CS Projects are international humanitarian service projects between Rotary
clubs and/or districts in different countries. If the project is completely funded by the participating clubs or districts, there is no guiding criteria. But if the
project is to include funds from The Rotary Foundation, it is necessary to follow and comply with the The Guide For Matching Grants (Rotary Publication 144).
The Matching Grant Application is Rotary publication 141, a six-page form for providing information required by TRF. Both documents can be ordered through Rotary Publication office, or online at www.rotary.org
. For complete details, obtain these publications.
A brief Summary of TRF Matching Grant conditions follows:
- Grants are given to partnered Rotary clubs or districts, one being the Project (or
local) Country, the other being the International Sponsoring Country, each with a
Committee of three Rotarians to oversee the project. Projects must have significant Rotarian involvement.
- Grants match money contributed by the Project and/or Sponsoring clubs or districts (at least half of which must come from the Sponsoring club or district) on a
one-to-one basis, up to $50,000 (total project value $100,000). Grants of $25,000 or
less are considered on a continuing basis by TRF, and are funded on a first-come,
first-serve basis each Rotary year, as long as funds last. Grants over $25,000 are
considered competitively twice a year, with submittal deadlines of August 1st and January 1st.
- Benefit at least six individuals, benefit the community as a whole, and not benefit any Rotarian or relative.
- Not repeat a previous Matching Grant project.
- Not be used for the purchase of land, for the construction of buildings, for travel,
for salaries, for administrative/operating expenses, nor for the establishment of foundations or trusts.
- Not be used for unskilled labor which could be provided by volunteers.
- Not be for a project already completed, or already underway.
- May include cooperation with other non-Rotary organizations, but funds can only be matched from Rotary Contributions, and Rotary involvement in and control of the
project must be demonstratable.
- The cost of purchase of any goods or materials covered by the Grant must be supported by pro forma invoices or statements from the intended vendors (the
amounts must match the exact amounts in the grant application - this is very important).
- Applications must be signed by representatives from the Project and Sponsoring clubs, and by the District Governors, if District Designated Funds (DDF) are used.
When either the Project or Sponsoring districts have DDF's (earned from earlier
contributions to TRF), with the authority of the District Governor, those funds may be used
in the project. They can also be matched by TRF in support of the project. Ask your DG.
Pre-project planning costs can not be funded by Matching Grants, but may qualify for
Discovery Grants from TRF. These are addressed under separate guides and applications forms.
Most Sponsoring clubs seek to fund support of Matching Grant projects from their
club's annual budget. meaning that projects involving $1,000 to roughly $10,000 from the
Sponsoring partner will be significantly easier to find support for than larger projects.
When projects require larger amounts of funding, a number of clubs from the Sponsoring club area or district might pool their support to achieve the larger amount.
Grants take about 6-8 weeks for review and response. When TRF approval is given, and
necessary funding agreements and payments are sent in, another four weeks is required for the disbursement of the funds to the recipient club.
Only five Matching Grant projects can be active by a single club or a district at any time.
To close out a project, a Final Report must be received and acknowledged by TRF within
two months from the completion of the project. Sponsoring clubs also want to know about
the success of the project, to validate their involvement. Not filing final reports of completed projects will stop approval of new projects.
Recognition of the participating Rotarians is critical. For those who contribute, when the
funds are forwarded through TRF, Paul Harris Fellow credit is given. Local Rotarians
should be recognized in their community. The Rotary Foundation and Rotary International should also be recognized for support of the project.
How do we relate this project process to the population problem? Review the six key points from the Cairo Program of Action (contained in
RIFPD Guidelines). The creative ways
in which we chose to address the population problem are unlimited, but are usually best
conceived in the Project Country. Sponsoring club support is available, and through
publication of projects in future RIFPD Newsletters, it can be easily found. Country Chairmen from developing countries are especially encouraged to lead the project
proposal process.
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