Funding Amount

Minimum budget: US$30,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Rotary Foundation Global Grants

Funder: The Rotary Foundation / Rotary District 6440

Geographic Scope: District 6440 (Illinois, US); projects can be local or international

Purpose: Global Grants fund large-scale, sustainable projects and activities that align with Rotary Areas of Focus.

    Grant Characteristics

  • Large-scale projects with long-term, sustainable impact
  • Minimum budget: US$30,000
  • Must align with a Rotary Area of Focus
  • Must respond to needs identified by the benefiting community
  • Must include active participation of the benefiting community
  • Must be designed to enable community self-sufficiency after Rotary involvement concludes
  • Measurable results required
  • Active Rotarian involvement required
  • Clubs and districts have more responsibility for managing funds, reporting, and monitoring outcomes

    Rotary Areas of Focus

    Global Grants must support one or more of these areas:
  • Prevention and resolution of conflicts and promotion of peace
  • Prevention and treatment of disease
  • Clean water and sanitation
  • Maternal and child health
  • Basic education and literacy
  • Economic and community development
  • Supporting the environment

Types of Activities Funded

Humanitarian Projects: Address community needs by providing sustainable, measurable outcomes

Vocational Training: Builds skills within a community through:

  • Local training programs

  • Groups of professionals traveling abroad for rigorous study in their profession

  • Teaching local professionals about a particular field

  • Most effective in conjunction with humanitarian projects
  • Scholarships: Fund graduate-level study by students whose career goals support an Area of Focus

      Eligibility

    • Rotary clubs in District 6440
    • Clubs must achieve qualified status in the Rotary year of the grant
    • Minimum 2-year project duration (implicit in sustainable impact requirement)

    Club Qualification Requirements

    To apply for any Rotary Foundation grant, clubs must: 1. Have the president-elect or designated club representative attend a Grant Management Seminar 2. Read and agree to the club Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) 3. Submit a copy of the signed MoU to the district (signed by club president and president-elect) 4. Input club goals in Rotary Club Central (at rotary.org) for: - Annual Fund SHARE giving - PolioPlus giving - Membership 5. Have the club president submit the Youth Protection Affidavit

      Maintenance of Qualified Status

    • Clubs must abide by terms of the club MoU
    • Clubs must adhere to grant terms and conditions

      DDF (District Designated Fund) Eligibility

    • Clubs can use District Designated Funds to match Global Grants
    • DDF eligibility and availability varies by year and club
    • Current DDF eligibility information available for 2025-26 and 2026-27

    Contact

    Email: globalgrants@rotary6440.org

    For General Grant Questions:
    Email: grantschair@rotary6440.org

    How to Apply

    Application Process

    1. Achieve Club Qualification (prerequisite)
    - President-elect or designated representative attends Grant Management Seminar
    - Club reads and agrees to Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
    - Signed MoU submitted to district (signed by president and president-elect)
    - Club goals entered in Rotary Club Central for Annual Fund SHARE, PolioPlus, and membership
    - Club president submits Youth Protection Affidavit

    2. Contact District Global Grants Committee Early
    - Email globalgrants@rotary6440.org to discuss project opportunity
    - Benefit from coaching to facilitate application process

    3. Obtain District Leadership Authorization
    - All applications require authorization by District Leadership before submission
    - Grants Committee must review financing aspects
    - Committee must facilitate DDF approval before authorization granted

    4. Submit Global Grant Application
    - Applications may be submitted at any time
    - Use Global Grant Application Form (available in Word format)
    - Include scholarship supplement if applicable
    - Reference the Global Grant offline preparation guide

    5. Financing Review
    - Committee reviews financing aspects of the grant
    - Consult District Designated Fund (DDF) Resource Guide to identify clubs with available DDF
    - Use Global Grant Financing Planner

    6. Reporting and Evaluation
    - Complete Grant Management Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Supplement
    - Submit project final reports
    - Document impact of Global Grants

      Required Documents

    • Global Grant Application Form (Word or PDF format)
    • Global Grant Scholarship Supplement (if applicable)
    • Cooperating Organization Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
    • Club Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
    • Global Grant Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Supplement
    • Project Final Report (after completion)

      Resources Available

    • Global Grant offline preparation guide
    • 10 Ways to Improve Your Global Grant Application (guidance document)
    • Global Grant Lifecycle documentation
    • Global Grant Financing Planner
    • District 6440 Global Grant Policies document
    • DDF Eligibility documentation (updated annually)
    • Club Request for DDF and/or Cash Support form
    • Six Steps to Sustainability guide

      Timeline

    • Global Grant Scholarship 2021 Timeline available
    • Applications may be submitted at any time

    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    nonprofitsfoundationcommunity-developmentwaterhealth-disparitiesliteracyenvironmental-conservationconflict-resolution

    Categories

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