Welcome to our Rotary District 6600 Grant Management webinar.

Thank you for taking time to learn about the Rotary Foundation Grant process.

This Rotary Grant webinar is designed to educate you on the Grant requirements of The Rotary Foundation and District 6600 for both District and Global Grants.

You may be required to answer questions to move forward through this presentation. Please try to do your best to answer questions correctly, but don't worry, no grades are assigned.

Grant webinar participants will learn:

• Types of Rotary Foundation Grants.
• Learn about club requirements including the signed Memorandum of Understanding.
• Grant project design, application process, implementation, and reporting.

In order to be approved to manage Rotary Foundation District Grants, our District requires each club to have a minimum of two club members complete this computer training. It is recommended that the training be completed by the club president for the year in which the grant will be implemented and the Rotarian who will be coordinating the grant project.

Rotary Grants provide a way for Rotarians to make a difference in their communities and around the World.

The Rotary Foundation was established in 1916 by Arch Klumph who said, "There should be a realization that Rotary is greater than any one man in it, or any single club; Rotary is not a local movement but a world force..."

Rotary provides two main types of Foundation Grants:

• Local District Grants - these fund small-scale, short-term activities that address needs in your communities and communities abroad. Each district chooses which activities it will fund. District 6600 allows clubs to choose and oversee these projects.
• Global Grants - these support large international activities with sustainable, measurable outcomes in Rotary's areas of focus. Grant sponsors form international partnerships that respond to real community needs

Funds for Local District and Global Grants come from donations made by Rotarians to The Rotary Foundation's SHARE program.

Donations are shared between local and global activities.

Funds are collected by The Foundation, held for 3 years to help offset management expenses, and then returned to the District for Local and Global Grant usage.

Rotarians in the 62 Rotary Clubs in our District take good advantage of donations made to The Foundation each year through Local District Grants. Our local clubs choose the projects.

Examples of projects are those that improve children's literacy, assist the homeless, and make community improvements.

Our District is very involved with 'Doing Good in the World', the moto of The Rotary Foundation.

The Global Grant application process is both challenging and rewarding. Early in the process, it is important to establish that there is District Level support for the project by contacting the District Foundation Chair and the District Governor.

“Qualification,” which is a requirement for participation in Rotary Foundation Global Grants, is the process that your club establishes to ensure compliance with Foundation policies, avoid misuse and mismanagement of grant funds, and ensure that its members have the appropriate training and resources. Qualification requirements are included in the first section of the Rotary District 6600 Composite Grant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): this section is titled “Rotary Foundation Club Qualification MOU,” and it does not apply to District Grants.

The Rotary Foundation depends on proper Grant management to assure projects are successful. All clubs that wish to participate in a District 6600 District and/or Global Grant must enter into the District 6600 Composite Grant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The second section of this document, entitled “District 6600 Addendum to Rotary International Memorandum of Understanding” applies to both District and Global Grant projects.

All clubs who wish to participate in Global Grants must be qualified and adhere to the provisions included in the Rotary Foundation Club Qualification MOU section of the District 6600 Composite Grant MOU.

Before Grant funds can be requested for a project, each participating Rotary club and your District must meet requirements of The Rotary Foundation. This ensures that the clubs are aware of all Rotary requirements before receiving funds.

By reviewing and interacting with this Webinar, you are completing the first step for your club. Your role includes sharing this information with fellow club leaders and members. At least two club members must complete this webinar in the timeframe applicable to the Rotary year in which the Grant will be implemented; this timeframe is determined and announced annually by the District Grant Committee.

The second step is to have the club President for the year in which the grant will be submitted and club President for the year in which the grant will be implemented sign and submit the club Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) discussed on the next few slides.

For Global Grants, Club officer responsibilities include implementing policies and procedures for qualification and Grant management within the club.

For Global Grants, the officers must appoint at least one club member to manage the implementation of the club Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

For both Global and District Grants, Club officers are also responsible for limiting and disclosing any potential conflicts of interest. An undisclosed conflict of interest impedes transparency, leaving the Foundation and Rotarians vulnerable to potential misuse.

For larger (Global) grants, developing and implementing a financial management plan is essential to proper oversight, good stewardship, and consistent administration of grant funds.

The financial management plan should include detailed, club-specific procedures that are reviewed regularly.

