JCF 14 May 2012
Introduction
Definitions
Global Grant Basics
Club Qualification
Finding or creating a project
Non-Future Vision District/Club issues
Validating a partner club
Defining the project
Submitting a project to www.matchinggrants.org
Competing for DDF
Rotary Scholars
Vocational Training Teams - including Adopt A Village
Microcredit
Cooperating Organizations, NGOs
Submitting the Proposal (in two places)
Handling Pledges and Financing
Submitting the Application
Collecting Pledges
Executing the project
Reporting - Including special requirement for projects in India.
Resources
Acknowledgments
The purpose of this document is to provide a guide for someone who is developing, or helping develop a Global Grant. It provides an overview of the complete process, and by clicking on the links provided, more details become available.There are many references on the RI website http://www.rotary.org and on the District 5340 website http://www.rotary5340.org (click on Rotary Foundation in the left column) that provide a great deal of useful information. This document is an attempt to provide an integrated road map for the planning and execution of a Global Grant, along with some observations or advice that will promote the success of your project.
Because this is a pilot program, changes are being made from time to time in the process, websites referenced and forms. If you see areas where it needs to be updated or corrected please email JFistere@cox.net. Suggestions about any aspect of this document are most welcome.
Although there are a number of references to District 5340 websites, policies, and resources, most of the information is applicable to all Future Vision Pilot Program Districts.
Printing from this document
If you want to print some of the information here, you probably don't want to print the whole document. Instead, click and drag to highlight the part you want and select Print Selection from the Print dialog box.RTF Documents
A number of documents (primarily the lists of question asked on the online forms) are provided in RTF format so that they may be read by any word processor.
See Glossary.
A Global Grant is a service project managed by two two Rotary Clubs, the Host Sponsor Club where the project will be executed, and an International Sponsor Club in a different country. Funding is provided by the clubs which elect to support the project with their pledges, and sometimes by outside sources as well. These funds are matched at the District and International level, in accordance with specific guidelines and rules. Within the two Sponsor Clubs, there are members who are the project Primary Contacts, who together bear prime responsibility for the development, execution, and reporting for the project. Two other club members from each club form the club's three-member committee for the project.
For 2012-2013 projects in District 5340, the combined effect of The Rotary Foundation and District 5340 policies is to make the minimum fully matched Global Grant project size equal to approximately $35,000, depending on the contributions from the Host District.
The main sequence of operations is:
1. Submit a Project on the Global Grants website, answering some basic questions.
2. Submit a Proposal on the Global Grants website, answering the same questions that are asked on the RI website.
3. The project and DDF request is reviewed by the District Rotary Foundation Committee.For 2012-13 Global Grants in District 5340, Global Grant proposals will be reviewed for DDF allocation in April, July, and October, 2012, and January and April, 2013 as long as there is DDF available. To be considered for DDF in any month, the Proposal Form on http://www.matchinggrants.org/global must be completed, and the project fully pledged by the first of the month.
Note: District 5340 District Grant applications are due September 1, 2012.
If your project is awarded the DDF required:
4. Submit the Proposal to the RI website through Member Access, answering the same questions mentioned above.
5. When your Proposal is accepted, you will be invited to submit an Application, supplying more details.
6. Complete the Application and have the Club Presidents (for Club-sponsored projects) authorize the Application.
7. Identify the project bank account, (and if required, a correspondent bank) and two signatories
8. When your Application is accepted, have your donors send their pledges to you or your club's Treasurer. (Donors can also send it directly to TRF.)
9. Send the pledged money to The Rotary Foundation
10. RI sends the project funds to the project account.
11. Execute the project.
12. Note: the Club Memorandum of Understanding does not allow the transfer of funds to a third party organization. Invoices from vendors should be paid directly from the Project Account.
13. Send reports to TRF every twelve months and when the project is completed.
14. Update the Global Grants website website during the project and at completion.
15. Upload photographs and stories to the Global Grants website.Here is a block diagram of the TRF part of the process:
Global Grants Business Cycle: http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/fv_global_grants_business_cycle_en.pdfHere is the January 2011 Future Vision Terms and Conditions for Rotary Foundation Global and District Grants, which provides some basic information on relevant RI policies.
