Tag Archives: District Grants

Economic Development Grants

16 Thursday Nov 2017

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As promised, a bit about Community and Economic Development District Grants:

On October 19th we posted an article about Community and Economic Development as being one of the Rotary Areas of Focus to not be overlooked when looking for a worthy global or district grant project.  You can scroll down on this page after this article  and reread the October 19th blog.

cropped-historic-triange-equine-assisted-therapies.jpgWe promised to come back with some of our District grants which listed Community & Economic Development as a primary or joint area of focus.  The District 7610 Peace Conference and the Foundation Reception and Awards Banquet intervened, but today we will begin a series about Community and Economic Development District Grants.

We begin today with the $42,527 multi-club 2017-2018 District grant (partially funded by the grant) awarded to the Area 7 Rotary clubs of Petersburg, Petersburg Breakfast, and the Colonial Heights.  The paragraphs in italics are clipped directly from the application for this approved grant and can be seen on the grants tab of dacdb.com.

“The Lakeview Park Playground/Gazebo project’s objective is to remove the old unsafe playground equipment and replace it with new equipment which will carry a Nautical Theme since it is located new the reservoir at Lakeview Park. The project also includes the building of a new Gazebo that replaces the one that was removed about 2 years ago due to its safety. The project will bring together the 3 clubs of Area 7 (Colonial Heights, Petersburg, and Petersburg Breakfast) in a multi-club district grant and in partnership with the City of Colonial Heights Park and Recreation Department and City of Colonial Heights Lawn Maintenance Department.

The community need is to provide safe playground equipment for the children of the city of Colonial Heights as well as the surrounding South Chesterfield County area as with this location of Lakeview park it is visited by both city residents and county residents. We will also be providing a Gazebo at the park for the families to socialize with their fellow citizens and have a place they could also have small family picnics. The long-run benefit will be for the children to grow up with the opportunity to have a safe place to play and get exercise while making friends and families having a place they feel they can come and enjoy family time and make new friends. We also want this to be an opportunity share the message of Great Rotary Work and partnership with our city to the citizens of the community.”

Lee Park RotariansThese clubs have a great track record completing Community and Economic Development grants.  Their grant last year was completed at The Lee Park Meadow in Petersburg.  That grant had Prince George partnered in the grant as well.  These grants are improving the entire Crater area region.

Just remember that it is annual fund giving that results in monies returning to the district to help fund such grants.

Also, remember to subscribe to this blog to get it directly in your email inbox.

 

 

Economic & Community Development Grants

19 Thursday Oct 2017

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There are 6 Areas of Focus in the Rotary Foundation world … Economic & Community Development is one of them:

solar panels

IPTC Creator: Alyce Henson     IPTC Credit (c) Rotary International

We cruise Rotary Images on http://www.rotary.org from time to time.  When you pull up Rotary Images you can input a search term to pull up a cluster of photos meeting that search criterion.  This photo is one of the images which popped up when we searched “Economic and Community Development.  In the photo, Christopher Castro (center) of the Rotary Club of Brentwood, New York, is in Nan Sema on the island of LaGonave, Haiti.  He is helping to secure solar panels on the roof of a local clinic.  With Rotary Foundation Matching Grant 73919 Rotarians from District 7250 and Haitian Rotarians, staffed a week-long medical clinic, installed a laptop and satellite to be used to for telemedicine and converted the community center’s power source to solar energy. After the 2010 Haitian earthquake, Port Au Prince residents fled to the island, increasing the population by 30%, creating stress on the available services on this small island.

 

The thought came to mind that with the recent ravaging of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other weather destroyed communities, such a similar grant effort might be considered.  The uses for such projects are so many … water pumping & purification, fire & ems (any first responder) services, schools, communications … so many possibilities.  Just planting a seed …

Local Economic & Community Development Grants

The first round of District 7600 grants have been awarded and round 2 grants are in the bin.  In the next issue of this blog, we’ll report on some of the District Grants which had the economic and community development identified their primary area of focus.  Helping communities overcome barriers to employment, transportation, health, education and other community enhancers is a worthy Rotary goal. It will be informative to learn what some of our local clubs are doing in this arena.

