2023 IMPACT REPORT
About Founded in 2012, ConPRmetidos is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create a stable, productive, and self-sufficient Puerto Rico by developing and connecting human capital to meet the island’s needs. Our Main Programs: The Collaborative Impact program (CIP) develops human capital and creates social impact initiatives through workforce training and strengthening the capacity of NGOs. El Comeback is a platform connecting professionals with Puerto Rico-based jobs. We help move Puerto Rico’s economy forward by retaining and bringing talent to the Island.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 02
Letter From Our Board
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Letter From Our Executive Director
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Where We are Investing
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Our Impact by Numbers
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Retaining and Attracting Talent
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Developing the Next Generation of Workers
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Identifying Career Pathways in Puerto Rico
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Strengthening Local NGOs
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Empowering Communities Through Education
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Our Board
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Our Team
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Our Partners
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How You Can Support Our Work
Letter From Our Board
Letter From Our Executive Director Dear Supporters,
Dear Friends,
To stay relevant, we must always continue to learn and innovate. As we take a step back and take stock of everything that ConPRmetidos achieved this past year, through smart and tireless work, we take comfort in the knowledge that lives are being changed for the better and hope turns into reality when individuals and communities are supported through direct investments, mentoring, guidance and network building. In 2023, ConPRmetidos began a concerted, multi-year effort to prioritize the development of human capital across our programs and grantees -- from early childhood learning to empowering small farmers, from jobs skills training to enabling older citizens to maximize their use of existing services via mobile phones -- understanding that the energy and deep desire to address Puerto Rico’s most pressing challenges is already present in our communities, but that the capacity to carry this forward needs to be unlocked, urgently.
Miguel Férrer
This year, which marked ConPRmetidos’ second decade, we paused to reflect on what we have accomplished and how we should focus our efforts moving forward. We started the year asking ourselves, what are Puerto Rico’s current economic development needs? We gathered information and data and met with leaders from the island’s different industry sectors. In doing this, we learned that the need for education and human capital -- people power -- was at the core of every conversation, no matter the sector. After months of internal and external meetings with many local partners, economic development stakeholders, our team, and our Board, we decided to focus 100% of our efforts on developing and connecting human capital as a means to achieve our mission of creating a stable, productive, and self-sufficient Puerto Rico. ConPRmetidos is now in the process of designing and executing a series of new programs and projects to strengthen the island’s human capital through education, workforce training, and mentoring the next generation.
The same applies to our team. The ConPRmetidos Board of Directors is clear in our belief that the best investment we can make is in the talent, skills, and experiences that enable the ConPRmetidos team to imagine, plan, and achieve amazing, long-lasting change in the service of a stable, productive and self-sufficient Puerto Rico. The team’s love for Puerto Rico knows no limits; their boundless energy and positive spirit are inspiring, and their appetite for doing things right will continue to propel ConPRmetidos forward during the most challenging days.
We are excited about the decade ahead and our plans to tackle this critical aspect of Puerto Rico’s many challenges. To all who have supported and partnered with us for many years, we thank you; and a warm welcome to those who have recently joined us. We are grateful to all of you for your trust, and as always, know that we are Committed to Puerto Rico.
Isabel Rullán
This 2023 Impact Report includes the completion of projects that were started in 2022 and an introduction to these new and exciting programs and ways of doing things.
And to you, the supporters of ConPRmetidos, ¡GRACIAS! we couldn’t have significantly impacted Puerto Rico without your partnership and help. May the new year bring you peace, joy, and good health. Elena Hernández
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Where We are Investing
Our Impact by Numbers 3,400+ People Registered
Technology, Technology, Finance, Finance, Manufacturing, Manufacturing, Other Other Services Services Industries/Sectors Represented
3,000+
Developing the Next Generation of Workers Strengthening Local NGOs Empowering Communities Through Education
$244,000
Job Referrals Made
Committed to Human Capital Development
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Municipalities Impacted
13,200+
1,700+
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1,800+
Hours of Technical Support 4
Partner Companies
400+
Hours in Database Management and Candidate Screening
Retaining and Bringing Back Talent
55+
NGOs Impacted through our Initiatives
People Impacted
Hours of Training and Educational Workshops 5
Retaining and Attracting Talent
“We highly value our partnership with El Comeback at Red Ventures. Both organizations share the same mission: to make a lasting impact on Puerto Rico’s economy by attracting and retaining talent on the island. It’s been a great experience working with the Comeback team to spread the word and make people aware of all the great job opportunities we currently have on the island. Through the El Comeback program, we have contacted, interviewed, and hired amazing talent. Together, we are driving positive change and fostering a thriving professional community in Puerto Rico.”