Good email Practice
When corresponding about a project, is suggested that the Subject contain the following elements: 1) GG, DG, MG, for Global, District, or Matching Grant, respectively. 2) RI number 3) Matching Grant site number (G-nnn), 4) Project Name, 5) Country, and 6) The reason for the message.. For example:
GG 12345 G-678 Water for Schools, Zambia -- Need pledged money now
Club Qualification
Before a club can do a grant, it must be Qualified. (The District must also be qualified by meeting other requirements.)
In District 5340, to be Qualified a club must meet the following requirements.
Have at least two members attend the current year's Grants Management Seminar.
Memorandum of Understanding read, understood, and signed by the Club President and President-elect
Clubs must be current on all grant reporting
Clubs must be current on both District and RI dues.Access to Projects on the RI website
While the grant is in the proposal stage, the two Primary Contacts are the only people who will have access to the grant via Member Access, so they should be Internet and email savvy or have convenient access to the services of someone who is. Once the proposal is accepted and an application is opened the other two members of the project committees from each club, and the presidents from each club can access the project via RI Member Access.
A member with project access can produce PDF files for Proposals and Applications which can be emailed to others for their information.
Many projects are defined by potential Host Clubs that have a need in their area, and are looking for an International Partner to provide funding and support. You can either find such a project, or you can be part of a team that creates a project, where the Host and International Clubs are working together from the beginning. There are long-standing relationships between pairs of districts, and projects are created on the basis of the relationship.
Rotary International is operating a Future Vision Pilot Program, and clubs in the approximately 100 Districts selected to be in the program are allowed to do Global Grants only with clubs in other Future Vision Districts. You can view a list of Future Vision Districts at http://www.rotary5340.org/news/pdf/news17-13.pdf.
A good way to find projects defined by Host Clubs needing a partner club is District 5340's Global Grants site www.matchinggrants.org/global. You can browse the projects and select for evaluation a variety of projects. Project Fairs, where clubs with projects needing partners set up tables displaying information about their projects is another good way to find projects. At this point, there is no clearing house for Project Fair notifications, but word is passed from district to district, and from there to the clubs. You can often find projects to support at District, Zone, and International meetings.
If you are not ready to sponsor a project, you can use these same sources to find a project your club would like to support financially. Using www.matchinggrants.org/global, you can pledge funds online.
In District 5340, we are beginning to set up "Friends of District _____" to aid in the grant development process. Four districts are involved at this time. Here are the contact persons for each of those Districts:
3000, India (Tamil Nadu) Dee Deloria (Dee Doe) Dee@kingsroadinc.com 4100, Mexico Bill Sparks bsleucadia@hotmail.com. 4400, Ecuador David Ballesteros david.ballesteros@sdsu.edu 9200, Kenya and Uganda Philippe Lamoise philippe@lamoise.net 9270, South Africa TBD 3400 (3420), Indonesia Kathleen Roche-Tansey roche-tansey@roadrunner.com
Future Vision and non-Future Vision Districts are not allowed to partner on Global Grants. This is to maximize the validity of the Future Vision Pilot Program. (There is no restriction on where District Grants can be done.) This has created some issues where districts that have long worked together can not do Global Grants together until the Rotary year 2013-2014. There are other ways such districts can benefit each other.
The basic rule is that non-Future Vision Districts can contribute DDF to a Future Visions District and it will be fully matched by RI. However, cash contributions will not be matched. Those contributions may be shown in the project budget, but the funds should be sent directly to the project account, not TRF. To show unmatched funds such as cash from a non-Future Vision Pilot District on the Global Grants website, one must have Administrative Access to the project. Click on Administration then Edit Project Page. At the bottom of the page you will find a place to enter Additional Contribution (not matched by TRF). Enter the total of such amounts there.
To transfer District Designated Funds (DDF) from one District to another, download and complete this form and send it according to the instructions on the form.
Here is RI's primary reference on the subject: Future Vision Plan Pilot District Partnerships with Nonpilot Districts http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/fv_district_partnerships_en.pdf
Here are some additional details published by RI on the subject.
If you a planning to work with a club with a known history past successful projects, this will not be an issue. However, if you want to work with a club that is new to you, you need make sure as best you can that the other club will be a good partner. Find out about their prior projects. Sometimes you can do that on either http://www.matchinggrants.org or www.matchinggrants.org/global. Or you can just ask them.
