UOG unveils 2024 CIS & Sea Grant Impact Book, showcasing project progress and over 33x ROI on local funds

Along with the announcement of numbers the group has collected over the course of the 2024 calendar year including over 12,000 outreach activity participants, nearly 150 recorded sea turtle nesting events, 59 students supported through fellowships, was a report of the return on investment of local funds allocated to the organization.

“In 2024, the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant delivered a 33.9 time Return on Investment (ROl) - for every $1 in funding we received from the local budget,” explained Austin Shelton Ph.D., the director of UOG CIS & Sea Grant. “Through the many grants we applied for and were awarded, we were able to leverage $33,900,000 in total funding for our island.”

The report highlights the biggest events and initiatives of 2024 in the UOG Conference on Island Sustainability and the launch of the CHalan Deskubre Hub learning center at the Mangilao campus but also provides some insight into ongoing projects including the move to pursue Gold Standard Carbon Credit Certification with the US Climate Alliance, for GROW reforestation projects. This pioneering strategy is designed to create a sustainable revenue source, allowing conservation work to continue for years to come, independent of traditional grant cycles.

"The projects featured in this year's Impact Book demonstrate our commitment to developing practical, innovative, tangible and sustainable solutions for our island," said Kyle Mandapat, Associate Director for Communications & Community Engagement at UOG CIS & Sea Grant. "From protecting our coral reefs through reforestation to inspiring our youth through hands-on science education, we are not just showing you what has been done but welcoming the community to participate in efforts as well."

The Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps (G3CC) impacts are also revealed for the season with over 13,000 aluminum cans diverted from the landfill by recycling, 14 roadside cleanups being conducted and 200 feet of erosion control devices being installed.  The workforce-development program, now in its fifth season, continues to add to growing success with around 80% of the nearly 60 G3CC program graduates finding jobs in the green economy.

“I am proud to present the 2024 Impact Report from the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant. The accomplishments outlined in this report reflect the university’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and our growing leadership in research, education, and outreach for Guam and the broader Micronesian region,” said Anita Borja-Enriquez D.B.A., president of the University of Guam.

The 2024 Impact Book can be found for free digitally at uog.edu/cis under the resources tab along with other publications from the group including posters, calendars, and books.