Today, our club enjoyed George Beyrouti, District Global Grants Chair, speaking to our club.
Rotary Foundation's Work and Structure
George Beyrouti discussed the Rotary Foundation's work and organizational structure. He explained that the Foundation is the charitable arm of Rotary International, transforming donations into service projects that change lives. He highlighted the importance of the Annual Fund, which receives 50% of its contributions back to the district, and the Polio Plus Fund, which benefits from the Gates Foundation challenge. George also mentioned the Endowment Fund, which is not spent, but its earnings fund Rotary programs.
Rotary Grants Overview and Application Process
Goerge discussed the various types of Rotary grants, including district grants, global grants, disaster response grants, fellowship centers, and other smaller programs. He highlighted the differences between global grants and district grants, such as the minimum funding requirement, the application process, and the areas of focus. Goerge also emphasized the importance of partnerships and sustainability in grant applications. He provided examples of district and global grants, explaining that global grants support significant international activities with a minimum of $30,000.
Project Requirements and Sustainability
George discussed the requirements for a sustainable and measurable project aligning with the Rotary focus area. He emphasized the importance of conducting a community needs study, ensuring local ownership, partnering with other organizations, providing training, and buying local equipment. George also highlighted the need for a primary host sponsor and a primary international sponsor, with a minimum budget and 15% of the contribution coming from outside the project. He mentioned the seven areas of focus and the importance of sustainability, which means providing a long-term solution to community needs that the beneficiaries can maintain after grant funding ends.
Global Grants Funding and Operation
George discussed the funding and operation of global grants, emphasizing that cash and/or DDF contributions fund them and can be matched up to $400,000 by the Rotary Foundation. He also highlighted that funds cannot come from beneficiaries, and recently, a 5% processing fee has been applied to cash contributions. George recommended clubs attend a Grant Management Seminar for more detailed information and advised connecting with the regional grant officer for project ideas. He also stressed the importance of completing a community assessment, robust sustainability and planning, and submitting grant progress reports. George also mentioned forming a Club Rotary Foundation Committee to encourage donations and promote foundation grants. He concluded by discussing a joint project to combat human trafficking involving all eight districts in Florida, with the primary sponsor being District 6980.
Matching Donation Process for Rotary Foundation
George clarified the matching donation process for the Rotary Foundation, explaining that the district matches the club's donation dollar for dollar. He also discussed possibly returning to a 100% match rate next year. George emphasized the importance of reporting donations to the district and Rotary Foundation to ensure proper credit and recognition. He encouraged new members to get involved and participate in special programs. George also mentioned the availability of Bev for further information on the Foundation and its programs.
Next steps
Club members should consider donating to the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund (it is recommended that they do so at $100 per member per year).
Club treasurer to ensure proper reporting of member donations to Rotary Foundation using multi-donor forms.
Interested members should contact Bev for information on becoming a Paul Harris Fellow.
Club leadership will explore opportunities to participate in global grants and district grants.
Club members should consider getting involved in the human trafficking project across Florida Rotary districts.
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