Key elements to evaluate are the quality of the project description, and their responsiveness to your emails. If they don't respond, you will probably have trouble getting reports in on time. You may also be able to find out something about their awareness of and commitment to the Global Grant process. You can contact the TRF coordinator for your district and find out if the club in the other district is in good standing with RI/TRF. Lisa Silberstein, Lisa.Silberstein@rotary.org is the coordinator for District 5340.
You should determine if the District is qualified by RI, and that the Club meets all qualifying requirements. See Competing for DDF below.
What makes a good Global Grant?
There is no simple answer to this question because of the wide variety of possibilities, including ones that have not been thought of yet. You can get an idea of past project that have been successfully completed by to www.matchinggrants.org/global, and reading about them. Criteria that are particularly important for Global Grants include:Is significant and meets a real need of the recipients
Deals with at least one of Rotary'six Areas of Focus. These are:Peace and Conflict Resolution/Prevention
Disease Prevention and Treatment
Water and Sanitation
Maternal and Child Health
Basic Education and Literacy
Economic and Community DevelopmentHere is Rotary's Areas of Focus Policy Statement enacted April 2012, and effective starting July 1, 2012, which will help you plan successful projects.
Is wanted by the receiving community and involves the community in planning and execution
Is sustainable after Rotary funding is gone
Requires at least $15,000 in RI matching funds. (For 2012-2013 projects in District 5340, that works out to a minimum project size of approximately $35,000.)
Primary Contacts
A project requires Primary Contacts who are members of the Host and International Clubs. Because the Global Grant process is computer based, these people should be Inernet and email savvy or at a minimum have convenient access to someone who is.Project Financing Calculations
Projects are financed by a combination of Rotarian and Club donations, District Designated Matching Funds (DDF), and RI matching funds. Here are some examples of project financing calculations. Here is an Excel Global (and District) Grant Calculator that will allow you to make your own calculations. (This version supports the District 5340 DDF policies for 2011-2012, which are a 1:1 DDF match of club funds up to $10,000 per club. If there is interest in having a calculator with adjustable DDF funding rules for use in other districts, please email JFistere@cox.net.)
If the project is not already posted on the District 5340 Matching Grantswebsite (typically by a Host Club), you and the Host Club will have to create and post the project on www.matchinggrants.org/global. Here are the questions that need to be answered. To apply for DDF from District 5340, the project must be posted here.
In addition to being a requirement for DDF approval in District 5340, there are other reasons to post a project on the Global Grants website:
Provides the Host Club means to recruit an International Club.
Provides a way to solicit funds for the project from any club or person anywhere in the world.
Provide a way for others to learn about the project.
Provides a place to store documents and photos about the project.
Provides a place to report project status and progress.
Provides an Internet mailing list for those interested in the project.Any Future Vision Pilot Project Club may post a project on the Global Grants website. Of course the District and Club must be Qualified to carry out a project.
Click here for step by step instructions.
Once the Project is submitted to the Matching Grants website, it will be visible and searchable by others looking for a project to support.
Also, you will be able to enter Proposal information, which consists of answers to the same questions that are asked when submitting a Proposal to the TRF website.
One should assume that there will be requests for more DDF than is available. For 2011-2012 Global Grants in District 5340, grant proposals will be reviewed in July 2011. If DDF is still available, additional evaluations are scheduled for October 2011, and January and April 2012 by the District Foundation Committee.
For 2011-2012, these are the criteria that the District 5340 Foundation Committee will use to evaluate Global Grant Proposals for DDF allocation:
Meets a well defined need
Significance of project
Number of beneficiaries
Involvement of Host community
Effectively deals with at least one Area of Focus
Provisions to assure sustainability
Cost effectiveness, with respect to cash and DDF
Quality of proposal
Involvement of District 5340 "Friends of District xxxx" Committee
Annual Program Fund giving
Execution and reporting history on previous grantsClick here for more infomation on some of these criteria.
Disqualification items
Does not deal with at least one Area of Focus
Sponsor Club is not Qualified, specifically:o District or RI dues not current
o Existing Matching or Global Grant reports overdue, or report returned by TRF for revision
o Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) not signed by Club President
o Fewer than 2 club members have attended current year's Grants Management Seminar (For District 5340, April 14, 2012).