For Global Grants, your club must maintain a low-interest or no-interest bank account that only the club controls in order to receive Rotary grant funds. Each open Global Grant for which the club receives funds should have its own account that is used solely for receiving and disbursing grant funds.

By establishing a separate account, clubs are able to better manage the oversight and recordkeeping of Grant funds.

In addition, for Global Grants bank accounts your club must have a succession plan for the signatories on the account to ensure a smooth transition of information and documentation when signatories change.

With regard to District Grants, at a minimum, funding for each District Grant project must be accounted for in a separate line within the club’s accounting system.

Your club must fulfill all Foundation reporting requirements for Global Grants. Clubs must submit progress reports every 12 months from the time a grant is paid until the final report is accepted and final reports within two months of completing the grant project.

Clubs must submit a final report on District Grants, including receipts for all associated expenditures.

Failure to report on grants can result in a club being unable to participate in the Rotary grants.

Your club must establish a document retention system for documents related to qualification and Global Grants. The system can be a combination of electronic and physical files that best fit the needs of the club.

Documents which must be retained include bank statements, receipts, club qualification materials, and procedures relating to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Maintaining documents helps clubs comply with local laws, ensure transparency, and better prepare for grant reporting, audits, and financial assessments.

By maintaining these documents, the club will be able to quickly respond to requests by the Foundation, the district or Rotarians.

Once a club successfully completes the qualification requirements, the club will receive qualified status for one Rotary year.

All club members must understand that the club as an entity is responsible for the use of Grant funds.

The club must disclose any conflicts of interest in compliance with the Conflict of Interest Policy as outlined in The Rotary Foundation Code of Policies.

The club must cooperate with any and all site visits, reviews, and audits.

Misuse of Grant funds could result in suspension of the club's qualification status.

Failure to implement the club Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) could result in a loss of qualified status.

In order to maintain qualified status for one year, clubs must:

• Abide by the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the grant terms and conditions, and the Rotary International and Rotary Foundation codes of policies.
• Appoint one or more club members to manage club qualification. A committee with staggered terms is recommended for increased transparency, oversight, and continuity.
• Ensure that stewardship measures and proper Grant management practices are implemented for all Rotary Foundation Grants to prevent the misuse of funds.

This session will provide guidance for designing a Rotary Grant project.

The learning objectives of this session include:

• Best practices for project design.
• Planning your project implementation.
• Creating measurable goals.

Most successful Rotary Grant projects address a community need and provide a sustainable outcome to the beneficiaries.

Rotarians should consider partnering with community members and local organizations who may provide added expertise, but all projects must be managed by Rotarians.

The project implementation plan should be shared with partners and beneficiaries.

Proper stewardship of funds, as required in applicable section(s) of the Composite Grant MOU, is important.

Needs Assessment should be an early part of the Grant design process. Determine:

• Which needs can be addressed by a Grant?
• What resources and skills can your club and potential partners provide?

Your needs assessment should act as guide during the project design, planning, and implementation.

Involve the community because greater community support and involvement can lead to a more sustainable and lasting impact.

Partners can include additional Rotary clubs, Rotary Districts, The Rotary Foundation, and non-Rotary organizations.

Together, these groups can assist in implementing projects which could not be done alone.

• District Grants - clubs can partner with clubs in the District or with other districts and clubs. Good communication helps keep all partners involved and allows them to provide oversight.
• Global Grants - projects must have a host partner from a different country who are involved in all Grant stages from identifying the need, planning the project, implementation, and reporting.

Rotarians must manage all projects that receive funding from The Rotary Foundation.

For Global Grants both the host sponsor and international sponsor must have committees of three Rotarians to manage the project. Roles and responsibilities should be assigned to everyone on the committees.

For Global Grants there must be plans for managing funds and implementing the project. The budget should include details and a timeline for the purchase and distribution of goods, training, and any other activities.

Have a contingency plan in case something goes wrong. Consider your liability to ensure that your club is protected in case something goes wrong.

The budget should be realistic and comprehensive to ensure adequate project funding.

For Global Grants, when choosing a supplier, the Grant committee should use a competitive bidding process to ensure the highest quality goods at the best prices and should keep records of all submitted bids.

The Grant committee must disclose any potential or real conflicts of interest related to the budget. Conflicts may exist as long as they are recognized, reported, and do not involve inappropriate usage of funds.

