Mesoamerican Reef Leadership Program

Conserving the reefs of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras

Allies

Mesoamerican Reef Leadership Program (MAR-L) aims to accelerate conservation impacts across the Mesoamerican Reef System (MAR) ecoregion, which spans Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala. To achieve this, the program fosters capacity building and strengthens the talent of individuals who lead and implement high-impact projects in the region.

MAR-L provides its participants with specialized mentorship, leadership tools, and opportunities for connection and exchange through collaborative networks, helping them become agents of change in the region.

Since 2023, as part of the MAR+Invest initiative, new generations have focused on driving market-based solutions and ventures that generate positive impacts on reef ecosystems. MAR+Invest is a financial and business development mechanism designed to attract private capital to support and fund these types of initiatives throughout the SAM region.

Context

MAR-L has become a key platform for scaling projects and creating synergies internationally. Over the past 15 years, it has achieved significant results at different levels: it has strengthened the professional development of individuals committed to the conservation of the Mesoamerican Reef System (SAM), driven profound personal transformation among its participants, and built a strong network of leaders who collaborate actively across the region. These accomplishments have led to high-impact actions that are generating positive changes for the conservation of the MAR and benefiting more than two million people who depend on the health of the reef.

Looking ahead, the program aims to continue developing regional talent and strengthening the MAR-L network through a long-term strategic approach. This effort will promote collective action and enable the replication of successful projects that can accelerate, scale, and amplify measurable impacts. In doing so, we will contribute to the implementation of effective conservation actions across the MAR region.

The lines of work that guide MAR-L’s actions are as follows:

Recruitment of talent and launch of annual cohorts with leaders from the four countries (Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala).
Development of technical and soft skills.
Specialized support in the design and implementation of high-impact projects.
Creation of a network of leaders exchanging knowledge and collaborating toward shared goals.

MAR-L benefits more than 2 million people who depend on the reef’s health.

Achievements

Over 15 years of operation, MAR-L has trained more than 130 leaders from Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, and has incubated more than 65 conservation projects. More than 60 leaders have taken on positions of greater responsibility, and 25 have influenced public policy in their countries. Connections made through the program have resulted in 38 multinational synergies, and more than 25 leaders have received funding from MAR-L to implement their projects or provide consulting services.

In 2024, the 2023 cohort graduated, made up of 21 leaders. During the program, they developed 14 subprojects based on nature-based solutions with a market approach, covering topics such as coral reef restoration, invasive species control, waste management and recycling, and sustainable food production. These topics reflect the diversity and potential of nature-based businesses in the region. Of these, four subprojects are already in the implementation phase, and eleven are led by women whose initiatives are driving economic and ecological change with significant social impact.

During this period, progress was also made on the design of the 2025 cohort, with the call for applications launched at the beginning of the year. This upcoming generation will focus on attracting changemakers from all four countries who are interested in developing investments and promoting Positive Impact Businesses and Enterprises (NEI+) throughout the ecoregion.