Schedule requirements to receive DDF:
- The Proposal must be approved by TRF within three months from the award of DDF notice.
- Once the Proposal is approved, the Application must be approved by TRF within six months from the date of the approval.
- Once the Application is approved, all funds for the grant must be sent to TRF within six months from the date of the approval.
Rotary Scholars can be funded by Global Grants and by District Grants. This involves a student selected for study in another country, and the travel may be in either direction, that is from either the Host or the International Club's country.
A prospective Global Scholar needs to complete a Global Grants Scholar Application. Recent new requirement: If the application includes travel, it must be submitted at least 90 days before the expected departure date.
(In District 5340, we have a cooperative arrangement with the University of San Diego for studies at the Institute for Peace and Justice.) For examples see http://www.matchinggrants.org/global/project16.html and http://www.matchinggrants.org/global/project17.html.
Scholars are expected to participate in Rotary Club and District programs to inform others about their work and accomplishments.
While a Rotary Global Scholar may participate in a Humanitarian Global Grant project, this is not a requirement.
[This section will be expanded.]
Here are some informative links.
Here are the Scholar Application Questions.
In the recent past Vocational Training Teams were compose of experts or students in particular field, who traveled to another country to train others or to receive training. This approach is expected to continue. In addition, though, teams have been formed with a variety of skills to meet the needs of a particular village or area in the Host District. For example, see http://www.matchinggrants.org/global/project1.html and http://www.matchinggrants.org/global/project2.html.
One of the challenges is to do an adequate neeeds assessment in the various areas, and to determine what the training possibilities are. Global Grant funds cannot be used for needs assessment. RI suggests that District Grant funds could be used for that purpose.
The participants need to fill out applications and submit resumes to TRF for review. Recent new requirement: If the application includes travel, it must be submitted at least 90 days before the expected departure date.
Folllowing the project, participants are required to complete a report within two months, and participate in Rotary programs about the project.
[This section will be expanded.]
Here are some links to needed forms.
Here are the Vocational Training Team Application Questions.
Microcredit programs, sometimes called Village Banking, are designed to help families rise out of poverty. Although there are many variations, loans are usually made individually to women in small groups, who are jointly committed to repay the loans, with interest. The money allows the women to start small businesses and eventually expand those businesses. Microcredit can be a part of other projects, or a stand-alone project.
There are microcredit programs and lenders who do not follow acceptable practices and special care is need to structure the program according to proven successful models. The Grameen Bank Model is the original and most notable approach, although genuine improvements have been developed, such as required savings accounts.
Application
Microcredit project applications require the completion of an Application Supplement for Microcredit Projects. This is downloaded as a PDF file, completed, and uploaded to the project through RI Member access. Additional documentation is required when working with a Microfinance Institution (MFI). For more information see microfinance details.
Reporting
As with other projects, reports are required every 12 months after funding and two months after project completion. A microcredit project is considered complete when the initial loans have been paid back and a second round of loans has been made.
In addition to the regular Global Grant report filled out online through RI Member Access, it is necessary to complete a Global Grants Report Supplement for Microcredit Projects. Download the PDF form, complete it, and upload the file through RI Member Access.
TRF considers a Revolving Loan grant completed when the funds have been loaned out, recovered, and loaned out again. That is, when loans equal to twice the original loan capital have been made.
In San Diego, Mobilizing Rotarians for Microcredit, in association with the Foundation for Women, is working with District 5340 and its clubs to promote microcredit projects.
Here are a few references.
When you are preparing the Proposal, all that is needed in the appropriate space is the name of any Cooperating Organizations(s) that will be supporting the project.
When you prepare the Application, you need to fully identify the Cooperating Organization and provide contact information.
Also, you need to prepare a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that spells out the responsibilities of each of the clubs and each of the NGOs. Here is a template you should use: http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_doc/fv_cooperating_organization_mou_en.doc. It needs to be signed by representatives of each organization and submitted to TRF, and preferably, scanned and submitted to TRF as a PDF document.
