Wellington Rotary and The Rotary Foundation
Posted by David Smith on Mar 10, 2014
Wellington Rotary has been supportive of a number of worthy Rotary Foundation projects over the past several years. Our most recent one locally has been to work with the Quinte Sunrise Club to contribute to the work of Camp Trillium on West Lake. With additional support from the Belleville Club, three years ago, we replaced the Main Dock at the camp, and then we combined to purchase a Generator in the following year. These are examples of District Grant projects.
In International projects, working with the Belleville Club, we have participated in installing a Bio-digester at a public school in western Kenya, near the village of Kapseret. This project was to help improve sanitation at the school where toilets and running water were non-existent. In the current year, we are awaiting approval of a project initiated by the Toronto Eglinton club to build several 30,000 litre water tanks at schools also in western Kenya. These are examples of Global Grant projects.
Aside from the Annual Fund contributions, our club regularly contributes to the Rotary International Polio-eradication project. This project has been running since 1985 and has the end objective of eliminating the scourge of Polio everywhere in the world. As of the date of writing, there are now only 3 Polio-endemic countries left in the world, so the program has been immensely successful, and we believe the end is within reach. For more on this program, please go to the Rotary International website.
In 1917, Rotary International established The Rotary Foundation as an endowment fund for Rotary ‘to do good in the world’. By establishing The Rotary Foundation Canada, an Associate Foundation, tax receipts can be issued for contributions from Rotary Clubs, Rotarians and individuals in Canada.
Contributions to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund are invested for three years. After three years, 100% of the funds are being used for humanitarian projects through different types of grants. Half of the amount is distributed to the World Fund of The Rotary Foundation, the other half is returned to the Rotary Districts to be used by them according to the rules and regulations set up by The Rotary Foundation. The portion returned to the District is called District Designated Funds, or DDF.
Four years ago, The Rotary Foundation introduced Future Vision as a pilot project to simplify the grants process and at the same time give the Districts more of a role in the process. Our District, 7070, was one of 100 Districts around the Rotary world participating in the pilot. As of the 2013-14 Rotary year, the Future Vision involves all Rotary Districts in the world.
Under the Future Vision, there are two major Grants categories, Global Grants and District Grants. In addition, there is a third category, Packaged Grants, which are projects The Rotary Foundation has put together. Rotary Clubs and Districts can ‘buy’ into these projects. The Rotary Foundation and its Future Vision has been recognized internationally and received Awards.
Global Grants are major projects between at least two Rotary Clubs or Districts in two different countries. Projects must fall in one of the 6 focus areas; Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child Health, Basic Education and Literacy, Disease Prevention and Treatment, Peace and Conflict Resolution, and Economic Community Development.
Clubs that want to apply for a Global Grant must be qualified by their Districts. Cash contributions from the Clubs may be matched by the District, using the funds mentioned above – DDF – from The Rotary Foundation. Club cash contributions and District DDF contribution will then be matched 50% and 100% respectively by The Rotary Foundation’s World Fund. Applications for Global Grants are done on-line (www.rotary.org)
District Grants are short- and medium-term projects. Applications are made by the Clubs to the District. Part of the DDF returned from The Rotary Foundation is set aside for these projects. District Grant projects can be local or international and – contrary to Global Grant projects – there is no minimum budget requirement.
Wellington Rotary has not yet initiated any projects, though we have been supportive of a number of worthy ones over the past several years. Our most recent one locally has been to work with the Quinte Sunrise Club to contribute to the work of Camp Trillium on West Lake. With additional support from the Belleville Club, three years ago, we replaced the Main Dock at the camp, and then we combined to purchase a Generator in the following year. These are examples of District Grant projects.
In International projects, working with the Belleville Club, we have participated in installing a Bio-digester at a public school in western Kenya, near the village of Kapseret. This project was to help improve sanitation at the school where toilets and running water were non-existent. In the current year, we are awaiting approval of a project initiated by the Toronto Eglinton club to build several 30,000 litre water tanks at schools also in western Kenya. These are examples of Global Grant projects.
Aside from the Annual Fund contributions, our club regularly contributes to the Rotary International Polio-eradication project. This project has been running since 1985 and has the end objective of eliminating the scourge of Polio everywhere in the world. As of the date of writing, there are now only 3 Polio-endemic countries left in the world, so the program has been immensely successful, and we believe the end is within reach. For more on this program, please go to the Rotary International website.