Rotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. As the charitable arm of Rotary, we tap into a global network of Rotarians who invest their time, money, and expertise into our priorities, such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Foundation grants empower Rotarians to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition with sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact.
Strong financial oversight, a stellar charity rating, and a unique funding model mean that we make the very most of your contribution. Give and become a part of Rotary’s life-changing work!
Looking for a PowerPoint presentation to use in your club? Look no further, click here to download the most recent presentation authored by Rotary International.
- Relate to the mission of The Rotary Foundation
- Include the active participation of Rotarians
- Exclude any liability to The Rotary Foundation or Rotary International except for the funding amount of the grant
- Adhere to the governing laws of the United States and the country where the activity is taking place and not harm individuals or entities
- Only fund activities that have been reviewed and approved before their implementation. Grants will not be approved to reimburse clubs or districts for projects already completed or in progress. Planning for grant activities ahead of approval is allowed and encouraged, but expenses may not be incurred before approval.
- Demonstrate sensitivity toward another country’s/geographic area’s tradition and culture if grant activities will take place outside of the grant recipient’s country/geographic area
- Comply with the Conflict of Interest Policy for Grant Participants as outlined in section 7.030 of The Rotary Foundation Code of Policies
- Comply with the policy regarding the proper use of Rotary Marks as outlined in section 1.060.9 of The Rotary Foundation Code of Policies
Support local and international humanitarian and service projects, scholarships, and vocational training teams relating to the mission
Can fund projects and activities in Rotary and non-Rotary countries and geographic areas where permitted by applicable governing laws and in accordance with Foundation policies
For a district or club to receive a grant from The Rotary Foundation, all districts involved must be qualified by The Rotary Foundation, and the clubs involved must be qualified by their district. In addition, districts and all grant committee members must be in good standing with Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. Individuals prohibited from serving on a grant committee include RI fiscal agents, national treasurers, and officers and paid staff of a cooperating or beneficiary organization associated with the grant. When acting as a primary sponsor, each district or club is limited to 10 open grants at a time.
District Grants
Eligibility Criteria
- Construction of infrastructure including but not limited to toilet blocks and sanitation systems, access roads, dams, bridges, storage units, fences and security systems, water/irrigation systems, and greenhouses
- Renovation, repair, and refurbishment of structures that are currently occupied or operational in which individuals live, work, or spend a significant amount of time, which may include the provision of new services or upgrade of utilities (i.e., electrical, plumbing, and heating), repair of roofs, additions to existing schools or hospitals, elevators, and renovation of bathrooms
- Purchase and distribution of contraceptives for use in disease prevention and maternal health projects
- International travel for scholars, vocational training teams, and project beneficiaries
- Domestic travel for scholars, vocational training teams, project beneficiaries, and those professionals (Rotarian and non-Rotarian) needed to implement the project
- Direct costs, fees, contracted labor costs, stipends, or honorariums related to project implementation
- Activities involving vaccines and immunizations that are consistent with the best practices described by the World Health Organization
- Medical camps and lifesaving surgeries, providing that if they are funded by global grants, there must be appropriate follow up.
- International travel for project planning and direct service
- The removal of land mines in cooperation with an experienced partner organization (Rotarians may not personally participate in the physical removal of land mines)
- Administrative expenses, up to 3 percent of the grant award, necessary for grant implementation including: bank fees, postage, software, and an independent financial assessment
- Projects that involve the transfer of goods to India, if the district grant is originating from outside of India
Grants cannot be used to unfairly discriminate against any group, promote a particular political or religious viewpoint, support purely religious functions at churches and other places of worship, support activities that involve abortion or that are undertaken solely for sex determination, fund the purchase of arms or ammunition, support the following programs of RI: Rotary Youth Exchange, RYLA, Rotary Friendship Exchange, Rotaract, and Interact, or as a new contribution to the Foundation or another Rotary Foundation grant.