The next step is to create a Proposal. This is submitted in two places, www.matchinggrants.org/global, and on the RI website through Member Access. Here are the Proposal Questions.
The Proposal will be used by the District 5340 Foundation Committee to allocate DDF by the approval of projects, and by TRF, to select which projects will be invited to submit an Application.. Both approvals are required for a project to progress.
Click here for step by step instructions for submitting Proposals to the District 5340 Global Grants Website.
Click here for step by step instructions for submitting Proposal to TRF.
The Primary Contacts are the only two Rotarians who can access a Proposal through RI Member Access when it is in Draft status. However, Primary Contacts, Secondary Contacts, and Club Presidents can all access an Application. People with access can always produce a PDF file of either the Proposal or Application to email to others. (Note: Both documents should be uploaded to the Matching Grants website as well, where they can be accessed by anybody)
There are several ways in which contributions can be pledged to a project. It makes a difference whether the pledging club is from a non-Future Vision Pilot District, or whether the source is Rotary at all.
In all cases, the process starts by going to the Global Grants website and clicking on the project name.
Type of pledge Who can do it How to do it
1. Cash and DDF from any Future Vision District or Club Any Rotarian representing the Club or District Click on the Financing tab, In the next to last line of the table, click on Add a contribution, then complete the information requested including the cash and/or DDF pledged. 2. Cash from a non-Future Vision District or Club. OR from a non-Rotary source. A Primary Contact for the project. Click on Administration, then the Description tab, then Edit Project Page. Near the bottom of the form, enter the total amount of Additional Contribution (not matched by TRF). The Primary Contacts must keep a separate record of the sources. 3. DDF from a non-Future Vision Pilot District A Primary Contact for the project in coordination with the District Rotary Foundation Chair (DRFC). DDF may be transferred between Future Vision and non-Future Vision Districts. (Clubs and projects are not directly involved.) The donation is arranged between DRFCs. Once the transfer is made, the receiving District may allocate it to any project using the process for Type 1, showing it as DDF from the receiving District. 4. Making changes to pledges A Primary Contact for the project. Type 1. and 3. pledges: Click on Administration, then Financing. Click on the paper and pencil icon and make the needed changes. To delete a pledge, click on the red X icon.
Type 2. pledges: Use the method of Type 2 and make the necessary changes to the total.
The Application is in two parts. Here are the questions for Common Information, and for Humanitarian Information.
Common Information
This section specifies the people that are involved with the project, the finances, and is where many of the signatures (using check boxes via Member Access) are obtained.Humanitarian Information
This section contains more detail of how the project was planned and will be executed.Needs
It is important that the needs have been determined in advance. TRF will not allow grant funding to be spent on determining the scope of the project, such as "which schools", etc. If needed a District Grant can be used to fund the determination of needs.Community Involvement
You should explain how the local community helped plan the project, will be involved with the project, and how they will carry it into the future.Sustainability
You should explain how the long-term costs will be funded, and what long term organization will assure the sustainability of the activity when Rotary funds have been expended. Who will be responsible for the maintenance and security of equipment provided.Getting Signatures
When the Application is complete, you are ready to get it signed electronically. Three categories of signatures are required:
- For any district providing District Designated Funds (DDF) the application must be signed by the District Governor and the District Rotary Foundation Chair (DRFC).
- The DRFC from the Host and International Sponsor Districts must sign the application
- The Primary Contacts from the Host and International Sponsor Club must sign the application.
You will find an Authorize button next to each person's name. Clicking on that button will automatically send an email to the person whose name is shown. You will not see any indication that the email has been sent. When that person clicks on Authorize, the checkbox becomes checked, and the signature is recorded.
When the authorizations are complete, go to the very bottom of the form and click on the line:
After all of the required authorizations have been made, click here to submit the application to TRF for review.TRF will review the project and may either request more information to be included in the Application, or request that some questions be answered in a separate document, or do both.
When Application is accepted, you then have several tasks to complete:
Specify project bank(s) and account details.
Specify two signatories on the account
The signatories then go to the project and confirm their assignmentHere are step by step instructions.
For a Club-sponsored Global Grant the next step is to get Host and Int'l Club President signatures. Here are step by step instructions.
If it is a District-sponsored Global Grant the same steps apply except that the signatures required are by the respective District Rotary Foundation Chairs (DRFC).
