GLOBAL GRANTS
Introduction
Global grants support large international projects with long-term, sustainable outcomes in one or more of Rotary’s areas of focus. They are usually funded by a combination of three sources: 1) The Rotary Foundation; 2) District Designated Funds (DDF); and 3) Club contributions. Depending on how funds from these three sources are combined, the minimum global grant is usually for $30,000 to $40,000.
Global grants include Vocational Training Teams (VTT) and Scholarship Grants. For more information on these grants, go to http://www.rotary5470.org/SitePage/vocational-training-teams-(vtts) or http://www.rotary5470.org/SitePage/scholarships. Additional information on these programs is available from The Rotary Foundation at https://grants.rotary.org/s_main.jsp?lang=1.
District grants fund small-scale, short-term projects that address immediate needs in your community or abroad. Information specific to district grants is available at http://www.rotary5470.org/SitePage/district-grants.
Guide to Global Grants
Most of the information required to initiate and carry out a global grant can be found at the Rotary Grant Center website. To reach this website, go to https://my.rotary.org/en and log in. Choose Grant Center in the Apply for Grants folder, which is under the
Take Action folder . If you are new to the Rotary website you must Register for an Account. Detailed information required to initiate and carry out a global grant is available in the links under Grant Resources. You will refer to this site often. Make a bookmark.
The Guide to Global Grants provides most of the essential information. Page 2 of this guide has a link that gives the names of regional grants officers for all regions. If you are planning a project for Senegal, District 9102, you will find the name and telephone number of the grant officer for this region. The regional grant officer can assist you with preparation of the application. They will guide your application through the TRF review process and they will be available to assist with implementation of your project. Developing a good relationship with your regional grants officer can be very useful.
Clubs may participate in global grants only when they are “Qualified”, as described on Page 6 of the Guide to Global Grants. To be “Qualified”:
- A club Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) must be signed and filed each year with our district Foundation Chair.
- At least one member of the participating club must be certified to participate in global grants. Certification is achieved by attending one of the certification classes offered occasionally throughout our district. Renewal of certification can be done by taking an on-line class. Contact our district Foundation Chair for more details.
Although several clubs may participate in a global grant, one club will serve as the International Partner, and one club will serve as the Host partner. The International Partner must be certified. The roles played the two cubs may vary considerably. However, they most often follow the description on page 15 of the Guide to Global Grants.
Terms and Conditions for Rotary Foundation District Grants and Global Grants
This file, which is available under Grant Resources on the Rotary Grant Center website, should be studied early in the planning stage. It provides much essential information on rules and regulations regarding application for and management of global grants.
Finding a Host Club and Project
Finding a reliable host club and a viable project may be the biggest obstacle to developing a new global grant project. Many projects start with someone in your club or a nearby club who has a connection with a developing country. Rotary clubs in the region you wish to serve can be reached through the RI website. Peter Jeschofnig’s International Service News is a great source of information on global grant projects carried out in our district. Peter often knows of potential host clubs that are looking for international partners. Good projects may be discovered through the global grant fairs that are held by some districts. https://my.rotary.org/en/exchange-ideas/project-fairs. Ecuador and West Africa hold such fairs to connect host and international partners. Clubs looking for a host partner can ask district governors in regions of interest for assistance. Clubs can pledge support for projects that are currently in the early stages of preparation by visiting http://www.matchinggrants.org/.
Completing the Application
If you have not prepared the on-line application previously, you may wish to look at some successful applications, which can be accessed on-line at the Rotary Grant Center. Click on Grant Search in the upper right corner. You can search for all grants administered through our district by grant title, grant number or area of focus.
Pay special attention to Step 10, Sustainability. Consult Six Steps to Sustainability under Grant Resources on the Rotary Grant Center. Note also that TRF usually does not fund projects that provide only equipment. TRF usually requires a training component. This is a good question to pose to your regional grant officer.
To start the application, scroll to the bottom of the Apply for a Grant page on the Rotary Grant Center and click Apply for a Grant. Choose Global Grant and Let’s Begin. You must complete Step 1 before you can access other parts of the application. When you have completed Step 1, TRF assigns a global grant number. Your application is now in the DRAFT mode. The Primary Contacts in both the International and the Host clubs can work on the application.
The participants in the project and their roles will be described in Step 7. The International and the Host clubs are two of the participants. Projects may include a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that will carry out some parts of the project. An MOU for the NGO must be included in the application. Complete and upload form Cooperating Organization Memorandum of Understanding under Grant Resources on the Rotary Grant Center. This is also the step where a Vocational Training Team (VTT) will be described. Complete forms Vocational Training Team Itinerary and Vocational Training Team Member Application under Grant Resources on the Rotary Grant Center.
Although Host Clubs may contribute substantial funding, locating funding for a project is usually the responsibility of the International Club. Your plan for funding the project will be given in Step 9 of the application. Note that TRF no longer matches funding from clubs. However, depending on the amount of DDF (District Designated Funds) available, our district may match funding from clubs in our district 1.25:1. TRF matches DDF 1:1. For example, if 2 clubs in our district give $2,000 and $8,000, our district Global Grants Committee may provide $12,500 to match the total of the contributions from the clubs. TRF will provide an additional $12,500. In this example, $10,000 from the two clubs leads to a total budget of $35,000. You may find the Global Grant Calculator useful (see Grant Resources on the Rotary Grant Center).
To be sure that DDF will be available for your project, you must submit an application to the district Global Grants Committee. Complete this form DDF Request Form and submit it to the committee chair.
The document How to Use the Grant Center may be useful as you complete the application. It can be downloaded from Grant Resources on the Rotary Grant Center website.
Authorization and Submission to TRF
When the two primary contacts agree that the application is complete, they must Authorize it. Look for the Authorization Button at the end of the application. After the application has been authorized, it can be changed only by TRF staff. Because several months are likely to pass before the application can be approved and funded, it is important that the application is thorough and complete before authorizing. Do not authorize it before receiving approval for requested DDF by the district Global Grants Committee.
Following authorization by the primary contacts, authorization by both district governors and Rotary Foundation Chairs will be required. When all required authorizations have been made, the application will be submitted automatically to TRF for review. The application has now moved from Draft to Submitted status.
Project Initiation and Reporting
Results of the TRF review will be sent to the primary contacts and several others by the regional grants officer. If the application is approved, the club responsible for financial management will open a bank account that is used only for this global grant. The document How to Use the Grant Center may prove useful. It can be downloaded from Grant Resources on the Rotary Grant Center website.
Information about this account will be provided to TRF through an on-line form. Instructions for guiding the club contributions to this account, either directly or through TRF, will be provided. The presidents for the international and the host clubs must authorized the grant on-line before TRF will make payment. As soon as TRF transfers funds to the account, you are ready to go to work.
Global grants may be for one or several years. A progress report is due at the end of each year. A final report, which is filed on-line, is due within 2 months following the end of a project.
Because TRF reserves the right to review grants at any time, conduct an audit, send a monitor, require additional documentation, and suspend any or all payments, TRF regulations regarding financial accountability must be followed rigorously. To avoid a crisis at the end of a global grant, both principal contacts should understand all TRF requirements for using funds and documenting expenditures.
For more information, contact the chair of the district Global Grants Committee:
Melanie Phelps
Rotary Club of Pueblo West
Email: melaniephe@aol.com
Tel: 719 252 1789