District Grants
District grants fund small-scale, short-term activities that address needs in the local community.
 
Who is eligible
Rotary Clubs in District 5150 who are certified by the District to manage Rotary Foundation funding (via the grant qualification process) may apply for the District Grant program.
 
What they support
The Rotary District 5150 District Grants Program provides funding to Rotary Clubs for local community humanitarian projects.  A District Grant can be used to fund local community or international humanitarian projects in the areas of youth, elderly, literacy, or community or Rotary International’s  Seven (7) Areas of Focus.
 
Where does District Grant funding come from?
District Designated Funds (DDF) provide funding for District Grants and Global Grants.  Each Club is allocated DDF annually by District 5150 based on the Club’s prior 3 years of donations to The Rotary Foundation’s (TRF) Annual Fund.   Estimated DDF allocations for the coming Rotary year are sent to Club Presidents and President-Elects by the end of April each year.
 
Here are some examples of District Grant projects in District 5150:
Community Projects
  • Teacher Mini-Grants 
  • Dictionary Distribution for 3rd Grade Students 
  • RYLA Scholarships
  • Community Food Banks
  • Rotary Park Improvement
  • Furnishings for Center for Domestic Peace
  • Rotacare
  • Yurok Tribe Playground Installation 
  • Thanksgiving Dinners for Low-Income Families
  • Bay Cruise and Movie for Low-Income Children with Disabilities
  • Hams for Single Moms
  • Solar car project
  • Tree planting
  • Hepatitis B Awareness and Screening Initiative
  • Van for HealthRight 360
  • Food items for Marin Oaks Culinary Class
  • Community Garden
  • Build and place “Little Free Library Book Stations” throughout neighborhoods for book exchanges
International Projects
  • H2Open Doors water purification projects
  • Sanitary Products for Girls in Uganda 
  • Food vouchers for SafePlace in Greece
Here are some examples of District Grant projects in other Rotary Districts
Community Projects
  • Fund transportation of elementary students to visit downtown library and provide each with a book
  • Build and place “Little Free Library Book Stations” throughout neighborhoods for book exchanges
  • Create a walking path to encourage residents to exercise and combat obesity
  • Provide comfort bags to Alaskan children in the foster care system
  • Provide backpacks and school supplies for low income children
  • Build outdoor gardens at local elementary schools
  • Provide bikes and helmets for underprivileged and low income children
  • Provide books to a local library
International Projects
  • Solar lighting, sanitation and creation of room for school children in India
  • Build ten toilets for girls in a public school in Nepal
  • Provide laptop computers to scholarship students from Project Amigo in Colima, Mexico
  • Partial funding to build a community center in Tijuana with focus on youth, children and women
  • Fund wheelchair lift for school bus to bring disabled children from surrounding areas into city to attend school
  • Provide treated mosquito nets at an orphanage in Uganda
  • Provide food, school supplies and utility bill assistance to a school for the deaf in Mexico
  • Purchase tuktuk to provide meals to homebound seniors in Guatemala
  • Vocational Training Teams (VTT) of professionals who travel internationally to teach local professionals about their field or to learn more about the field themselves
  • Fund Global Grant community assessments
What can a District Grant NOT be used for?
District Grants cannot be used for:
  • Unrestricted cash donations to a beneficiary or cooperating organization
  • Operating, administrative, or indirect program expenses of another organization
  • Matching funds for any other project
  • Reimbursement for previously completed projects 
  • Purchasing land or buildings
  • Fundraising activities and expenses related to Rotary events such as conferences, institutes, anniversary celebrations, or entertainment activities
 
How to apply
First, your club must be qualified. Contact the Grants Chair or District Governor Elect for details.  Then, complete the District Grant Application by May 1 of the year prior to the Rotary Year you wish to use the grant. Only Clubs certified to administer Rotary Foundation funds (have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and have the appropriate members trained) may apply to use their DDF funds for a District Grant. 
 
Grant requirements
All projects must be hands-on, local community, projects done by members of your Rotary Club and completed by May 1 of the Rotary year the project is completed. If a club fails to submit the Final Report timely, there will be no District Grant available to the club for the following Rotary Year.