The Caterpillar Foundation Launches $3 Million Partnership to Impact Education, Gender Equity in Latin America, Caribbean

NEW YORK, February 4, 2013 /3BL Media/ - The Resource Foundation (TRF) and the Caterpillar Foundation announce a $3 million partnership to reach more than 11,000 children in Latin America and the Caribbean over three years, beginning in January 2013. Through a regional strategy targeting specific communities in 10 countries, the program seeks to improve academic achievement, gender equity and life skills among primary school-age boys and girls from 54 schools.

This landmark initiative will provide disadvantaged children with improved educational curricula and teacher training, educational reinforcement, and community support networks. By collaborating with knowledgeable local nonprofits from TRF’s broad network, TRF and Caterpillar will ensure the program’s success and sustainability in Caterpillar’s key Latin American locations—Brazil, Mexico and Panama—and in countries where the need for educational support, particularly for girls, is the greatest: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Peru and Uruguay.

The program will form an integral part of TRF’s work to help donors create lasting social change in diverse development areas in Latin America, including education. The program takes a holistic approach to address some of the biggest educational challenges the region currently faces—quality of education, school retention and advancement.

“We believe the most effective programs are interdisciplinary, which is why this program will involve teachers, parents and students both in schools and in their communities,” said Marcela Lopez-Macedonio, TRF’s executive director. “Our local partners’ direct knowledge of these communities and expertise in education, consolidated by TRF’s assistance and evaluation, will ensure that thousands of children develop a love of learning and acquire core skills to move forward.”

International assessments reveal that 62 percent of low-income students in Latin America have difficulty performing rudimentary reading tasks and lack essential skills needed to participate effectively and productively in society. By focusing primarily on students in grades 4 to 6, this program aims to ensure the children’s advancement to secondary education, which has been shown to reduce income inequalities and is a key determinant of countries’ economic growth.

“The Caterpillar Foundation is proud to support the efforts of The Resource Foundation in Latin America,” said Caterpillar Foundation President Michele Sullivan. “It is our hope that focusing on strengthening the basics like reading comprehension will give these students a tremendous advantage in making the transition to secondary school, higher education and, ultimately, sustainable employment.”

TRF will measure the program’s success by means of rigorous monitoring and impact evaluation, and expects to share program results with the public, in line with its mission to promote sustainable development in the region. TRF has 25+ years of experience empowering donors by providing tailored donor investment and advisory services to support effective programs in education and many other areas, including microenterprise, health, environment and disaster relief.

About The Resource Foundation

The Resource Foundation (TRF) is a U.S. nonprofit organization that facilitates charitable giving from corporate, individual and foundation donors to the Americas and the Caribbean. Since 1987, TRF has leveraged its experience to help donors optimize the impact of their philanthropy through specialized, tailored services. By forming partnerships with carefully vetted nonprofit organizations in 28 countries, TRF empowers the disadvantaged so that they can have the skills, knowledge and opportunities to improve their lives. TRF has received Charity Navigator’s highest rating of four stars, for its organizational efficiency and sound fiscal management, five times in as many years. It is also a founding member of the Alliance for International Giving. For more information, visitwww.resourcefnd.org.

About the Caterpillar Foundation

Caterpillar Inc. supports the philanthropic efforts of the Caterpillar Foundation. Founded in 1952, the Caterpillar Foundation has contributed more than $500 million to help make sustainable progress possible around the world by providing program support in the areas of environmental sustainability, access to education and basic human needs. To learn more about the global impact of the Caterpillar Foundation, please visit www.caterpillar.com/foundation.