El Comeback works to reverse Puerto Rico’s brain drain by connecting professional talent with jobs on the island. In March 2023, the program received a two-year $800,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA), which is part of the United States Department of Commerce, to achieve these four goals:
- Melissa Laffitte, Recruiter, Red Ventures Puerto Rico
“We recently hired a candidate through “El Comeback,” and the experience was great, and she has been an amazing addition to our team! We feel proud to support a program looking to continue building and elevating the professional pool in PR with candidates who have gained wonderful experiences and skills globally and connecting them back to their roots. There is great talent out there wanting to return home to PR, and this program represents a connector for organizations to have access to this diverse talent.” - Mercibel González, SVP & Chief People Officer at Abarca Health
“I was seeking opportunities in the corporate world or across different industries but did not believe that this was available to me in Puerto Rico. Fortunately, I registered with El Comeback, where I found a network of great resources and was able to apply for a job that offered what I was seeking.” - Emmy Aponte, hired as a Business Analyst at V2A Consulting 6
Change the perception of Puerto Rico’s economic landscape by highlighting job opportunities, growing industries, and quality of life. Develop a database of professional talent willing to stay or return to work on the island. Help companies fill job vacancies by connecting them with skilled talent on or off the island. Participate in United States job fairs to introduce El Comeback to young professionals willing to relocate to Puerto Rico for work.
As of November 2023, the EDA grant has allowed El Comeback to: Develop a digital infrastructure for a candidate database (currently at 3,400+ registered candidates), to offer dozens of jobs per week from 55+ partner companies (tech, finance, construction, and other service industries) and to supply recruiters with resumes for their consideration. Expand the reach of partner companies/ employers by reposting work opportunities in Puerto Rico on 25 different job boards. Launch a 16-month paid and geotargeted digital marketing campaign utilizing search, social, and programmatic ads; video and audio content; content marketing and alliances with influencers and podcasters to get candidates to apply for jobs on the island. Begin production of 20+ micro docs highlighting candidates who have taken jobs on the island and companies looking to retain and attract more of them.
Current opportunities: ElComebackPR.org/jobs Employers seeking talent: info@ElComebackPR.org
El Comeback’s distinctive approach uses paid media to promote opportunities to potential candidates who might not have been seeking to return to their homeland or might not have been considering working on the island. So far, it has compiled a select pool of skilled workers that companies on the island can access. It also uses a shotgun strategy to attract more individuals with all types of skill sets. This program is in its startup stage and will continue scaling up to serve more companies and industries while reaching more candidates in more markets.
¡AQUÍ HAY
TRABAJO! Follow El Comeback at:
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Developing the Next Generation of Workers
“Doing trustworthy philanthropy is an innovative model, which bets on emerging projects and on the fact that it is the nonprofit organizations that know best how to use the money. This philanthropic model truly helps build a sustainable path for local organizations. ConPRmetidos is clear about this, and thanks to that, Albanistería en la Brega has become stronger and has grown.” - Zulnette García, Executive Director of Albanistería en la Brega
“Skilled human labor professionals are essential for Puerto Rico’s recovery! Among our biggest challenges are to train and educate the people who will form our workforce. ConPRmetidos is strongly committed and actively contributing to reach this goal.” - Vanessa de Mari-Monserrate, AIA Chairwoman, Puerto Rico Builders Association
Aligned to our focus on human capital, ConPRmetidos has been shifting its grantmaking efforts to support and develop projects that offer comprehensive training and skills development in addition to job placement services. In 2022 and 2023, ConPRmetidos partnered with and gave financial support to local nonprofit partners, such as Albanistería en la Brega, Mumas Renaciendo, and Monte Azul, to develop much-needed skills, such as sewing, cabinetmaking, and sustainable farming, in poor and rural areas of Puerto Rico where employment opportunities are few. These trainings enabled women, girls, and farmers to take steps towards reaching their full economic potential and achieve a better quality of life for themselves and their families.
