Institutional Barriers and Challenges to Financial Resilience in Amazonian Territories: The Case of the Common Fund n Ecuador (2019-2023)

Abstract

This article analyzes the institutional barriers faced by Decentralized Autonomous Governments (GADs) and local actors in the Ecuadorian Amazon in accessing funding from the Common Fund, administered by the STCTEA—a mechanism aimed at channeling public resources toward sustainable territorial development. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study examines 926 projects submitted between 2019 and 2023 and surveys 58 key stakeholders in the province of Pastaza. The findings reveal a 78.4% gap between requested and approved funds, geographic allocation biases, and perceived exclusion related to technical requirements and decision-making mechanisms. Barriers identified include regulatory rigidity, lack of technical assistance, and the absence of redistributive criteria. Within the framework of institutional resilience, the study proposes a reconfiguration of the funding model based on adaptability, transparency, and territorial equity. This article contributes to the debate on organizational adaptation in highly complex contexts, proposing institutional reforms that strengthen the State’s capacity to manage development from an intercultural and redistributive perspective.