King of Prussia PA Rotary - Rotary 101

Matching Grants support international humanitarian service projects. Rotary clubs or districts from two countries work collaboratively to implement a project.

Who can apply?

Rotary clubs and districts from two countries may apply. The clubs or districts must be in good standing with Rotary International. This includes payment of dues and being current on reporting for previous grants.

What are the requirements of a Matching Grant?

Matching Grants must involve a Rotary club or district in the project country (host) and a Rotary club or district in another country (international) implementing a humanitarian project. Partners are expected to:

Maintain communication for the life of the project
Establish a committee of at least three Rotarians to oversee the project
Treat grant funds as a sacred trust
Maintain clear and accurate accounting
All projects must have active Rotarian participation and oversight. Active participation can include:

Managing project funds
Visiting the project site on an as-needed basis
The international and host partners sharing information via correspondence
The partners sharing expertise
Purchasing, shipping, or distributing items purchased
Publicizing the project to local media and the district

What projects are eligible for a Matching Grant?

Matching Grants fund humanitarian projects that benefit a community in need. Many projects fall within this broad scope; however, certain items and activities are not funded through the program. The RI web site is a good resource for Matching Grants. Here is a link for a Matching Grants application: http://www.clubrunner.ca/Data/5840//HTML/146324//matchinggrantapp.pdf

What are the funding limits?

Sponsors may request US$5,000-$200,000 from The Rotary Foundation. TRF matches $0.50 for every $1 of a cash contribution and $1 for every $1 from the District Designated Fund (DDF).

How and when to apply

Sponsors must complete a Matching Grant Application (141-EN) and submit it to TRF. Applications are accepted from 1 July to 31 March in any given Rotary year. It is recommended that the application be submitted as early as possible to avoid delays associated with submission of applications close to the 31 March deadline. If your project involves revolving loans or microcredit, the Revolving Loan Fund Supplement Form and Credit Group Plan must be included with the application. Requests of $25,001-$200,000 are considered on a competitive basis and must be received at TRF by 1 August for consideration at the October Trustees meeting and 15 December for consideration at the April meeting. The Guide to Matching Grants (144-EN) is available online to assist in developing the project and completing the application.

NOTE: Applications should be submitted single-sided, unbound, and should be typed, not handwritten.

What are the reporting requirements?

Reports are required at least every 12 months for the life of the project. A final report is due within two months of the completion of the project. Project partners must be up to date on reporting for previous projects as any incomplete or overdue reports will prevent a new application from being processed.

Helpful hints to speed up the Matching Grant process

1. Read through the entire application to ensure that all needed information is completed and submitted at one time.

2. Verify that all officer signatures on the application are from current year officers.

3. Finance your Matching Grant solely with DDF. Submitting cash contributions to the Foundation for a Matching Grant can significantly slow down the payment process. When cash contributions are submitted to TRF, they must be converted from over a hundred international currencies and booked to the individual grant account. Tax receipts must be issued and all recognition credit must be tallied. Matching Grants that are completely funded by DDF and matched by the World Fund are paid out significantly faster than grants that are fully or partially paid with cash contributions.

This link, provided by Rotary District 5340 for use by any Rotary Club, will take you to a matching grants web site which gives easy access to both district and global grant application requirements: http://www.matchinggrants.org/