In addition, grants cannot fund
- Continuous or excessive support of any one beneficiary, entity or community
- Establishment of a foundation, permanent trust, or long-term interest-bearing account. Grant funds can be used to establish a microcredit or revolving loan fund if the sponsors comply with the revolving loan requirements found in section XIII.
- Purchase of land or buildings
- New construction of any structure in which individuals live, work, or engage in any gainful activity, such as buildings (schools, homes/low-cost shelters, and hospitals), containers, and mobile homes, or structures in which individuals carry out any type of activity including manufacturing or processing
- Fundraising activitiesTerms and Conditions for Rotary Foundation District Grants and Global Grants (July 2012) 4
- Expenses related to Rotary events such as district conferences, conventions, institutes, anniversary celebrations, or entertainment activities
- Public relations initiatives not directly related to a humanitarian or educational activity
- Operating, administrative, or indirect program expenses of another organization
- Unrestricted cash donations to a beneficiary or cooperating organization
- Projects already in progress or completed
- Activities primarily implemented by a non-Rotary organization
- Transportation of vaccines by hand over national borders
- Humanitarian projects that consist primarily of research or data collection
- Travel to National Immunization Days (NIDs)
- International travel for youth under the age of 18, unless accompanied by their parents
- The inclusion of district grant projects that constitute the transfer of funding to India, if the district grant is originating from outside of India.
- Signed authorization to request and oversee the expenditure of the grant funds
- A general spending plan for the year in which the funds will be spent
- Agreement to comply with all standard district grant policies, guidelines, and criteria
Financing and Contributions
Payments
Reporting Requirements and Documentation
- Unused grant funds must be returned promptly to The Rotary Foundation.
- Districts must report the use of grant funds to their member clubs in accordance with the terms of qualification.
- Grant sponsors must maintain copies of all receipts and bank statements related to grant-funded expenditures in accordance with the terms of qualification and any applicable local and international laws.
- Grant sponsors who fail to adhere to Foundation policies and guidelines in implementing and financing projects must return misused grant funds in their entirety and may be barred from receiving future grants for a period of up to five years.
- Final reports documenting the disbursement of funds must be submitted to the Foundation within 12 months after the payment is received, or within 2 months of the grant’s total disbursement.
- All grant projects and activities funded by district grants must be completed within 24 months of disbursement by the Foundation or the local district to the club or project site.
- Unused grant funds must be returned promptly to The Rotary Foundation and will be credited to the district’s DDF.
Non-Rotarians receiving grant funding for scholarships and participation in vocational training teams are expected to demonstrate a good knowledge of Rotary and a solid commitment to participate in activities and service with their sponsors. The following criteria also apply to non-Rotarian grant recipients:
- Non-Rotarian grant recipients are required to participate in an outbound orientation session before departure.
- Non-Rotarian grant recipients are expected to participate in club and district activities as requested by their sponsors.
- Relatives of a vocational training team member may participate on the same team if they meet eligibility requirements.
- Scholars and vocational training team members who elect to travel after the grant must return to their international sponsor district within four weeks after the grant is completed.
- Non-Rotarian grant recipients should be proficient in the language of the host country.
- Scholarship recipients must reside in their host district.
Special Considerations for Rotary Foundation (India)
- Grant funds will not be released to a bank account in India unless all general payment conditions listed below have been met. Either the sponsors provide documentation showing that the bank account is registered under the FCRA or staff determine that sufficient funds are available from contributions made within India. Otherwise, the payment will be placed in a queue and paid on a first-come, first-served basis only when additional contributions are made and sufficient funds are available. The sponsors of grants must ensure funds are not co-mingled.
The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. As the charitable arm of Rotary, we tap into a global network of Rotarians who invest their time, money, and expertise into our priorities, such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Foundation grants empower Rotarians to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition with sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact.
Strong financial oversight, a stellar charity rating, and a unique funding model mean that we make the very most of your contribution. Give and become a part of Rotary’s life-changing work!
Looking for a PowerPoint presentation to use in your club? Look no further, click here to download the most recent presentation authored by Rotary International.