Founded in 1905, Rotary International (RI) needed solid financial support to thrive and survive as time went on. This support materialized in 1917 with the efforts of the 6th President of IR Arch C. Klump under the name “Rotary Charity Fund”, which was institutionalized in 1928 and became a legal entity with the name “Rotary Foundation”.

 

While its assets were 26.50 dollars in 1917 when it was established, they went up to 5.000 USD in 1928. International Rotary Foundation’s total assets and liabilities exceeded One Billion USD in 2007.

 

It will not be wrong today to link the worldwide success of the Rotary Organisation to the assets and financial strength of the International Rotary Foundation.

 

Its Objectives

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• Achieving the Purpose and Mission of Rotary.

• Working to Establish Understanding and Peace in the World.

 

Its Programs

 

International Rotary has developed programs to channel the support of the International Rotary Foundation to projects in order to ensure continuity of Rotary and to strengthen and increase the effectiveness of the clubs.

 

The program topics supported by the International Rotary Foundation are as follows:

 

• Fighting Polio

• Humanitarian Aid

• Educational Programs

• World Peace

 

Contributions

 

The Rotary Foundation derives its strength from everyone who wishes to serve humanity in the world like Rotarians. The financial source of the support provided by the Foundation to projects consists of contributions from these people. Contributions made to the Foundation are directed to the society in support of the projects where the members of Rotary Clubs in many countries and their ideas come together.

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The total project supports provided by the Foundation since its establishment reached 3.4 billion USD. For example, a sum of 265 million USD was spent for all world projects in 2014-15 (in a period of 12 months). The largest project support item in that period was the 12 million USD that was spent to eradicate polio from the world. We invite everyone who wishes to serve humanity to make contributions to the Rotary Foundation.

 

Incentives

 

The Rotary Foundation provides support to the projects, grants and vocational development trainings carried out by Rotarians in a wide range of subjects and areas all over the world. You can also benefit from the Rotary Foundation’s support and incentive facilities that suit best the project you wish to implement in the areas below.

 

Regional Incentives – District Grants

 

• These are resources that can be used by clubs for regional or international low-budget projects that can be completed in a short time.

• They can provide resources for projects that are planned with the participation of one or more clubs and/or districts.

• Projects planned by the Club and District are expected to be completed within a year.

• They require approval from the District only - their application process is easier and shorter. The application period is until a date close to the beginning of the period (e.g. by the end of July). They have a short evaluation period (generally one month).

 

Entering the following information in the District Grant Application Form is sufficient for an application:

 

• Club information

• Subject matter of the project

• Its implementation period

• Budget and finance information, amount requested

• Success criteria for the project

 

Examples of District Grant Projects:

 

• Playgrounds for disabled and handicapped children

• Distribution of dictionaries to Primary school grade 3 pupils

• Projecting traffic slogans onto a building on a street with heavy traffic

• Installing a solar water heater in a disabled care home

• Human rights training seminars in high schools

• Supporting young musicians to take part in international contests

 

Global Incentives – Global Grants

 

Global Grants are offered to large-budget, outstanding projects in areas needed by society. They should be planned in one of the following 7 priority areas of International Rotary. Global Grants are offered to long-lasting (more than a year) and continuous (to be utilized after project completion) projects aiming at improving knowledge, skills and resources of communities. Through collaboration with other NGOs or public institutions and extensive participation, these projects intend to have an impact on larger populations.

 

• Peace - Resolution of Conflicts

• Prevention and Treatment of Diseases

• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

• Mother and Child Health

• Basic Education – Literacy

• Economic - Social Development

• Environmental Protection and Support

 

Any Club that intends to carry out a Global Grant project must work with at least one international partner. Such partners may be Rotary Clubs of other countries and districts. At least 30% of the project budget should be provided by international partners. Raising funds for and pioneering a global grant is to invest in a lasting change. Sustainable projects may be in various forms and areas, but the following are common in all of them.

 

Community Involvement: Sustainable projects are well planned projects that require cooperation from everybody involved in the project and that comply with the needs and value judgements of the community.

 

Up-to-date materials and technology: To implement sustainable projects, easily available, modern, durable, technological and environmentally friendly materials should be used.

 

Economic continuity: Sustainable projects should use economic models and pecuniary resources that will maintain their own continuation after the completion of the Rotary granting and project launching process or should create these as a project output.

 

Knowledge and skills: Sustainable projects should increase the success and adaptation capacity of communities by helping them gain new knowledge, skills and behaviors.

 

Motivation: Sustainable projects should involve inferences and activities that the community will emulate and embrace. In this way, continuation of the contributions to and interest in the project will be secured.

 

Measurability: Successes of a sustainable project should be measurable so that everyone concerned will be able to clearly see and compare the benefits of the project. For this reason, monitoring and measurement methodologies should be included in the project. For example, the number of persons diagnosed or treated by a medical device or the number of graduates from a project on literacy should be known. Applications to Global Grants are made through the Global Grant Application App found in www.rotary.org. Before filing their project applications, our clubs need to contact the Foundation Main Committee of Our District and receive approval for content, budget, funding and process planning.

 

Examples of Global Grant Projects:

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• Information on early diagnosis of colon cancer

• Water purification systems and toilets to primary schools

• Emergency intervention room for eye hospitals

• Teaching farmers new planting, irrigation and maintenance technologies and implementing them

• Providing training in conflict resolution and mediation to young people in high schools

 

Restrictions to be considered in projects to be made with Rotary Foundation Grants:

 

• May not discriminate against any group (race, religion, language, political)

• Cannot provide continuous support and benefit to an institution or society

• A foundation or fund cannot be established or donated

• Land or buildings cannot be acquired

• Cannot be used at Rotary events (Assembly, Conference, Institute, Convention)

• Cannot fund previously held events

 

You can use this link to access the Rotary Foundation District 2440 website: www.vakif2440.org

 

Source:  https://rotary.org.tr/rotary/rotary-vakfi/