ago, CRUSA emerged to administer an Endowment Fund resulting from
an agreement between the governments of Costa Rica and the United
States. With an eye toward “public-private” cooperation and
transparency, CRUSA has grown to focus not only on grantmaking, but
also on project implementation. During its 10-year history, CRUSA has
supported more than 400 projects in education, research, and
development, for a total of US$47 million. More than 90 institutions
from the United States have cooperated with Costa Rican initiatives
supported by CRUSA, either by providing matching funds or through
specialized technical assistance. Through its reputation and commitment
to internationally excepted standards, CRUSA continues to lead the
charge in the strategic development of Costa Rica and the improvement
of the quality of life of its people.
Through research and community involvement, CRUSA established the
following guidelines for each of its four areas of interest:
Education
- Developing creativity, leadership, entrepreneurship
and critical thinking skills
- Promoting the use of information and communication
technologies in the learning process
- Promoting improvements and innovation in the teaching
a learning of English
- Addressing situations or conditions that negatively
affect the learning processes of children and young people
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Science and
Technology
- Supporting biotechnology as a tool to improve
people’s quality of life
- Supporting the consolidation of international
cooperation programs in scientific research
- Promoting “The Strategy for the 21st Century,” an
integrated development strategy for Costa Rica
Environment
- Supporting conservation efforts in areas and
ecosystems of biological importance
- Promoting the conservation and sustainable use of
water resources and related systems
Competitive
Development
- Improving the efficiency of public institutions in
the provision of services
- Promoting an entrepreneurial mentality to strengthen
international competitiveness
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