Don’t forget to register for the District Foundation Awards Banquet (November 9) on the dacdb.com calendar.  Enough said for now. 

 

37 d7600 clubs have GMS attendance certification

28 Tuesday Mar 2017

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SuAnne Hardee Bryant presenting

SuAnne

The March 25th Grant Management Seminar (GMS) provided 61 Rotarians from 37 clubs with three hours of step by step instructions on how to use the Grants Module in dacdb.com and some practical tips on stewarding a grant project.  Distinctions between district and global grants were explained and Mike Little explained how global scholarships and peace fell scholarships differ.

 

The faculty included our Chair, Chuck Arnason, the grants team SuAnne Hardee Bryant (Chair), Bill Liepis ( Global Grants), Mike Little (Scholarships), and Wayne Boggs from the Grant  Audit team filling in for the Chair, Don Vaught.

Just a few highlights …

– district grants in our district now require certification of attendance at an interactive GMS

– the application, documentation and reporting process is all digital through the dacdb grants     module

– this year all district grants must be closed out by June 15, but

– a club’s 2016-17 grant must be closed out before a 2017-18 grant can be approved for that club, so

– submit the final report for the 2016-17 grant in advance of the May 15 district grant application deadline

and there’s more, but

If your club needs GMS certification register for either the April 8 or the April 29 GMS Webinar on dacdb.com calendar. You can attend in person or in your home or business office.

Questions? Leave in the comments section or contact our DRFC, Chuck Arnason.

Next week … some tips on removing facial hair and an update of year to date club giving.


Chanco DTTS … three things

15 Wednesday Feb 2017

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District Team Training Seminar (DTTS)

Club leaders for the 2017-2018 Rotary year joined District Governor-Elect John Padgett as they exchanged Rotary 7600 goals for the coming year. Known for his sartorial proclivities John did not disappoint wearing chinos with the Rotary logo embroidered on them, all over them.

District Rotary Foundation Committee (DRFC)

Chuck Arnason led the DRFC in a two-hour breakout of its own in the training room closest to the James River.  The views of the river were only mild competition for the discussions occurring within.

drfc-2017-dttsMany things were discussed but most folks can’t handle more than three things at one time so here are three …

  1. Club attendance at a Grant Management Seminar is required for both District and for Global Grants.  This is a change from previous requirements.
  2. Three Grant Managment Seminars (GMS) will be offered this spring, any one of which qualify to satisfy the attendance requirement for a grant. Registration for all of the GMS will be through dacdb.com  and will cost $20.  Registration now available for the March 25 GMS thanks to the District Communications Officer Debbie Wall.
    1. March 25 – Colonial Heritage Golf Club, Williamsburg, VA.
    2. April 8th – Live Webinar, in person in Hampton or at your home computer.
    3. April 29th – Live Webinar, in person in Hampton or at your home computer.
  3. All Club Foundation Chairs, Assistant Governors, and grant involved leaders are encouraged to subscribe to this blog by email (upper left-hand corner).

There are many more important things to share, but we can save those for another time unless you just can’t wait. If so just fill out the contact form below.

 

 

 

 

Is your club’s grant bill coming due?

31 Tuesday Jan 2017

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This article is a virtual reprinting of the message I published in the Spirit of 7600, District newsletter which was distributed on January 30, 2017.  Let me know if you need more information –Chuck

FROM THE DRFC

Bills always have a due date …

I hate to pay bills.  I don’t hate buying things — it’s just the fact that I get a bill in the mail pay-billsand have to do something with it.  The first thing I do when I receive a bill is to look at the due date.  I used to put them in a box on my desk and wait until the due date approached to deal with them.  That resulted in accruing late charges on many occasions.  I had the money but disliked parting with it until I had to.  Now that I have electronic banking I can set a future payment date and know the money won’t be sent until it’s due.  That’s just me, I know the rest of you don’t have this problem.