The Impact
People who Developed their Skills
1,749 11-70 Hours of Skills Training/Workshops
Age Range of Participants
ConPRmetidos Construimos (Construction Workforce Training)
It is estimated that to meet the current needs of the island’s construction industry and to continue the efforts of rebuilding Puerto Rico following the devastation of hurricanes and earthquakes, more than 50,000 skilled laborers must be hired. ConPRmetidos seeks to address this pressing need for the next generation of skilled workers while addressing the island’s high unemployment rate by providing scholarships for cabinetmaking and carpentry courses and offering transportation vouchers plus comprehensive professional development, mentoring, and job placement services. This pilot project has the potential to scale up to impact lowincome communities across Puerto Rico, unemployed people, women who have been historically excluded from these careers/sectors, and residents in underserved areas outside of the metropolitan area.
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8
160
Source: Association of General Contractors of Puerto Rico (AGC-PR)
Our Goals
65+ 460+
Scholarships Provided by ConPRmetidos
Hours of Skills Training/Workshops
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“The most powerful tool for success and achieving personal goals is education. Having the opportunity to choose careers that excite and maintain your curiosity throughout life, along with an eagerness to learn, transforms not only your life but also the lives of those around you. A Career Pathway Summit is an excellent way to expose our youth to these opportunities.” - Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez
“Digital skills have become the gateway to economic success, both for individuals and companies looking to succeed in the 21st-century economy. For an individual, digital skills can mean economic mobility and the opportunity to access higher-paying jobs. In Puerto Rico, we understand that to see sustained economic growth, we needed to adopt a talent-centered approach and invest in the entire education spectrum, from K-12 in addition to reskilling the current workforce. That is where 21st Century Techforce comes in as a strategy to double the number of Puerto Ricans going into a tech career and growing our tech workforce. We believe this will position Puerto Rico as the place to be in the Caribbean to launch or grow your tech company for many years. A Career Pathway Summit is one of the many strategies to help us drive this message.”
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- Humberto Mercader, Deputy Secretary for Strategy of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DEDC).
Identifying Career Pathways in Puerto Rico The government of Puerto Rico has determined that one of the most critical needs for the island’s economic development is skilled and prepared human capital able to power its economy. Therefore, ConPRmetidos is going to engage in more actions impacting local employment opportunities and career pathways. Our efforts will include organizing a summit that will showcase careers of the future and the specific skills and talents needed for these in Puerto Rico. Our goal is to inspire and direct local youth to pursue relevant studies and jobs that address Puerto Rico’s specific future needs. This event will also be structured to engage people from the Puerto Rican diaspora to take a closer look at returning to the island by showcasing the different industries and job opportunities that exist here now, ready for their applications.
