Rotary Foundation Global Grants

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

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