NOT AN OFFICAL ENTITY OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

The Rotary Foundation launched Rotary Grants, Formerly known as the Future Vision Plan, on July 1, 2013.
We encourage all Rotarians to become educated on the new grant structure by using the available RI training materials augmented by the additional information provided on this website. If, after considering all of the facts, you wish to support our informational effort or provide other feedback, please click as appropriate. More importantly, please make your feelings known to your district leaders.

CALL TO ACTION
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Fellow Rotarians, we urge you to evaluate how Rotary Grants (Future Vision) will affect YOUR CLUB'S service effort.  Here are some questions worth considering.

Does your club receive Matching Grants as a sponsor or host club?  Does the project budget meet the US$30,000 Global Grant minimum? If not, can you reasonably increase the project scope to reach the minimum?  


Do you have the administrative capability to develop acceptable measurement schemes and collect data?  Will your club be able to support the project for a multiple year duration?  Will you be able to guarantee sustainability as defined by The Rotary Foundation? 

Will your project fall within an Area of Focus? (CAUTION: Be mindful that infrastructure can be an enabling element of a larger project, but normally will not stand alone. While many would naturally believe that Community and Economic Development is a catch all that will cover such projects, our case study shows that this is simply not true.) 

If your project does not meet the Global Grant Minimum or fall within an Area of Focus, is there sufficient DDF (District Designated Funds) available to fund a District Grant?  How many projects will your district be funding through this channel? What is the maximum grant size that you may reasonably expect?

Does your club or district participate in Group Study Exchange?  Would a Vocational Training Team be an acceptable alternative?  If you wish to fund a GSE Team, does your district have sufficient DDF to cover in addition to other projects? Does your district have the administrative capability to organize the elements of selection, and coordination with an international partner? Would your district be able to fund both ends of an exchange with a district that has limited DDF? 

Does your club or district sponsor an Ambassadorial Scholar? Is sufficient DDF available to cover this effort? 

Where does your club stand on the "service growth curve"?  Does your club wish to sponsor larger projects? Will you be able to complete a climb to the pinnacle? 


If your club does not participate in GSE, Matching Grants, or Ambassadorial Scholarships, chances are that Rotary Grants (Future Vision) will have little direct effect on your club's service effort. If your district attracts above average Rotarian contributions and is administratively capable, chances are that you will be able to fund at least some of your existing programs through a District or Global Grant. If your district has average Rotarian contributions, chances are that you will lose some of your ability to do International Service.  If your district has below average Rotarian contributions, it will be imperative for you to seek partnerships with other districts or even seek other sources of funding.

After you have evaluated the impact of Rotary Grants (Future Vision) on YOUR CLUB, you will undoubtedly have formed an opinion on the value of the program.  Hopefully you will have also developed an opinion on the recommendations contained in our Ten Step Plan. Finally, your club and your membership should be able to decide whether to "board the Future Vision train". 

Whether you agree or disagree with our views, Rotarians Matter Most urges you to communicate your opinion to your District Governor and other district leaders.  Most governors will be interested in hearing your views, and most will relate them, at least in summary form, to Rotary's senior leadership. You should understand that your DG is obligated by tradition and policy to publicly support the initiatives of Rotary and The Rotary Foundation. You may sense a reluctance to publicly engage in open two way conversation, therefore it may be more productive to communicate in a private manner.  The important thing is to communicate your views.

PLEASE write a letter, send an email, make a telephone call, or speak up at a district meeting.  We believe the long term future of our foundation depends upon it.

Click here to provide Feedback or to Join Our Growing List of Supporters.

Click here to view our Ten Step Plan To Fix Future Vision.