Does your club have a bill coming due?

chuckheadshaving

The clubs that received district grants this year will have a bill due soon.  I recommend that once you have all of your grant records such as bank statements, checks, receipts, pertinent electronic and written correspondence and other documentation, you go ahead and load the records in the “Documents” section of the grants module in the DACdb.  Closing out the current year’s grant is required before you can receive funding for next year’s grant request.  Your final report should be filed immediately upon use of the grant funds, even if the total project is not completed.  In no event, should the final report be submitted later than June 15 of this year.  However, to be eligible to have your club’s 2017-18 grant application considered, your final report for your 2016-17 district grant must have been submitted and approved before the application deadline on May 15, 2017,  In the 2017-18 Rotary year, the due date for the final report will be moved up to 1 May to better accommodate the submission of the following year’s district spending plan to The Rotary Foundation.

Please remember that if you have a current district grant and are thinking about applying for a 2017 -18 grant, the status of the current grant will impact the determination of whether you can receive another grant.  Good stewardship of our Foundation resources is the responsibility of all of us.  If you have questions pertaining to your current grant status, don’t hesitate to contact me.  My job is to serve you.

Your District Rotary Foundation Chair,

Chuck

 

Thank you and happy holidays

20 Tuesday Dec 2016

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drfc-chuck-dec-2016-message-photo

Rebecca and Chuck

As we enter the Holiday Season and 2016 draws to a close, it’s time to count our blessings and recall what we are thankful for during 2016.  I am thankful that through a Global Grant the district was able to purchase, ship, and install all needed equipment to create a permanent pediatric cardiac unit in Ruth Paz Hospital in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The unit included a pediatric cardiac ward, operating room, and ICU. Through a Vocational Training Team (VTT) effort we were able to train local health workers to run the pediatric cardiac unit year-round.

I am thankful that we could send over $138,000.00 to clubs in our district in the form of district grants.  That amount was matched by over $200,000.00 from other sources to make a major impact on the communities in our district.  We were able to build a playground, renovate a park, provide free eye exams to underprivileged children, and so much more.

I am thankful for the generous Rotarians in District 7600 who provided the funds for these projects through their contributions to the Annual Fund.  This year’s giving is 20% higher than the same time last year.  This will mean more available funds in the years to come to do good in the world.

Yes, I am thankful that I was asked to be a Rotarian. It has changed my life!  What are you thankful for?

Chuck

Grant it be so …

10 Tuesday May 2016

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District Grant application deadline … through the tunnel

May 16, Correction  the deadline is midnight on May 16 5 pm  — yes, that is the deadline for clubs to submit their applications for 2016-17 district grants in the online grants module at dacdb.com. The key thing is for each club in the project to have provided the requisite ‘online’ signatures, and the lead club to have provided a detailed budget, a concise, but clear description of the project, the needs to be met, and the required documents.

norfolkportsmouthelizriverproject4

Norfolk-Elizabeth River Education Project

The District Designated Funds (DDF) available for District 7600 grants this year is $280,000 +/- to be divided evenly between district and global grants.  The grants committee headed by SuAnne Hardee Bryant will vet the applications and provide tentative approval, or not, on grant applications. The district submits all to The Rotary Foundation which has final approval of the spending plan for the district.  Once this approval of the spending plan has been granted, clubs will be formally notified of the status of their grants.

Clubs must at that point be patient and wait for receipt of their funds before beginning work their grant projects other than planning activities.

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Colonial Heights Multi-Club Ferndale Park Project

Individual clubs can receive up to $5000 for a district grant project or go in with other clubs and each receive up to $5000 or a maximum of $25,000 for a regional grant project.

The club stewardship continues through the life of the grant as clubs are required to provide interim reports and final reporting when the grant project is completed.

The district grant process allows Rotary Clubs in District 7600 to make a meaningful and lasting impact in their communities.  Projects may live on past the lives of those involved in the project. That is legacy. So now, doesn’t the application process and deadline seem less daunting?  So, let’s roll up our sleeves, boot up our computers, get project partners on live chat, and wrap up the work on those great district grant applications.

