Rotary Foundation Month – The Power of Global Grants
In 2021, The Rotary Foundation spent $110M on 1,885 grants and 67% of the funds went to Global Grants. Global Grants are large international projects that are sustainable with measurable outcomes that clubs from two countries partner together to implement.
Last weekend twelve Rotarians from District 5500 attended the annual USA Mexico Friendship Conference and Global Grant Exchange in Prescott.
District 5500 Rotary Foundation Team: Back row: PDG Sally Montagne, Grants Chair Barbara Kiernan, PDG Michael Drake, PDG Hank Huisking, DGE Sue Archibald, DG Don Jorgensen, Prudy Abeln, DISC Pat Patton, PDG Kristi Halvorson. Front row: Jen Sprung, Bill DeJarnette and Gene Friesen
Ninety Rotarians from six Rotary districts including our D5500, D5495 (the other Arizona district), a district from California, Utah and two districts from Mexico, all joined to preview and pledge support for Global Grant projects. Fourteen Global Grant projects were presented: 8 from Mexico, 5 from Africa and 1 from Winslow, Arizona.
Our District Rotary Foundation Team pledged $36,000 in District Designated Funds (DDF) on eight of the projects and the Tubac Rotary Club pledged funds on three projects.
There were 14 Global Grant projects that were presented at the USA Mexico Friendship Conference and Global Grant Exchange in Prescott, October 27-29, 2023.
Here is the list, including the DDF that was pledged by the D5500 Rotary Foundation Team:
#1 Electrotherapy Equipment for Physiotherapy Center in Vera Cruz, Mexico.
#2 Rainwater Harvesting for Community in Xalapa, Mexico.
#3 Rainwater Harvesting Project in the Morelos Mountains, Mexico: $5,000 pledge
#4 60 Computers 4 Elementary Schools, Poza Rica, Mexico.
#5 X-Ray Machine in Vera Cruz, Mexico: $5,000 pledge
#6 Chapala Wetland Water Treatment, Mexico: $3,000 pledge
#7 Boxing Program for At Risk/Foster Kids, Winslow, Arizona
#8 Continuation of Water Project in Zambia w/World Vision, Africa
#9 Puerto Penasco Rocky Mountain Tick Project, Mexico: $3,000 pledge
#10 Maternal & Child Health Project, Kenya: $5,000 pledge
#11 Solar Light Project, Kenya: $5,000 pledge
#12 Education Module for Health Workers to Create a Business, Kenya, Africa
#13 D4100 30 AED’s Project, Mexico: $5,000 pledge
#14 Microscopes for Malaria Diagnosis, Nigeria: $5,000 pledge
District 5500 currently has $155,612 in DDF (District Designated Funds) for Global Grants. This includes funds we received this Rotary Year for Global Grants, as well as unused funds from previous years that have rolled forward.
Donations made by Rotarians and Rotary Clubs to the Annual Fund are invested by The Rotary Foundation, and proceeds from the investments are used for administrative costs for 3 years. After the three years, the funds are split between the District the Annual Fund Contributions came from and the World Fund which is managed by The Rotary Foundation Trustees. The World Fund is used for Global Grants, Scholarships and the Peace Centers. The funds coming back to the District are “District Designated Funds” and are split for use between District Grants and Global Grants for the District’s Rotary clubs to use.
If you have any questions on this, please contact District Rotary Foundation Chair Kristi Halvorson.