Project goals should be measurable so you can determine the impact of the project. Both qualitative (descriptive) and quantitative (numeric) goals should be included.

One way to define a sustainable goal is to consider a project which changes a behavior or causes a gain in knowledge, then ensure that the project components directly support these goals.

Start with baseline data from a needs assessment, then set concrete project goals, and finally determine how and when you will measure your results.

This session will discuss the application process and implementing a Grant.

The learning objectives of this session are:

• Writing a successful grant.
• Understanding Grant financing.
• The importance of evaluations.

There are two main types of Rotary Foundation Grants:

• District Grants - clubs apply to the District and follow guidelines developed by our District and the Trustees of the Foundation.
• Global Grants - clubs apply to The Rotary Foundation and follow guidelines developed by the Trustees of the Foundation.

Rotary clubs and districts apply to The Rotary Foundation for a Global Grant using online form at www.rotary.org.

To be eligible to receive a Global Grant, the project must:

• Support at least one of the seven area of focus of The Rotary Foundation
• Meet at least one goal of that focus area
• Be sustainable
• Involve Rotary clubs in at least two districts from at least two different countries (one in the project country and at least one in another country)
• Have a minimum total budget of US $30,000

The District must confirm that the Rotary club is qualified to receive the Global Grant.

The seven areas of focus of The Rotary Foundation are:

• Promoting Peace
• Fighting Disease
• Providing Clean Water
• Saving Mothers and Children
• Supporting Education
• Growing Local Economies
• Supporting the Environment

Each area of focus has specific goals to refine projects to meet real community needs.

To be sustainable, a project or activity must meet a community need and continue to have an impact after the initial Grant funds are expended.

• Consider the values and culture of the project's beneficiaries.
• Involve community members in selecting equipment. Purchase equipment and technology from local sources whenever possible. Spare parts should be available within the community. Train community members to maintain and repair equipment. Local funding sources should cover long-term operation, maintenance, and repair.
• Choose a project to strengthen beneficiaries' knowledge and skills through education and training.
• Collaborate with local organizations to partner and supply expertise and assume leadership roles for sustaining project outcomes.
• Develop clear and measurable project objectives and a method for collecting data. Ideally demonstrate change for at least three years.

The Global Grant process involves an online application at rotary.org.

Before beginning the application process, consider the project contacts, title, area of focus, implementation plan, and budget.

Rotary staff can assist with questions about the application through a messaging function within the Grant application system. This will help you ensure that your application is complete before submitting it.

Depending on the project's budget and complexity, there may be multiple steps to the Global Grant review process.

Once the Global Grant is approved, the primary contacts from the partner clubs will receive formal notification.

Financing Guidelines:

The minimum total budget for a Rotary Foundation Global Grant project is US $30,000.

Clubs and Districts can contribute to the financing of a Global Grant using:

• District Designated Funds (matched at 80% by the Foundation's World Fund)
• Rotarian cash contributions (outright gifts from Rotarians or funds from Rotarian-led fundraisers)
• Non-Rotarian cash contributions (donations from other organizations, businesses, or people)
• Cash contributions to Global Grants are not currently matched by the World Fund. The maximum World Fund award for Global Grants is $400,000.

A conflict of interest exists when a Rotarian may benefit financially or personally from grant activities. This can be either direct (the Rotarian benefits) or indirect (an associate of the Rotarian benefits).

• Financial benefits could include receiving grant funds for being a project manager or receiving grant funds as a vendor for the project.
• Personal benefits could include receiving a promotion, getting business referrals, or gaining publicity or improved social standing.

Associates can include family members, friends, other Rotarians, personal acquaintances, colleagues, and business partners.

Note, an actual or perceived conflict of interest does not necessarily disqualify a Rotarian from participation in a Rotary grant. Rotarians must disclose any conflicts of interest on the grant application. If Rotarians aren't sure whether a particular situation is a conflict of interest, they should talk with their grant officers. Eligibility for participation will be determined case by case upon disclosure of the conflict of interest.

The Rotary club must implement a financial management plan for Global Grant funds, including:

• A separate bank account
• A plan to transfer the custody of the account, if necessary
• A plan to disburse funds with appropriate record keeping
• Any requirements related to local laws.

Detailed records will simplify reporting on the use of Grant funds, responding to inquiries, and increasing the transparency of how Grant funds are managed.

