In support of Rotary’s Action Plan, Rotary International’s Programs of Scale grants will award $2 million to one approved project each year that responds to a community-identified need. These projects will benefit a large number of people in a significant geographic area using a sustainable, evidence-based intervention with measurable outcomes and impact. Each grant will support, for three to five years, activities that align with one or more of Rotary’s areas of focus.
This is an exciting opportunity to complement the international service Rotarians already undertake with a larger grant investment over a longer time frame. Time and resources that will be dedicated to help deliver service in communities that will live on beyond project implementation. And by focusing on documenting the metrics of our good works, we get a clearer picture of results, and the good Rotary does around the world.
To find out more about this ambitious opportunity, visit rotary.org/grants.
Programs of scale grants are competitive grants designed to respond to a need that a community has identified. They will benefit a large number of people in a significant geographic area using a sustainable, evidence-based intervention with measurable outcomes and impact. Each grant will support, for three to five years, activities that align with one or more of Rotary’s areas of focus.
Key points about programs of scale grants
Programs of scale grants should:
- Address a clearly defined need that reflects community priorities and engages its leaders
- 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
- Use Rotarian leadership to guide the project to succeed, because these grants should not simply transfer resources to partner organizations
- Include activities that can be adapted for use by other communities with similar needs
Funding
Each year, one approved project will receive $2 million from The Rotary Foundation’s World Fund. Applicants are strongly encouraged to supplement Foundation funding with resources from multiple other sources.
Grant qualification
Clubs and districts need to be qualified for Rotary Foundation grants to apply. Learn more about the qualification process.
The application process
The Rotary Foundation will award one grant each year in a competitive process that requires a proposal and an application. 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 proved to be successful elsewhere. The Rotary clubs or districts with the strongest proposals will be invited to submit applications, which will include comprehensive details about the project. Partner organizations can complete the proposal and application along with the Rotary club or district. Incomplete proposals and applications will not be considered.
To get started planning your project, read the terms and conditions, then download the proposal and application guidelines.
Please note proposals must be submitted online. Create a login to start your proposal.
Monitoring and evaluation
Programs of scale grants directly support Rotary’s Action Plan. and the directive to have more information on the impact of our grant-funded programs. Through their design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation process, programs of scale grants will illustrate the value of Rotary’s contribution to resolving critical issues and provide our partners with tangible evidence of the impact of Rotary and the international service of Rotarians.
Questions?
If you have questions, please write to grants@rotary.org.
Resources & reference
- Programs of Scale Grants Application Guidelines (PDF)
- Programs of Scale Grants Terms and Conditions (PDF)
- Programs of Scale Grants Proposal Guidelines (PDF)
- Community Assessment Tools (PDF)
- Areas of Focus Policy Statements (PDF)
- Project Lifecycle Resources
4 questions about Programs of scale grants - Conversation with K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran, Trustee Chair-elect
1. What are the key elements of programs of scale grants?
This is a new type of grant intended to provide measurable and sustainable solutions to issues affecting many people in a large geographic area. Every year, The Rotary Foundation will award a $2 million grant to one project that aligns with one or more of Rotary’s areas of focus. The grant will support project activities for three to five years.
These grants do not require an international Rotary partner. However, applicants are expected to work with partners outside Rotary, such as nongovernmental organizations, government entities, and private-sector institutions. These partners may assist Rotarians at any stage of program development, and we encourage them to contribute funding. While Rotary is required to have a leadership role, our partners must have “skin in the game.”
Finally, proposals for this grant type must demonstrate that similar projects have been successfully implemented. In turn, it should be possible to replicate the grant-supported project in other communities with similar needs.
2. Why did Rotary create this new grant type?
We wanted to complement the existing grant types with one that would benefit a much larger community. Programs of scale grants challenge Rotarians to think big and to work with other organizations to find comprehensive solutions to large-scale issues. As we’ve learned from the PolioPlus program, if you want to make a significant impact, you need to have partners who are willing to jump in with you.
For example, in Sri Lanka, we have been working on a project to eliminate cervical cancer. My club, the Rotary Club of Colombo, had set up a cancer detection center. We then partnered with the Rotary Club of Birmingham, Alabama, on a global grant that funded HPV (human papillomavirus) testing machines. In addition, we brought in the University of Alabama at Birmingham to train staff, a leading telecom company to fund the construction of a new facility, and the Sri Lankan government to cover the cost of vaccines. In 2018, the project ensured that 83 percent of all 10-year-old girls in the country were vaccinated.
The power of Rotary is much greater when we partner with like-minded organizations. This project involves multiple partners at a national and international level that are working together to prevent disease on a massive scale. Programs of scale grants give Rotarians the opportunity to replicate achievements like this one.
3. How does the application process work?
Rotary clubs and districts are invited to submit a proposal for a fully developed program, including proof of concept, baseline data from a community assessment, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation plans. Proposals are due 1 March. Those with the strongest proposals will then be invited to submit an application by 30 June.
Proposals and applications will be reviewed by a committee that includes members of The Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisers and other subject-matter and grants experts. The Trustees will then consider the recommendations of the selection committee and will make the final award determination at their October meeting.
4. How will we measure the success of these grants?
The fundamental thing is that anything we do must benefit the community. Success will be measured in the ultimate impact of these grants on recipient communities. It will also be measured in Rotary’s ability to position itself as a leader in implementing solutions to long-standing development issues, especially in partnership with other organizations that represent the values and aspirations of Rotarians.