As soon as the the Application is approved by TRF, pledges can be sent in. The simplest option is to send checks made out to "The Rotary Foundation" and mailed to:
The Rotary Foundation
14280 Collections Center Drive
Chicago IL 60693
USAMake sure the Grant number is in the Memo field of each check.
Donations must be accompanied by either the Single Donor Form http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/123en_write.pdf or the Multiple Donor Form http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/094en.pdf. Donations from Clubs should be accompanied by one Multiple Donor Form for each club.
Suggestion: A Sponsor Club may wish to collect the checks from the pledging Clubs and Donors from their District and send them in all at once, rather than having the donors send the checks directly to TRF. This makes it easy to track who still needs to send in their pledge, and that the proper form is used.
When TRF has received all the pledges, RI will make a transfer of the project funds to the project bank. This will include club and donor cash, DDF, and RI match. No money may be spent until project is funded.
Now is the time to execute the project. Although projects are ususally carried out by the Host Club, the more the International Club can be involved, the better. Site visits before, during, and after the project are very beneficial.
It is important to keep good financial records during the project. You are required to provide project account bank statements showing all expenses as a part of Progress and Final reporting. Although receipts are not needed for reports they should be retained and perhaps provided to the other Sponsor Club. It is particularly important to keep good records for microcredit projects. The Club Memorandum of Understanding does not allow the transfer of funds to a third party such as a Cooperating Organization. Invoices from vendors should be paid directly from the Project Account.
Keep good records, especially for microcredit projects
Involved clubs should keep in touch with each other.
Provide photos, logs, descriptions, suitable for PR purposes
Whenever there is news or a change in status for your project, you should update the Global Grant website.
Travel to site by International Sponsor Club members is great.
Provide reports when required or earlier.
Revise reports if requested by TRF.
A Progress Report is due 12 months after the project is funded, and every twelve months after that until the project is completed. A Final Report is due two months after the project is complete. Reports are made online through RI Member Access. Here are step-by-step instructions for the Progress and Final reporting process. Additional reports, made directly to the SE Asia office, are required for projects in India.
Here are the questions that are asked on the online Progress and Final Report forms.
Microcredit Projects require a Report Supplement providing additional details. For your information, here is the Matching Grant Report Supplement. It is expected that the corresponding report for Global Grants will be similar. The Supplement needs to be provided with both Progress and Final Reports.
Global Grant Scholars must complete a Scholar Report Supplement every twelve months and within two months of study completion.
Each member of a Vocational Training Team must complete a VTT Member Report Supplement within two months of project completion, or within twelve months of the first payment if the project lasts longer than one year.
Projects in India have special reporting requirements, including a different due date requirement. See India Grant Special Reporting Requirements. Also, you may refer to Section XII. Special Considerations for Rotary Foundation (India) in Future Vision Plan Terms and Conditions.
Hard copies of several documents are required for projects in India.
- Project Undertaking - On Club letterhead, signed by Primary Contact and Club President, certifies that the Club will retain project documents for eight years.
- Receipt - Documents the transfer of funds from Rotary Foundation (India) to the project account. Requires a Revenue Stamp and certification by Bank Manager or a Chartered Accountant.
- Utilization Certificate - Documents the use of funds and the remaining balance. Must be certified by Chartered Accountant on his letterhead.
- Report to Rotary Foundation (India) - This form can be used as a Progress Report or Final Report for a Matching Grant or a Global Grant. Must be signed by current Club President. This report is required on or before 31 May of each year (and within two months of project completion). If the project is funded befor 31 March of a given year, the first report is required on 31 May of that same year. In addition, online reports to RI/TRF through RI Member access must be provided.
- Originals or certified hard copies of bank books or bank statements for the project account.
For District 5340 projects, it is recommended that project documents be uploaded the Global Grants website http://www.matchinggrants.org/global. This is particularly true for the 31 May Reports to Rotary Foundation (India). Also, photographs are most welcome.
Resources are available at the Club Level, District Website, on the RI website and via email at every level within Rotary. If you have a question don't hesitate to ask someone. You can pick up a great deal by browsing those sites and using the search function. Here are more resources and a glossary.
Here is RI's Future Vision Resources web page.
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