STEP 1 of the District Grant process: Welcome!

You are now on your way to accessing available funding to do an amazing project or service during the 2024-2025 Rotary year.  Carefully read this overview and then you’ll be ready to move to Step 2.

In order for District 5150 to continue qualifying to receive grant funding from The Rotary Foundation (TRF), each Club must understand and comply with TRF’s strict rules regarding the grant process.  Those requirements are included in District 5150’s District Grant application

As you read through the District Grant process, if you have questions or need assistance, please contact District Grants Coordinator Joe Teresi at districtgrants5150@gmail.com or (650) 455-4887.

Where does District Grant funding come from?

District Designated Funds (DDF) provide funding for District Grants and Global Grants.  Each Club is allocated DDF annually by District 5150 based on the Club’s prior three (3) years of donations to The Rotary Foundation’s (TRF) Annual Fund. Estimated DDF allocations for the coming Rotary year are sent to Club Presidents and Presidents-Elect by the end of April each year.

What is the difference between a District Grant and a Global Grant?

Global Grants support large (>$30,000) international projects with long-term, sustainable outcomes in one or more of Rotary’s Seven (7) Areas of Focus:

  • Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution
  • Disease Prevention and Treatment
  • Water and Sanitation
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Basic Education and Literacy
  • Economic and Community Development
  • Protect the Environment

While it is possible for the project to be completed within a single Rotary year, typically a Global Grant spans several years depending on the size and scope of the funded project. Global Grants can be up to $400,000, and your Club as Lead Club is responsible for arranging the funding to access the Global Grant program. The Rotary Foundation will match an approved Global Grant project $.80 for each $1 of DDF allocated to the project.   Global Grants are administered by The Rotary Foundation.

For more information about Global Grants, refer to https://rotary5150.org/page/global-grants or contact Global Grants Coordinator Keith Axtell at keaxtell@aol.com or (415) 924-5930.

District Grants, on the other hand, fund smaller-scale short-term projects that address immediate needs in your community or internationally.  These grants are usually completed within a Rotary year and are easier to obtain than Global Grants, with fewer restrictions and requirements.  District Grants do not receive matching funds.  District Grants are administered by the District 5150 District Grants Committee. 

What can a District Grant be used for?

A District Grant can be used to fund local community or international humanitarian projects in the areas of youth, elderly, literacy, or community or one or more of Rotary International’s Seven (7) Areas of Focus.

Here are some examples of District Grant projects in District 5150:

Community Projects

  • Teacher Mini-Grants
  • Dictionary Distribution for 3rd Grade Students
  • Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) Scholarships
  • Community Food Banks
  • Rotary Park Improvement
  • Furnishings for Center for Domestic Peace
  • Rotacare
  • Yurok Tribe Playground Installation
  • Thanksgiving Dinners for Low-Income Families
  • Bay Cruise and Movie for Low-Income Children with Disabilities
  • Hams for Single Moms
  • Solar car project
  • Tree planting
  • Hepatitis B Awareness and Screening Initiative
  • Van for HealthRight 360
  • Food items for Marin Oaks Culinary Class
  • Community Garden
  • Build and place “Little Free Library Book Stations” throughout neighborhoods for book exchanges

International Projects

  • H2Open Doors water purification projects
  • Sanitary Products for Girls in Uganda 
  • Food vouchers for SafePlace in Greece

Here are some examples of District Grant projects in other Rotary Districts

Community Projects

  • Transportation of elementary students to visit downtown library and provide each with a book
  • “Little Free Library Book Stations” throughout neighborhoods for book exchanges
  • Walking path to encourage residents to exercise and combat obesity
  • Comfort bags to Alaskan children in the foster care system
  • Backpacks and school supplies for low-income children
  • Outdoor gardens at local elementary schools
  • Bikes and helmets for underprivileged and low-income children
  • Books for a local library

International Projects

  • Solar lighting, sanitation and creation of room for school children in India
  • Toilets for girls in a public school in Nepal
  • Laptop computers to scholarship students from Project Amigo in Colima, Mexico
  • Community center in Tijuana with focus on youth, children and women
  • Wheelchair lift for school bus to bring disabled children from surrounding areas into city to attend school
  • Treated mosquito nets at an orphanage in Uganda
  • Food, school supplies and utility bill assistance to a school for the deaf in Mexico
  • Tuktuk to provide meals to homebound seniors in Guatemala
  • Vocational Training Teams (VTT) of professionals who travel internationally to teach local professionals about their field or to learn more about the field themselves
  • Global Grant community assessments

Wow! Can I use my DDF for more than one District Grant project?

