The Grenadian government is pioneering a groundbreaking initiative to safeguard the nation’s cultural heritage through structured corporate sponsorship. The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture has unveiled the National Cultural Adoption and Sponsorship Programme (NCASP), mandating statutory boards and state-owned enterprises to formally adopt recognized cultural organizations as part of their strategic development investments.
During a pivotal meeting convened on February 4th at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room, Chief Cultural Officer Kelvin Jacob presented the comprehensive framework to 43 representatives from 23 public entities. The assembly, attended by Minister of Finance Dennis Cornwall and Tourism Minister Adrian Thomas, marked a significant step toward addressing chronic underfunding in cultural preservation.
The innovative program establishes a formal partnership model requiring every statutory body and state-owned enterprise to integrate cultural support into their approved annual budgets. Each participating organization must allocate a predetermined percentage of its operational budget—subject to Cabinet approval and oversight by the Ministry of Finance—to support adopted cultural entities.
This strategic intervention directly tackles the persistent challenges facing cultural organizations, including limited institutional capacity and over-reliance on government subventions. Despite their crucial role in preserving Grenada’s national identity and fostering social cohesion, these organizations have historically operated with inadequate financial support and uncoordinated funding mechanisms.
Minister Thomas reported overwhelmingly positive reception from participants, who unanimously endorsed the framework as timely, practical, and forward-looking. The initiative has been characterized as the foundation for a broader national movement toward cultural investment, with expectations that the private sector will eventually emulate the public sector’s commitment.
The implementation architecture includes robust accountability measures: the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, will maintain a national registry of cultural entities, monitor program execution, and present an annual State of Culture Partnership Report to Cabinet. This transparent approach aims to ensure effective utilization of resources across traditional festival committees, community cultural groups, and heritage sites.
The NCASP represents a transformative approach to cultural sustainability, promising enhanced institutional capacity, reduced dependence on central government funding, and improved governance within Grenada’s creative economy sector.