1. World Community Service (WCS) fund:

This fund is generated by an annual assessment to District 5580 Rotarians through their Club's District dues by an annual per member assessment to Rotarians and generates approximately $46,500 each year. This program was initiated in 1996 by D5580 to fund International projects of the "BRICKS AND MORTAR" variety (schools, clinics, hospitals as well as water projects where the total project cost is less than $12,000 and does not qualify for TRF/DDF funding). Funds raised by Rotary Clubs will be matched dollar for dollar if projects are approved by DGS.  Any excess funds can be carried over by D5580 from year to year.

2. District Simplified Grants (DSG):

This fund is comes from The Rotary Foundation Humanitarian Grants Fund.  These funds come directly from TRF and are applied for by the District each year, folllowing compliance with all reporting requirements established by TRF. This fund can be used by D5580 to fund projects in our communities that do not fall into the other two types of grant categories (WCS/DDF).  The Grants Subcommittee can authorize DSG funds to be used for matching grant requests on a one to one matching basis, but only $25,000 is available for all D5580 community-based projects in a given year. The maximum DSG match allowable for a club project is presently $10,000.

Resources include:

3. District Designated Funds (DDF) A/K/A SHARE:

DDF (SHARE) monies held by The Rotary Foundation (TRF) are funds contributed by Rotarians to the Annual Programs Fund. These contributions are invested by TRF, and after 3 years, the interest earned is used to fund TRF grants. Rotary Districts can use their DDF in a variety of ways to fund 

• Group Study Exchange (GSE)
• Ambassadorial Scholarships
• Peace Scholarships
• District match on TRF Grants (or District and TRF portion, if TRF runs short of funding in a given year)
• District Simplified Grants (DSG) if a District elects to receive some of its DDF funds in this manner.

Matching DDF (coming from the District's account held at RI) and TRF funds need to be requested from The Rotary Foundation on an individual project basis. There is strict criteria as to the use of TRF Funds, as well as detailed reporting criteria for projects that receive DDF funds. An alternative recently implemented through Future Vision, allows clubs to send their contributions that have been designated for a project directly to the TRF Annual Programs Fund.  In turn, the District will assume the contribution and match it dollar for dollar.  That total amount will then be matched dollar for dollar by TRF.  This enables clubs to more fully leverage their funds and also gives credit to the Club and District toward the Annual Programs Fund goal.  The minimum amount that TRF will match is $5,000. The DGS encourages Rotary Clubs to use DDF Share funds, as it fosters long-range thinking and promotes use of funds from the RI Foundation.

See Resources:

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP:

The Rotary District 5580 Foundation Chair (DRFC) reconciles the District Simplified Grant (DSG) Funds, while the District 5580 Treasurer reconciles the DDF Funds and the World Community Service (WCS) Funds.

It is critical that District 5580 Grants Subcommittee (DGS) manage funds properly – WCS funds and DSG funds (District 5580 only) are matched $1.00 for $1.00 while DDF funds (TRF) are dollar for dollar on the District matching funds and $1.00 for $1.00 on Rotary Club funds (this is new as of July 1st, 2010; previously it was $0.50 for each $1.00).

The Grants Subcommittee will not approve grant requests for clubs that have overdue reports from previous projects that have received District Funds. This does not mean that the projects need to be totally complete. Interim reports must be completed at least every six months and are acceptable as long as the project is active and progressing. A Final Report is due within two months after completion of a project.

A protocol must be followed when conditions or the scope of a project changes. The sponsoring Rotary Club must make a request to the Grants Subcommittee Chair requesting a Change Order before assuming changes can be made automatically. In most cases, TRF is not very lenient of ANY changes to the budget or the original plan.

• Budget
• Letter of invitation from the host Rotary Club or NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)
• Letter of participation from any non-governmental (and non-Rotarian) organizations that are involved with the project
• Floor Plan or drawings if applicable to the projects
• Geographic map of the project location or GPS coordinates
• Photographs (optional but encouraged)

A separate project bank account MUST be established and a copy of the bank statement showing funds are in-place must be forwarded to the Grants Subcommittee Chair before D5580 Treasurer will forward funds to the club for the project.

For more information regarding District 5580 Grants, contact any of the Grant Subcommittee Members with any specific questions you may have.

ALL Grant Applications must be submitted in ELECTRONIC format to the District Office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it