 

 

 

 

 

Share grant pics when filing final report

29 Tuesday Mar 2016

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Not a lecture on final grant report for 2015-16 district grants, just some tips:

Each club which received a 2015 -16 district grant is well aware it must demonstrate its stewardship by finalizing the grant reporting through the district grants module by May 16.  That date is the deadline for submission of 2016-17 district grant applications.  A few tips from  Jim Probsdorfer, District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, to that end …

  • collect receipts/invoices/plan sketches regularly during the grant project
  • copy, pdf, and share these documents so that there is more than one repository.  The old adage of backup, backup, backup is a wise one.
  • take photographs along the way and share these on facebook pages, websites, or on shareable platforms like dropbox, icloud, picassa, etc.
  • consider submitting the final report through the district grants module as soon as it is prepared and as far in advance of the May 16 deadline as possible so that if there are glitches they can be resolved before a club’s new grant application is to be considered.

More about pictures:

Emporia Reading Garden Cleanup

Emporia Grant

Take pictures throughout the grant process and create photo ops to capture the spirit of your grant. Photo ops can include the usual getting the check shot, but should also include the grant committee meetings to plan the grant milestone events, Rotarians and partners actually working on the grant project, the intended beneficiaries enjoying the facility/project made possible by the grant.

norfolkportsmouthelizriverproject1

Norfolk Grant

Then make sure these pictures get submitted through the grants module.  These pictures become great marketing tools for both the club and for the district. The pictures featured here were clipped from pictures submitted by these two clubs in the grants module.

Wayne Boggs wants you to successfully close out your grant.

 

Grant Management Seminar

15 Tuesday Mar 2016

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Does your club need to send a representative to the Grant Management Seminar (GMS) on March 19?  Your club does, if …

  • your club would like to participate in a global grant (GMS is required)
  • your club would benefit from learning how to do a needs assessment for a district or a global grant
  • your club would benefit from leaning about the online grant application process for either type of grant
  • your club would benefit from learning how to monitor and document your grant project from beginning to closeout
  • your club would like to hook-up with other clubs on a global grant

imageSuAnne Hardee Bryant will be presenting on these and other grant related topics on Saturday, March 19 at the Colonial Heritage Country Club in Williamsburg.  It is a morning-only seminar leaving plenty of time for golf or shopping in the afternoon.  There is limited time to register so do so now at dacdb.com.  Have a debit or credit card handy. More details are available when you register.

With existing district grants required to close out before applying for a new district grant (May 15 application deadline), the timing of this GMS is perfect.

District Grants and Paul Harris Society

21 Monday Sep 2015

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District Rotary Foundation Leaders are on a roll

The month of September, has been filled with District and District Rotary Committee Foundation leaders traveling to the clubs to personally bestowLouis Tayon Area 13 Michael Broadhurst PHF + 6 Paul Harris Society Recognitions and to award District Grants to recipient clubs. The awarding of the District Grants will probably be accomplished by the District Conference, but hopefully the joyful task of awarding the Paul Harris Society Recognitions will continue throughout the year. Often in these presentations and awards the Area Foundation Advocates are called upon to assist as was Louis Tayon (area 13 Advocate) earlier this month as he and District Governor Gary Chenault recognized Michael Broadhurst with his Paul Harris Fellow+ 6 pin.

Paul Harris Society –Annual Fund — District & Global Grants

The last couple of our blogs have focused on Every Rotary Every Year (EREY) as a worthy giving goal for clubs and Rotarians across District 7600 because 50% of all Annual Fund Giving comes back to the District every three years and matriculates to the clubs via district and global grants. As District Giving Chair, Ken Hodge noted, because of how District Designated Funds (DDF) can be leveraged, that 50% can become 87% in some  circumstances.

You may be asked about the Paul Harris Society.