Planned Activities Industry tracks and panels with top industry leaders Industry panels to understand the general situation of each industry Share present and future career opportunities with high school students Career Fair – targeted at local and diaspora talent Break-out rooms to deep dive into specific subjects/topics Participation of El Comeback partner companies and others Booths – Universities, Technical Colleges, Vocational Schools Resumé building and mock-interviews Possible Tracks – Technology, Construction, Green Jobs, and Hospitality, among others that will be determined
Expected Impact
1,000 Students Participating
400
Professionals/ Companies Participating 11
“Through the NGO Readiness & Disaster Mitigation initiative, ConPRmetidos has been a catalyst in the restructuring of Mar Educados and in the development of our new approach aimed at mental health. Mar Educados was founded because of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, so participating in a program focused on strengthening organizations so that they are ready for the next emergency has been wonderful.” - Marta Rivera, Executive Director of Mar Educados
Strengthening Local NGOs Nonprofit organizations have played an essential role in Puerto Rico’s emergency response and long-term recovery, in addition to providing critical services to vulnerable communities. Recognizing the importance of the island’s third sector, ConPRmetidos has continued to provide technical assistance and professional workshops to strengthen Puerto Rico’s local NGOs. This year, we continued our technical support efforts and allocated funds to hire professionals to continue building capacity in Puerto Rico’s third sector. Organizations received help in areas such as strategic planning, local and federal tax exemption fillings, operational structure, communications, website management, grant writing, and project coordination, with five interns placed in five organizations to provide additional staff support. Through the NGO Readiness & Disaster Mitigation initiative, nonprofit organizations worked on the following challenges: structure a board of directors with the appropriate capacities, develop an organizational strategic plan and a permanent emergency fund in case of future disasters, identify new strategies to increase its financial capacity, support the organization in the retention of its current workforce, assist the organization to expand its personnel and number of volunteers, develop the organizational capacity for mitigation, among other related topics.
“Since Procafe’s beginning, ConPRmetidos has been there for us, and because of this we have been able to execute several projects and impact many people. Recently, we needed to structure and update our management systems and hire a new executive director in order to strengthen the organization. ConPRmetidos helped us through this process by hiring consultant Cristina Salazar, who has been of great help since many of us did not have that knowledge.”
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- Iris Jannette Rodríguez, President of Productores de Café de Puerto Rico (Procafé)
NGOs Impacted
Women’s Rights and Empowerment
Mental Health
Workforce Development
Agriculture
Health Education and Prevention
Food Security
Legal Access
Resiliency
Volunteerism
Digital Literacy
Youth Development
Education
Economic Development
1,700+
Technical Support Hours Provided
$49,000+ Value of In-kind Hours
This effort is possible thanks to ConPRmetidos’ donor support, in addition to major funding allocated by the United States Department of the Treasury, “American Rescue Plan Act,” “Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds,” through the Financial Advisory Authority and Tax Agency of Puerto Rico (AAFAF).
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Areas these organizations are impacting:
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Empowering Communities Through Education “For us, ConPRmetidos has been a blessing because they were the first to provide us with help after Hurricane María. This year, ConPRmetidos’ funding has provided the support we need to bring resilience tools to our community. Books, training, and school visits… true resilience is education.” - Lirio Marquez, Executive Director of Vieques Conservation & Historical Trust
“ConPRmetidos helped us to develop La Magia de Leer and we included it in our educational platform AA Academy Workshop. This made it possible for us to offer stories, with reading comprehension exercises, to more than 85,000 users [who are students and teachers]. And for this we are very grateful.” - Paula Rivera, Executive Director of Fundación Atención Atención
We believe that education is essential to a better quality of life. From community resiliency and learning to digital literacy and reading, ConPRmetidos partnered with Fundación Atención Atención, Conocimiento Digital en Tus Manos, Piñones Aprende y Emprende, and the Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust, to support the empowerment of communities in need through many workshops and hours of learning.
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members of a community in Loiza participated in workshops on the following topics: positive parenting, cybersecurity, breast cancer prevention, nutrition, sign language, and received first aid certifications.
residents of Vieques obtained their Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) certification after completing a 3-day training course.
13,000+ People Directly Impacted
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adults and elderly citizens have received digital education workshops and individual tutoring. They have now a better understanding of their phone and have also learned about technology security.
150+
Hours of Educational Workshops
428
students from elementary schools in Adjuntas, Arecibo, Corozal, Morovis, Ponce, Sabana Grande, Utuado, and Vega Baja developed their reading comprehension and writing skills in a fun way while integrating arts and crafts.
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Schools Impacted
85,000+ students and teachers now have access to a mathematics, language acquisition, and reading in an integrated manner module on the online platform “AA Academy”.
