From Rotary International:
“Assessing your community’s strengths, weaknesses, needs, and assets is an essential first step in planning an effective project. By taking the time to learn about your community, you can discover the best opportunities for service and maximize your club’s ability to make an impact.”
“While conducting an assessment, also be sure to manage expectations. Communities should understand the benefits of partnering with Rotary and how that partnership requires their involvement, contribution, and ownership.”
Types of assessments
You can combine or adapt the following six assessments to best suit your club’s resources and the preferences of community members:
- Community meeting
- Asset inventory
- Survey
- Interview
- Focus group
- Community mapping
Your Foundations Chair's thoughts related to Community Needs Assessment and Global Grants:
Identify a community. Communicate to District 3360 Foundation Committee the plan to launch an assessment. Communicate with the community the possible advantages of partnering with Rotary. Conduct a community needs assessment. Identify and prioritize needs identified by the community assessment. Do identified needs align with children’s safety, health and education? Do the identified needs align under one or more of the now seven areas of focus as defined by The Rotary Foundation (TRF)? Can a project be defined based on community needs? If the project is less than 30,000 USD can the club support it? If the project is 30,000 USD or greater and aligns under club and TRF emphasis areas can the club support and find partners to support the request for a Global Grant?