St. Maarten Development Fund

The St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF) is a non-governmental organization on St. Maarten, actively working to improve the lives of St. Maarten’s most vulnerable. Established on May 30, 2012, SMDF supports national development via the execution and financing of social development programs and projects. Be it a foster home, emergency shelter, food pantry, or community park, SMDF strives to support initiatives that improve the lives of the people of St. Maarten in meaningful ways. We firmly believe that the NGOs, through their programs and projects, are changing lives.

Local Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) often called NGOs or CSOs, contribute for a large part to the social chemistry of St. Maarten. In 2018, Foresee Foundation saw the need to connect these organizations with the aim to further structure civil society sector, promote their achievements and strengthen their capacity though workshops and professional development opportunities. NPOwer started up with initial funding by the Dutch Disaster Fund after hurricane Irma and is currently mainly funded by Samenwerkende Fondsen who envisions strong communities by the hard work of non-profits, often done voluntarily.