Dutch Officials to Visit St. Maarten, Saba and Statia to Explain Slavery Legacy Funding

GREAT BAY--Nonprofit organizations in St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius will have an opportunity next week to meet directly with Dutch government officials responsible for administering the Legacy to Future Funds, a subsidy program supporting Caribbean initiatives addressing the history and continuing impact of transatlantic slavery.

Two representatives of Uitvoering van Beleid (UVB), the agency responsible for implementing the funding program and assessing applications, will visit the three islands from October 19 to 23 to provide information about available grants, eligibility requirements and the application process.

The Legacy to Future Funds, officially known as the Subsidy Scheme for Social Initiatives Transatlantic Slavery Past for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom (SUMS-C), supports projects that promote awareness of the slavery past, strengthen community resilience and encourage social connection.

The initiative is administered on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), with UVB, an agency within the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, responsible for its implementation.

The information sessions are intended for both foundations that have already submitted applications and organizations interested in applying for funding.

Participants will receive explanations of the different funding categories, the types of projects that qualify, the conditions organizations must satisfy and how applications are evaluated.

The visiting officials will also explain the financial and activity-reporting requirements that successful applicants must meet.

An important aspect of the sessions is that the representatives conducting them are directly involved in reviewing subsidy applications. This will allow participating organizations to ask questions about the assessment process and receive guidance from those responsible for evaluating submissions.

The first information session will take place on Saba on Monday, October 19, at the E. Johnson Centre in Windwardside.

The second session is scheduled for St. Eustatius on Wednesday, October 21, at Boombasticcafe in Oranjestad.

The final session will be held on St. Maarten on Friday, October 23, at The Impact Hub, located at the Foresee Foundation office, 60 Illidge Road.

All three meetings are scheduled from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

Particular attention will be given to the next application period for Category 1 grants, which focus on the professionalization of organizations.

The second application round for this category opens on November 2, 2026, and closes on January 12, 2027.

The Category 1 funding is intended to help eligible organizations strengthen their operational and organizational capacity, supporting their ability to undertake initiatives related to the legacy of slavery.

The wider Legacy to Future Funds program operates over three years, with eight application rounds covering four subsidy categories.

Through these categories, the program aims to support community-based activities that recognize the historical consequences of slavery and contribute to awareness, resilience and stronger connections within Caribbean society.

The upcoming information sessions are intended to help organizations better understand the funding opportunities and prepare applications that satisfy the program's requirements.

Officials hope that direct engagement with local foundations will improve understanding of the procedures, reduce uncertainty about eligibility and allow organizations to make informed decisions about applying.

Organizations interested in attending can register through the Legacy to Future information session registration page or by scanning the QR code on the official event flyer.

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