Global Grant Basics, Tips and Tricks

Before you even get started:

Know your partners.

Someone must have on the ground knowledge.

The norm is that it will take two years from the introduction to actuallycompleting an application for a grant.

Don’t promise the host community when or if you can obtain a grant.

1)Basic Requirements

  1. Send the Early Notice Information Sheet to the District Grants Committee
  2. Club MOU (memorandum of understanding)- Both Clubs
  3. Club Qualification Plan
  4. Cooperating Organization MOU
  5. District Global Grant Trainingto be attended by two club members

2)Application Basics- Getting there!

  1. Sign In
  2. Mouse over ‘The Rotary Foundation’ and a drop down box will appear.
  3. In the Dropdown Box go to the far left and click on ‘Global Grants’
  4. Read the page and applicable exhibits
  5. At the top in the grey bar ‘Apply for Grants’
  6. Read and scroll to the bottom and click on ‘Rotary Grant Center’
  7. In the top white bar, click on ‘Apply for A Grant’
  8. When you return another day go to:
  9. click on ‘My Grants’ to access your application to continue work.

3)Grant Application Tips And Tricks

  1. Use the application template to identify the necessary information until you have the items above identified and are ready to begin online.
  2. Project Name: Please start the name with the country in which the project is located and keep the name short, simple and indicate the basic purpose:
  3. Example: El Salvador- Rainwater cisterns in Santa Rosa
  4. Do not start the actual grant online until you have the following ready to go:
  5. Host Country Club and the Primary Host Contact
  6. Primary International Contact
  7. Assume that at least one simplest element will take an inordinate amount of time to accomplish.
  8. Be conservative in setting the timeline information in the application. After you double your original time estimate, it won’t be enough.
  9. Objectives and Areas of Focus tab sections:
  10. Do not over-commit. Keep it simple and achievable.
  11. Be specific on who does what.
  12. Fill out every question and box in the on-line application. TRF will not like ‘N/A’.
  13. To add a club member they must first have registered with MyRotary.

Other Tips:

1)Read the materials online at

2)Read the MOU and Club Qualification Plan, they have key information on your obligations.

3)Read the new Guide to Global Grantsand other documents provided at this seminar and available online at:

4)Call or write one of us with any question.

5)Be familiar with the list of what TRF won’t support.

  1. Buildings where people live or work including schools and clinics.
  2. Purchase of land or buildings
  3. Travel expenses of non-essential people
  4. Advertising and celebrations except a sign allowance.

6)TRF discourages ‘drop ship’ sorts of grants such as ordering a school bus when there isn’t an active component to the grant.

7)Set up your reporting and record keeping system up front and record all transactions concurrently every month.

  1. Keep copies of all receipts in the same order as your accounting system.
  2. Retain all detail reports, bank statements and receipts for at least five years.

8)Maintain very strict and detailed records and receipts for five years.

9)Report timely: One year from date of issuance of funds by TRF and earlier of one year later or two months after completion of project.

10)Your club needs to have a hard copy record and a remote electronic storage that will survive changing members and officers.

11) Provide District 6690 with an electronic copy of all key documents, bank statements and receipts for archive storage.

12)TRF allows 10 open grants. District 6690 has a policy that a club can only have one open global grant open until the project is substantially complete

13)NEW: Can now fund ‘low-cost shelters and simple schools’

14)Cannot fund multiple unrelated projects in one Global Grant.

15)NEW: Water well projects will now require hydrological surveys.