March is Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Month. Rotary’s people of action mobilize resources, form partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long-term change in communities’ access to water and ability to stay healthy. Read about Rotary’s work to provide clean water and sanitation and consider celebrating with a gift to our Foundation on World Water Day, 22 March.

The Rotary Foundation raised more than $811,000 for Giving Tuesday in 2020. Thank you to everyone who gave in support of this global day of giving so that together we can keep Doing Good in the World. You can read more about our top fundraisers on My Rotary.

The Paul Harris Society is a network of dedicated Rotary supporters around the world. Society members express their intent to give at least $1,000 each Rotary year to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or approved Rotary Foundation grants. Last year, donations from society members made up 18.4% of all contributions to the Annual Fund. Subscribe to the quarterly Paul Harris Society Resource to learn more about this important group.

We are moving forward on Rotary’s new area of focus! You can now find more information about how we’ll protect the environment in the updated Areas of Focus Policy Statements. Clubs and districts can apply for global grants in this area beginning 1 July. If you want to apply for a global grant, review the policy statements carefully to make sure that the activities you propose are eligible for funding.

The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation recently took steps to address the financial pressure on the World Fund that has resulted from Rotarians’ strong interest in using global grants. As a result, Rotary’s grants staff has been restructured. This required some grant files to be moved from one regional grants officer to another. For many areas, there is no change. Review the Rotary Grants contact list to confirm your current regional grants officer.

Planning and executing a global grant project is a large undertaking and takes time to do well, so we want to give grant applicants plenty of time for each stage. We also aim to keep inactive grants and abandoned projects from cluttering our system and using staff time, to keep the Grant Center and the grants process working efficiently for everyone. For those reasons:

• If a grant application isn’t submitted within 12 months after it’s started, it will be canceled.
• If a grant application isn’t completed and approved within six months after it is submitted, it will be canceled.
• If a grant’s payment requirements aren’t met within six months after the grant is approved, it will be canceled.
• If a grant project isn’t implemented within 12 months after payment is issued, the grant will be canceled, and the sponsors will be required to return the funds.

Questions? Talk to your regional grants officer.

Our new Rotary Action Group for Refugees, Forced Displacement, and Migration will assist clubs and districts with projects that support refugees, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable migrants. These projects may range from providing shelter and food to creating educational and employment opportunities for people in need. Contact the group’s founding chair, Quentin Wodon (rotarianeconomist@gmail.com), to learn more and get involved.

The Learning Center offers a nine-course Grant Management Seminar learning plan that is sometimes used as a requirement for club qualification for Rotary grants. If you’ve completed this learning plan in the past, take the Grant Management Recertification 2020-21 course this year. In July we’ll update materials in the Grant Management Seminar to cover changes to funding and our areas of focus. If you are a governor or district Rotary Foundation chair and would like access to reports that show who in your district has completed these or other courses and learning plans, contact learn@rotary.org. If you’re a club member, ask your district leaders what to do to qualify your club for Rotary grants.

You can use the reports on My Rotary to manage your grant activities. These reports are available to all Rotary members and are especially helpful if you’re a district leader who wants to see the status of every grant application in your district. The guide to using reports that can help you with grants shows how to see your grants by sponsor, participation, location, and more.

Immerse yourself in a new culture, make new friends, and find international partners for your projects. Virtual project fairs allow for travel and fellowship from the safety and comfort of your home. If you want to learn about the priorities of a particular region, talk with Rotarians and Rotaractors from another culture, and explore partnerships with clubs you can work with to strengthen communities, attend a virtual project fair over the next few months.

Strong communication and leadership skills are vital to any grant project’s success. Become a more effective presenter, communicator, and leader by taking the Learning Center courses that Toastmasters has developed. From developing and delivering speeches to building consensus and leading a team, these courses will help you polish your personal and professional skills.

• The Rotary Foundation Reference Guide provides an overview of Rotary Foundation programs and services.
• A Guide to Global Grants is for members who are interested in applying for a global grant or developing more effective and sustainable service projects.
• The Learning Center offers a variety of material, including information about fundraising and participating in grants.