Yes. You’ll need to complete a District Grant application for each project.

What can a District Grant NOT be used for?

District Grants cannot be used for:

  • Unrestricted cash donations to a beneficiary or cooperating organization
  • Operating, administrative, or indirect program expenses of another organization
  • Matching funds for any other project
  • Reimbursement for previously-completed projects 
  • Purchasing land or buildings
  • Fundraising activities and expenses related to Rotary events such as conferences, institutes, anniversary celebrations, or entertainment activities

I want to apply for a District Grant!  What do I do now?

Congratulations! You’ve just completed Step 1 by reading the overview. Now you are ready for Step 2.

STEP 2 of the District Grant process: Get your Club Qualified by March 15, 2024.

  1. The Club President-Elect and one other member of the Club must complete District Grants Management Training by March 9, 2024

  2. The signatures of the President-Elect and President Nominee are required on The Rotary Foundation (TRF) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the District 5150 MOU Addendum by March 15, 2024.   If the Club does not have a President Nominee by March 15, one other member of the Club (preferably the International Service, Community Service, or Rotary Foundation Chair) may sign.   Upon selection, the President Nominee must sign the TRF MOU and District 5150 MOU Addendum.  

  3. Clubs with existing District Grants must submit Final/Interim reports by May 1, 2024 (see Step 3 below).

  4. Clubs with existing Global Grants must submit reports by the due date established for the Global Grant.

STEP 3 of the District Grant process: File Final/Interim Report(s) for current and prior year’s District Grant projects by May 1, 2024

District Grant projects are usually completed within a single Rotary Year but are allowed to extend into a second year if additional time is needed.  Depending on the project’s status on April 30, either an Interim or Final Report must be filed for each active District Grant project by May 1.  

It is a good idea to complete a Final Report as soon as a project is finished.  The Final Report for a project can be submitted any time prior to May 1.

 

  1. If your Club filed an Interim Report for a 2022-23 District Grant project last year, you must complete the project and file a Final Report for the project by May 1, 2024.

  2. If your Club’s 2023-24 District Grant project is not completed by April 30, 2024, you must file an Interim Report for the first year of the project by May 1, 2024.

  3. If your Club’s 2023-24 District Grant project is complete by April 30, 2024, you must file a Final Report for the project by May 1, 2024.

Remember:

  • The Final/Interim Report must include receipts for the project’s costs and signatures from both the Club President and President-Elect.

Questions? Contact District Grants Coordinator Joe Teresi at districtgrants5150@gmail.com or (650) 455-4887.

NOTE: You must complete Steps 2 & 3 before advancing to Step 4.

STEP 4 of the District Grant process: Compete the District Grant Application for 2024-25 District Grant projects before June 1, 2024

  1. Work with your Club members or Board of Directors to determine potential 2024-2025 District Grant projects for your Club.

  2. Click on District 5150 Grant application and follow the directions to complete the application.

  3. Allow enough time to complete the application and secure the signatures of the 2023-2024 President-Elect (2024-2025 President) and 2023-2024 President Nominee (2024-2025 President-Elect) before June 1.

  4. Completed on-line applications will automatically be emailed to Joe Teresi, District 5150 Grants Coordinator.   

  5. Completed applications must be received by June 1, 2024.

  6. Need help? Contact District Grants Coordinator Joe Teresi at districtgrants5150@gmail.com or 650-455-4887.

STEP 5 of the District Grant process: Implement your Project!

Once your District Grant application is approved, you are ready to implement your project. Do not begin implementation of your project, however, until you have received written notification from District Grants Coordinator Joe Teresi that the application has been approved by District 5150 and The Rotary Foundation. Notification usually occurs by mid-September.  Any project begun prior to final approval will not be eligible for reimbursement.

Remember:

  • The Club must maintain a separate bank account for each District Grant over $2,000.

Implement your project and the savor the good work your Club members will do to make a positive difference in so many lives!

2024-2025 District Grant Application   https://formsmarts.com/form/2bw

2023-2024 District Grant Final/Interim Report   https://formsmarts.com/form/2bsl