I am writing to share information on an exciting new grant type that is being offered by The Rotary Foundation. Programs of Scale Grants are a competitive new type of grant that:

• responds to a community identified need
• benefits a large number of people in a significant geographic area
• provides a sustainable evidenced-based intervention with measurable outcomes and impact
• supports activities over three to five years, and
• aligns with one or more of Rotary’s areas of focus.

Through these programs of scale grants, Rotary can implement significant evidence-based projects in partnership with other organizations and make an even greater impact in the lives of people around the world. These grants can establish member expertise and provide the capacity to implement large-scale solutions to community needs at a population or regional level while attracting and leveraging resources from outside the Foundation.

The Rotary Foundation will award a single programs of scale grant annually in the amount of $2 million through a competitive two-step proposal-to-application process. No additional Rotarian funding is required. However, we greatly encourage including additional resources from Rotarian and non-Rotarian donors to increase the amount of program funding and enhance the potential scale and impact of the project.

The deadline for proposals is 1 March, 2020. Applicants should be prepared to include a fully developed and highly sophisticated project design, as well as include baseline data and plans for monitoring and evaluation. The project should involve activities that have proven to be successful elsewhere. Partner organizations can complete the proposal and application along with the Rotary club or district. Incomplete proposals and applications will not be considered. The Rotary clubs or districts with the strongest proposals will be invited to submit applications, which will include comprehensive details about the project.

The grant elements listed below are critical for a successful application:

1. Address a clearly defined need that reflects community priorities and engages its leaders
2. Be sponsored by a Rotary club or district and implemented with an experienced partner, such as a nongovernmental organization, private institution, or government entity, to assist with program design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation requirements
3. Use Rotarian leadership to guide the project to succeed, because these grants should not simply transfer resources to partner organizations
4. Include activities that can be adapted for use by other communities with similar need

To get started planning your project, please contact Anne Glenn, District 6900 Grants Chair.