Become a Steward of Public Education in Nosara
where children, nature, and community flourish together.
Nosara’s magic lives in its nature and its people. For this community we all love to continue thriving, its well-being must reach everyone, especially our local children. Yet despite Nosara’s growth and prosperity, this is not translating into better conditions for students. Let’s empower our public schools—serving more than 1,300 students, to become the transforming heart of our community.
From Nosara to the World: Education in Harmony with Nature
In Costa Rica, and around the world, children and youth often learn through static, classroom-based methods instead of building real connections through hands-on, experiential learning that empowers them to engage with nature and create solutions within their own communities.
With education budgets in Costa Rica reduced from 8% to 4.8% of GDP and a crisis in the Costa Rican education system, rural communities like Nosara face widening learning gaps alongside an escalating environmental crisis.
Guardians of Nature is transforming this reality by advancing hands-on, nature-based, and community-based education in Nosara’s schools, designing scalable blueprints, and working with the Ministry of Education of Costa Rica for national adoption.
By 2030, Costa Rica will serve as the world’s living lab for education in harmony with nature, starting here in Nosara.
Do you care about children, education, and nature? Real change takes a village. Nosara is ready. Will you join the movement?
Together, let's make Nosara schools the heart of community transformation.
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Key outcomes
After investing in this campaign, you’ll…
1. Empower schools through strong community collaboration to improve learning environments
We unite schools, families, businesses, and private and public education communities to strengthen local schools.
Through environmental improvements, community workdays, and strategic partnerships, we improve learning environments, mobilize collective support, and expand opportunities for all students.
2. Strengthen hands-on learning to increase student motivation and engagement
Support the creation of edible and pollinator gardens, recycling systems, and other green initiatives in local schools — complemented by eco field trips, expert-led workshops, and hands-on learning that weaves nature and community into everyday education. Our goal is to help Nosara’s schools become 5-Star Eco Blue Flag leaders, transforming education while protecting nature, and to strengthen and refine the work we are doing so it can be adopted at the national level.
3. Support essential school needs to ensure safe, functional, and effective learning environments
We support school leaders in moving their priorities forward by building strategic connections within the community and mobilizing in-kind resources and collective support.
What you’ll invest in and why… .
Milestone 1.
A Dedicated Team to Accompany Schools and Activate Community Support
Funding goal: $30,000
Why this is critical?
Transforming schools doesn’t happen through isolated efforts, it requires coordination, trust, and sustained support. This milestone funds a dedicated School Community Coordinator, supported by a team that strengthens learning. The Coordinator is the backbone of implementation, connecting schools with families, local businesses, volunteers, and public partners to turn vision into action, while also propelling student leadership. By mobilizing in-kind donations, organizing community days, and strengthening local alliances, this role ensures school priorities move from plans on paper to tangible, visible results on the ground, empowering students to become active change agents in their communities. Budget breakdown:
School Community Coordinator (Annual Compensation): $24,000
Supportive teaching team: $6,000
Milestone 2
Greening Schools - Gardens, Pollinators, Recycling, Eco Fieldtrips and Hands on Learning
Funding goal: $21,200
Why this is critical?
Taking students on eco field trips, creating stingless native bees, pollinator and edible gardens, and waste management connect students with nature and their community, enriching learning and fostering stewardship. Your support funds supplies, hands-on workshops, and actions that bring regenerative practices to life. Also, the creation of a Biodiversity Index and a biodiversity census in 3 schools. Budget breakdown:
Educational Resources $6500
Field Trips and Green Project Supplies: $6200
Books (The Guardian of Nature Stories) —$1000 (166 students)
Pictures, films of the transformation: $2500
Eco Blue Flag Expansion support: $5,000
Milestone 3
Principal Support
Seed Funding goal: $10,904
Why is this critical?
This seed funding acts as catalytic capital. It allows us to respond directly to principals’ most urgent and attainable needs — projects that are within reach and can be activated quickly, rather than large-scale infrastructure such as building new classrooms. By focusing on feasible improvements, we unlock significantly greater value through in-kind donations and pro bono support, accelerating tangible progress while strengthening community ownership.
Budget breakdown:
Seed funding per school: $1,557.71
💚 HOPE GROWS IN NOSARA AND INSPIRES BEYOND 🌱
Did you know?
🌅 Teachers’ Reality: Most teachers in Nosara’s public schools endure long commutes from Nicoya and beyond, waking up at 4 a.m., teaching double shifts, and getting home around 7 p.m. to care for their families.
📚 Schools Under Pressure: Costa Rica’s school year runs from February to December, but with education budgets slashed from the constitutionally guaranteed 8% of GDP to just 4.8%, schools are struggling to cover even basic needs.
🌱 The Science: Recent research underscores what we've known for years: nature connectedness is a root cause of the environmental crisis. The most effective interventions involve engaging children and families with nature. While rural areas have more abundant natural resources, they’re often taken for granted or undervalued.
🌿 The Bigger Picture: Costa Rica is a global environmental leader, but to truly empower the next generation of Guardians of Nature, its education system must evolve. Let’s make it a model for the world—starting right here in Nosara!
JOIN US! Here’s how we lead the way…
Vision:
Integrate nature into the heart of learning to improve the quality of education and tackle the environmental crisis, with Costa Rica’s education system as a living innovation lab for the world.
Mission:
To educate and empower students, educators and families as Guardians of Nature from their schools and homes through the collaboration and collective impact of the government, private sector, and civil society
Description:
Our organization focuses on systemic, scalable solutions that tackle the environmental crisis and improve education quality for the well-being of people and the planet
www.movimientoguardianes.org
OUR WORK
IN ACTION
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