The Paul Harris Society is one of the giving levels of the Annual Fund.  Upon enrolling in the Paul Harris Society the Rotarian promises to donate $1000 each year to The Rotary Foundation until that persona selects a different level of giving to the Foundation. As Advocates and Club Foundation Chairs consider recommending membership in the Paul Harris Society if an inquiring  Rotarian is already donating at or near the annual $1000 level. If the Paul Harris Society membership doesn’t match the giving interests of that Rotarian at this time, any level of giving to the Annual Fund can help do good in the world.

Foundation Advocates and Club Foundation Chairs

Questions about the Paul Harris Society and other levels of giving are among the many questions your club leaders and especially new members may have of you as Foundation Advocates and Club Foundation Chairs.  Carol Woodward is always ready to assist you when, and if,  you get stumped or if you just want to know more about the information available to share with the clubs. You can reach Carol at woodwardcd@aol.com or woodward739@gmail.com.

Shout Outs

To Delmar Dayton Area 4 Foundation Advocate and patient member of the South Richmond Club for his pleasant phone call.  The Advocates Chair gets lonely sometimes.

To Heather Martin Area 17 Foundation Advocate for posing with District Governor Nominee John Padgett at the Foundation Workshop in August.  The use of the photo in this blog header does justice to neither of them.

To all Foundation Advocates, Club Foundation Chairs, and to any readers of this blog … what information would you like to see addressed here?  Would anyone like to do a guest blog?

See you in the funny papers …  and at District Conference — Carol

Brave New World of Rotary Grants

27 Monday Jul 2015

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Grants With Impact

Jim Probsdorfer (“Probs”), District Rotary Foundation Chair, recently related a short PawPawBushhistory of the new world of Rotary grants to District leaders. This history began with “Future Vision” which was the pilot and transition to a systematic revamping of all Rotary grants. The ultimate goal of Future Vision was to increase the impact made on communities by Rotary grant projects.  Greater impact means a higher profile for Rotary which in turn leads to increased membership and increased giving.

One aspect of the revamped Rotary grants is evident in District 7600.  According to Probs in the 2012-2013 year our District Simplified Grants totaled $46,700. In the 2013 -14 year (the transition year) the District Grant Program totaled $116,000.  In 2014-2015 it totaled  $119,800.  This year the total is $122,800 >>> that’s almost $350,000 in local service projects in 2013-14, 2014-15 and now 2015-16.  Quite an increase from the $46,700 three years previously.

Area 7 Foundation Advocate, Stan Wall

Area 7 Foundation Advocate, Stan Wall

The 2015-2016 Grant Spending Plan for District 7600 has been approved and the District leadership is in the process of contacting the 15 project leads (some of the approved grants are multi-club projects) of their successful applications.  Of the fifteen successful projects most are in the areas of Education (literacy and STEM) and Community Development (often partnering with governmental entities) to provide healthy facilities for youngsters and those with disabilities. More will be published about these projects in the future.

Foundation Workshop on August 1 … a Gateway to Grants

Register for the Foundation Workshop.  Yes, there is still time to register!

Workshop Flyer

Workshop Flyer

Grab a buddy or two and carpool.  When you register you will select Giving, Grants, or Grant Writing.  If three from your club attend you will cover all the Foundation bases.

In the Giving Workshop you will learn the many ways Rotarians may engage in supporting and promoting Foundation Giving which has a direct impact on the amount of grant award money available to District in any given year.  Giving Chair, Ken Hodge, is an inspiring leader, but also knows how to connect with the nuts and bolts of giving campaigns.

Grants will hone in on the criteria, areas of focus, and the definitions of accountability and sustainability which are the keystones in modern grant giving.  SuAnne Bryant is a living, breathing encyclopedia of Rotary Grants and what makes sense ‘grant-wise’  in District 7600.

SuAnne also teaches the Grant Writing Workshop.  This is not only about the writing of the application, but is also about the maintaining of records along the way, and the successful close-out and final reporting which opens the door to future grant awards for a club.

So, share a Saturday morning with other Rotarians in historic Williamsburg  to jump start your club’s knowledge of the world of Rotary Grants.