Note, for Global Grants, any changes to the scope or budget of your project requires Rotary's approval.

Conducting an evaluation helps assist your club with reporting requirements, determine the success of the project, and identify areas for future improvement.

• Use lessons learned to replicate successes and adjust for challenges in the next project.
• Use the goals set during the planning stage to evaluate the success of a project or activity.
• For Global Grants, the data and evaluation method and frequency should be set during the planning stage.
• Project evaluation should occur during implementation, through completion, and beyond.
• Promoting project and activity successes, both within your club and with the public will help gets others involved and interested in participating in Rotary and let donors know how funds were spent.

This session will discuss oversight and reporting of Rotary Foundation Grants, particularly Global Grants. Rotary donor confidence depends upon quality, oversight, transparency, and accountability.

Foundation Grants require care in managing funds and maintaining appropriate records. Doing so will assist with reporting requirements.

The learning objectives of this session are:

• Identifying best practices for management of funds and record keeping.
• Understanding which documents need to be retained.
• Understanding reporting requirements.

Clubs must follow standard business practices for managing Grant funds.

Good stewardship is achieved by putting systems in place that create club-wide awareness of the use of funds. Widespread knowledge helps prevent mismanagement. Irregularities or misuse of Grant funds should be reported immediately.

Submit timely, complete, and accurate reports to demonstrate good stewardship of funds to the Foundation, in the case of Global Grants, and all Grant partners.

Remember, donor's confidence depends on quality, oversight, transparency, and accountability in managing funds.

In the case of Global Grants, each Rotary club should have a club-controlled bank account used only for Grant funds with separate accounts for each Global Grant.

In the case of Global Grants, have a plan in place to transfer custody of the club's account in case a signatory is no longer able to perform his or her duties.

It is important to have a plan for distributing and tracking funds. Expenditures should be made using a traceable method such as a check or a bank card. Keep track of transaction details.

All Grant documents should be accessible to The Rotary Foundation, partners, and your Rotary club. Consider a binder, computerized file system, or scanned documents on a shared network.

Global Grant Documents must be retained for a minimum of five years - or longer if local law requires it.

Grant Reporting is a key component of proper stewardship and management.

• Verifies that grants were managed properly and implemented in accordance with Rotary Grant policies.
• Provides an opportunity for communication between partners, building the trust necessary to continue the partnership and support future projects.
• Allows project partners and the Rotary Foundation to celebrate successes and learn from challenges.
• Encourages future giving because donors are confident that funds have been used as intended.
• For Global Grants, provides valuable evaluation data that the Foundation uses to improve the Grant process.
• Allows Rotary to demonstrate to current and future donors the effectiveness and the impact of its Grants.

Progress reports must be submitted within 12 months of receiving the first Global Grant payment and every 12 months there after.

The final report must be submitted within two months after completing the project or activity.

Unused Grant funds may be used for additional eligible and Foundation-approved expenses.

Changes to a project must be approved by Rotary.

Any unused funds must be returned to Rotary and will be credited to the World Fund.

The District may impose additional requirements which might include:

• When and who can request Grant funds
• When reports must be submitted (relative to when the funds were received) and how often
• How reports should be submitted (to whom and using what form)
• What reports should include (type of information and attachments, such as financial documentation)

Global Grant Reports should document partnerships, activities, project and area of focus goals, the spending of funds, and number of beneficiaries.

Your District and Rotary have lots of information available to assist in Foundation Grants.

• You may contact Deb Cheney, District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, Debcheneyrotary6600@gmail.com - 419-306-8735
• Pertinent documents are available at rotarydistrict6600.org/grants.
• MyRotary.org provides an easy search method for information.

Congratulations and thank for taking part in the webinar:

• Ensure that at least two members register for and complete this webinar.
• Complete your District Grant application using the District and Club Database (DACdb) Online Submission site.
• Before submitting a District Grant carefully read all documents at rotarydistrict6600.org/grants
• MyRotary.org provides an easy search method for information and has many ideas for projects.

Please contact Deb Cheney with questions, comments, and concerns. This webinar is an evolving presentation and will be improved through your comments.

An email has been sent to you detailing this information.

Thank you.

Deb Cheney
District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair


Debcheneyrotary6600@gmail.com
419-306-8735


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