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Communities Impacted 15
OUR TEAM
OUR BOARD Miguel Ferrer
Elena Hernández
Chairman Principal, MAF Strategies LLC
Mili Landrón
Founding Associate, Causa Strategies
Juan Ramos
Director of Strategic Planning, Best Option Healthcare
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Camille Álvarez
Vice Chair & Treasurer Principal, GenTrust
General Counsel In-House Counsel, The Strategic Group
Carlos Meléndez
Isabel Rullán
Secretary Executive Director, ConPRmetidos
Anabel Pérez Wills
Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder, Wovenware
Director of Institutional Advancement, Greenwich Country Day School
Inés Soler
Eric Stephenson
Chief Operating Officer Ignis Business Services, LLC
Director, Align Impact
Isabel Rullán
Ana Laura Miranda
Executive Director
Program Manager, El Comeback
Miguel Ortíz
Former Program Officer, El Comeback
Giannina Trigo
Program Associate, El Comeback
Aurora Hernández Galliano Program Manager, Collaborative Impact
Larissa González Nieves
Vanessa Montenegro
Operations Lead
Deborah Rodríguez
Program Officer, Collaborative Impact
Project Coordinator, NGO Readiness & Disaster Mitigation, Collaborative Impact
Erika O’Neill
Communications Lead
Raquel Marti
Workshop & Technical Assistance Provider NGO Readiness & Disaster Mitigation, Collaborative Impact
Lisandra Vélez
Communications Intern
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OUR PARTNERS Albanistería en la Brega Alianza para el Control de Enfermedades Crónicas Asociación de Comunidades Unidas Tomando Acción Solidaria (ACUTAS) Atrévete Hazlo Casa Juana Colón Apoyo y Orientación A La Mujer Casa Protegida Julia de Burgos Conocimiento Digital en Tus Manos (CoDEM) Fundación Atención Atención Hogar del Buen Pastor Impacto Juventud Instituto de Carpintería Instituto Tecnológico de Vieques Mar Educados Mentes Puertorriqueñas en Acción Mumas Renaciendo Monte Azul Foundation Para Servirle PR Piñones Aprende y Emprende (PAYE) Plenitud PR Productores de Café de Puerto Rico (PROCAFE) PROTECHOS Puerto Rico Rise Up Red Nacional de Albergues de Violencia de Género Resiliency Law Center Tenedor Social Vieques Conservation & Historical Trust 18
Abarca Alivia Health Ashford Ventures Asociación de Contratistas Generales de América, Capítulo de Puerto Rico (AGC-PR) Ballester Hermanos, Inc. B. Fernández & Hnos., Inc. Banco Popular Biopharma Consulting Services BrainHI Buena Vibra Burson Cohn & Wolfe Careers, LLC CEGsoft Connect Assistance CSA Group CUVRO Departamento de Desarrollo Económico y Comercio de Puerto Rico (DDEC) Dorado Services, LLC Evertec First Bank FLEXIO Foundation for Puerto Rico Fulcro Insurance Fusionworks GFR Media GenTrust Granicus
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT OUR WORK Growth Factors IEM Invid Invest PR IREC Liberty Communications Lord Construction Manor Bridge Capital Marvel Designs Money Group MyDPO Nagnoi Nationwide TFS, LLC OcyonBio Opascope Oriental Bank Oxford Tutors Piloto 151 Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association Puerto Rico Supplies RCM Technologies Red Ventures Sustech TransPerfect Validation & Engineering Group, Inc. V2A Wovenware ZetaMinusOne
Other Ways to Support Us Join the club at www.committedtopr.org!
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@conprmetidos corp
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For One-time Donations While Puerto Ricans possess great willpower and resiliency, skill development is needed to achieve their greatest potential. Recurring monthly donations will also help bring stability to our organization so that our team can focus its time and resources on what matters the most:
HELPING PUERTO RICO! This is an opportunity for people worldwide to boost Puerto Rico’s transformation through recurrent giving. Each month, you can donate $10, $50, $100, among other amounts! ideas@conprmetidos.org 787-665-5673
Send a Check by Direct Mail ConPRmetidos 1250 Ave Ponce de Leon Ste 301 PMB 0327 San Juan, PR 00907
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KEEP IN TOUCH AT: conprmetidos.org