CRCID Needs Your Help! Send a letter to your MP.

Posted by Harreson Lovick 
on Apr 05, 2013
 

District 5040 AG Tom Smith spoke to us about how the federal government's changes to CIDA are having a disastrous efect on CRCID. Rotarians are asked to write letters to their Members of Parliament.

 

Canadian Rotary Concerns:

Canadian Rotary’s continued partnership with the Government of Canada through CIDA is dependent upon a new agreement with CIDA;

  • CRCID is only able to access Rotary funds for its management/administration by charging a 10% fee for CIDA funds advanced to the projects;

     

  • Rotarians allocate 100% of the community raised funds to project implementation with any management/administration expenses assumed by individual Rotarians.   
  •  CRCID has sought charitable status but it doesn’t qualify according to the Canadian Revenue Agency, primarily because it is a coordinating organization;
  •  Failure to access approximately $75,000 of the $168,655 final CIDA payment by late May will result in the CRCID office being closed as of June 30, 2013 with the professional staff being laid off;
  •  This will negatively affect CRCID’s ability to adapt and restructure in order to comply with the most recent changes at CIDA.

Action Being Requested from the MPs: Speak to Minister Fantino and the Prime Minister regarding:

  • The excellent work being done by Canadian Rotarians as a result of the funding support received from the Government of Canada through CIDA;
  • The value of the Canadian Rotary and Government of Canada partnership both domestically and internationally
  • Canadian Rotary’s impact on the beneficiary communities and the CIDA/Rotary partnership are in jeopardy unless the necessary resources are received.

The Canadian Rotarians’ national coordinating organization, CRCID, is deserving of funding support to provide it with sufficient time to restructure and respond to the next Call for Proposals.

 

Background:

The Canadian Government recognizes the excellent humanitarian work being done by Rotarians in developing countries.  In 1976 CIDA identified Rotary as a potential funding partner and for the next 10 years worked directly with individual Rotary clubs.  By 1985, the number of Rotary clubs applying to CIDA for funding had become too challenging for CIDA staff to administer.  Therefore, CIDA requested Rotary establish its own Not for Profit Organization to administer Rotary international development projects.  The Canadian Rotary Collaboration for International Development (CRCID) was formed in 1986 to be the Canadian Rotary coordinating NGO to help implement the Government of Canada’s international development priorities. 

For the past 37 years CIDA and Canadian Rotary have partnered effectively increasing the impact of Rotary projects in the developing world.  It is estimated these projects have a value over $30 million with over $15 million contributed through Rotary community fundraising efforts and The Rotary Foundation with the balance provided by CIDA.  In addition, CRCID was approached by CIDA to help coordinate two polio eradication campaigns and implement the Afghanistan Challenge that all proved to be extremely successful.

 

Benefits of CIDA and Rotary Partnership:

  • Canadian Rotary’s coordinating organization, CRCID, is providing effective and efficient management support for the Rotary programs and is responsible for submitting semi-annual results based reports and quarterly financial reports to CIDA
  • In the current agreement (2010 - present) CRCID is supporting 8 Rotary programs that meet CIDA’s priorities of Child and Maternal Health, Literacy and Education, and Economic and Community Development  totaling $6,100,000 (50% matched by CIDA) in the following countries:
    • Central America:         Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras
    • Sub Saharan Africa:  Cameroon, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda.
  • These Rotary programs are achieving excellent results as reported in the quarterly narrative reports submitted to CIDA.  These reports are available upon request.  Graphs of some of the output results achieved to date are included in the appendix.
  • The management/administrative percentage costs (not including Monitoring and Evaluation) for the current program valued at $6.1 million is 20.64% or $0.21 out of every dollar contributed to the program;
  • CIDA is contributing $3,047,000 to the current program with 34.11% allocated to program management and administration. 
  • The primary reason for the reduction in management and administration costs for the proposed program is the increased number and overall value of the Rotary projects as Rotary continues its transition to implementing larger and more sustainable projects while the management/administrative costs remain stable.             
  • Canadian Rotarians eagerly volunteer their time and their skills to assist thousands of communities in over 168 countries through the global Rotary network of 34,000 Rotary clubs. 
    • Rotarians also seek partnerships with other organizations, governments, and businesses to increase the value and outcomes of their projects.

Next Program Proposal:

Canadian Rotarians are seeking funding support from CIDA for 10 sustainable humanitarian projects in 8 developing countries:

Program Value: $13,550,000 over 3 years

  • CIDA contributing approximately 50% ($6.8 million)
  • CRCID Management/Overhead Costs represent 12.50% of the total program value, significantly lower than most NGO’s.
  • The overall management/administrative percentage cost for the proposed program valued at $13,551,159 is 12.50% or $0.13 out of every dollar contributed to the program.
  • CRCID is requesting $6.8 million from CIDA with 17.00% allocated to program management and administration.

Countries: 10

Africa:  Cameroon; Ghana; Kenya; Malawi; Uganda

Central America:  El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras

Beneficiaries: 3,988,855

  • Direct:     279,817 (85% female & 15% male)
  • Indirect:  3,709,038 (57% female & 43% male)

Canadian Rotary Volunteers: 20,000

Community fundraising; public engagement; site monitoring visits; grant writing and reporting; relationship building with host country partners and beneficiaries.