DISASTER RESPONSE GRANTS (DRG)
TRF Fund Development Manager Mark Anderson reports the rapid turnaround in Grants in relation to Covid-19. While there appear to be no DRG’s approved for Australia or New Zealand, the Philippines has fared well with 7 of the 10 Districts receiving Grants. These are changing times and it is great to see the rapid response of The Rotary Foundation and Rotarians to this Pandemic. As you can see over US$13m spent so far.
Grant type
Number
Total funding
Global grants (new applications)
92
$8,642,032
Global grants (repurposed funds within existing grants)
35
$372,334
Disaster response grants
163
$4,046,539
 
Donations to The Rotary Foundation continue to be a priority as the end of the year approaches. And whether your preference is for the Annual Fund, End Polio or this Disaster Fund, you know that each $$ you and your club donate is going to be multiplied and managed for the best possible outcomes. So enjoy these amazing choices as the year comes to a close over coming weeks!!
 
MONTHLY FIGHTING FUNDS
How is your fundraising going? It is certainly tricky when we are all locked away indoors, but it is not impossible.
Our weekly Rotary meetings have been cancelled. Every Rotarian no longer spends $20 $30pw on lunches/dinners/breakfast. As mentioned in a previous newsletter, why don’t we create Fighting Funds where Rotarians divert what they would have spent to help others and create velocity of money that helps everyone. The R100 celebration team make the following suggestions:
  • Buy the technology to run meetings electronically
  • Buy R100 centenary banners from Minuteman Press in Prahran; a Rotary business that we need to keep alive
  • Give $500 to a Rotarian that loses their job
  • Fast track bushfire, flood and drought relief into village shops
  • Hire refugees to deliver food and toilet paper to disadvantaged folk or those who are self isolated
  • Engage with Rotaractors to shop for the elderly
  • Whatever helps Rotarians and fast tracks Rotary projects that impact our communities
  • Do it every week until we are allowed to meet face to face again
  • Collect the money electronically and spend every cent before we are allowed to gather face to face again
The thinking is that by taking such action:
  • It costs no more than we currently spend each week
  • It keeps Rotarians engaged and focussed
  • Every club/cluster/district already has the capacity to take action
So please give it serious consideration as we take on yet another month of separation.
 
4WAYS TO ENGAGE ONLINE
  • Are you looking for ideas to engage members while we’re physically distancing ourselves from each other? Has your club started meeting online? Here are some of our favourite resources to help (CTRL click the embedded links):
  • Watch membership webinars and speeches from recent conventions and the International Assembly in the new Club Programming collection on Vimeo. 
Find more resources at rotary.org/membership .
 
CHANGEOVERS COVID-19 STYLE
The season is fast approaching and no doubt you and your club members will be wondering what the options might be and how the party might look this year.
A D9800 Rotarian Stephen Sennett from the Melbourne e-club recently produced this excellent article on Virtual changeovers.
It is a well-written article and discusses options for changeovers during CV-19 restrictions. https://medium.com/@ssennett.au/virtual-changeovers-c0103ebe23f5 
It is likely to get in next RDU and in the Rotary on the Move publication, and worth considering over coming weeks.
 
To read more of DG's eNews see here.