district models for submitting strong global grants

District Models for Submitting Strong Global Grants | 1

District Models for Submitting Strong Global Grants

Global Grant ApprovalCasey Solomon-Filer 6 April 2016


Welcome to the webinar

Casey Solomon-FilerProject Enhancement CoordinatorStewardship


Objectives:

• Learn about different models for how districts ensure the quality of global grant application submissions

• Reflect on how your own district can work to assist Rotarians in submitting high-quality, sustainable global grant applications


Meet our panelist

Panelist: PDG Basu Dev Golyan

Rotary Club of BiratnagarDistrict 3292Nepal


District 3292’s Model for Submitting Strong Global Grants

3292’s District Model SummaryThe district Rotary Foundation committee thoroughly examines each global grant application.

Details Each global grant must meet high standards to be approved. Host club president, president-elect and club TRF committee

chair sign a form that they are aware of the project. Global grant stewardship training offered in addition to Rotary

grants management seminar One-on-one coaching is also available to Rotarians planning global

grants



In 2013-14, district officers began model to respond to the following difficulties in global grant applications:

Host club president not always aware of global grant applications

International partners sometimes did not understand project context

Sponsors were often not aware of global grant eligibility requirements and best practices

Projects often were not community-driven, but driven by the international sponsor or a national NGO



The committee reviews the application considering the following:Is it need-based, demand driven and a process led by the community, and not externally imposed?

Is the proposed cost estimate reasonable according to market rates in Nepal?

Will it be possible for the Rotarians to regularly travel to the project to oversee it?

Will the project be sustainable?

Are the questions in the application being duly filled out?

Past performance of the clubs in stewardship

Any conflict of interest of club members

Area of focus fit

Is the project structured to be able to continue after the end of Rotary funding? and

Has the project been discussed by the club Rotary Foundation committee and Club Board?



ChallengesTo convince host and international sponsors that the committee is not unnecessarily scrutinizing the application after others have authorized it.Misunderstanding of process by international partners



Outcomes

High global grant approval rate

Increase in global grant applications

More clubs participating in global grants

Clubs are careful in submitting global grants

Bigger projects

Decreased percentage of overdue reporting

Increased contributions to the Rotary Foundation (participation and cash contribution)



Plans for the Future

Global grant orientation/training programs for all clubsExpansion of district committee to include area of focus expertsRandom visit of project sites by district Rotary Foundation committee



Notes from 3292’s regional grants officer: Laura Bradley

From the perspective of the regional grants officer, D3292:

Keeps projects focused on local needsKnows the beneficiary schools and organizationsTries to ensure the best project use of time and money


Meet our panelist

Panelist: PDG Marcelo Haick

Rotary Club of Santos-PraiaDistrict 4420Brazil


CADRE D-4420: District 4420’s Model for Submitting Strong Global Grants

4420’s District Model SummaryRotarians are accepted and trained as members of the CADRE D-4420 team . The CADRE D-4420 mentor Rotarians to improve the quality of global grant applications.

The CADRE D-4420 is modeled on, but not connected, to the Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisers.

Participation in the CADRE D-4420 program to develop global grants is optional for both CADRE D-4420 mentors and global grant applicants.



In 2013-14, district officers conducted a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. The conclusion was a need to improve global grant performance

Need to use DDF

Need to improve global grants metrics



CADRE D-4420 Process Consists of a district-level cadre chair, 3 regional members, and 12

members at the club-level.

All CADRE D-4420 mentors undergo an 8-hour training using Rotary Foundation of Technical Advisers Training Manual.

CADRE D-4420 mentors review global grant proposals and guide the host sponsor through project planning. Global grant stewardship training offered in addition to Rotary grants management seminar

Mentors cannot do global grant application work for the host sponsors.

Incoming club presidents and club Rotary Foundation committee chairs are informed about CADRE D-4420 program.

CADRE D-4420 offers an annual global grant proposal workshop to interested club members.



Challenges

Clubs sometimes do not meet CADRE D-4420 expectations. Sometimes clubs expect the CADRE D-4420 mentors to do their work for them. As CADRE D-4420 mentors are all volunteers, performance can vary.



OutcomesIncrease in global grant applications and projectsClub leaders have a better understanding of global grants and the commitment that is needed for them.Last project workshop had 200 participants and discussed approximately 30 global grant proposals.Improved global grant approval rate in district.7 districts in Brazil are interested in replicating the model and sharing experiences.



CADRE D-4420: Plans for the Future

Need to maintain CADRE consistency for the coming 2016-19 term.

CADRE members will start offering global grant orientations to clubs.

Develop a district position to organize the CADRE program.



Regional grants officer for D-4420: Susan Doxtator


POLL


Meet our panelist

Panelist: Rotarian Moses Musiitwa

Rotary Club of Kyambogo-KampalaDistrict 9211Uganda


District 9211’s Model for Submitting Strong WASH Global Grants

9211’s District Model SummaryDistrict 9211 created a group of cadre members to serve as mentors to Rotarians planning global grant applications.

Uganda Rotary Office, which coordinates all 80+ clubs in Uganda Appointed Grants team (of 4 Rotarians from Uganda & Tanzania) to advise DRFC on global grant applications received Teams for each area of focusWorking with the district area of focus team is still optional



Four years ago, Uganda’s Rotary annual review program showed grant reporting and stewardship issues, including:Poorly conducted community assessments

Low-quality proposals

Low understanding of critical issues, such as sustainability

Over-stated budgets

Choice of technology: many Rotarians not exposed to new innovations

Limited scope of M&E plans , then M&E reports were very low

Very few projects created project management plans , as per MOU’s

Implementation schedules were not clear

The same people were appearing on many projects



Districts Recommended Global Grant Information model

Project (Purpose, Planning)

Research (needs assessment)

Engaging (all stake holders) (>5000)

Monitoring & Evaluation plans & Results

Rotarians/Rotaractors Involvement

Reporting (Progress & Final)

Stewardship/Sustainability

New Memberships recruitment (as applicable)



District Strategic Plan

Priority Area of Focus Plan is WASH for 2013-2018;

However we have currently programs

Rotary Cancer Program

Rotary Family Health days (Health camps done 2-3 times per year)

Uganda Rotary Water Plus Program for WASH service delivery

Rotary Blood Bank

Vijana Poa – A youth Service program for Entrepreneurship development

Similar programs are also running in Tanzania



OutcomesRotarians now work in teams to develop global grant applications.

Increase in number of global grants applications being developed

All or majority of stakeholders are now involved (local leaders, pupils, private businesses, NGO’s, etc.)

Applications are submitted with most questions answered quite well

Dramatic increase in high-impact global grant proposals

Rotaractor involvement is increasing, especially at community assessment level

Projects now have more than one area of focus

Different Rotarians have started leading different projects (instead of the same Rotarians leading many projects)

Implementation schedule allows time for review

Budgets are reviewed and are more realistic



Challenges

Sometimes proposal reviewers are too busy or not available. Project ownership left to international partners Communication, especially e-communication Reporting….stewardship challenge



Plans for the Future –Grants in D9211Develop other area of focus teams further

Started Rotary WASH summit where WASH actors (Rotary and non-Rotary) come together to meet & dialogue regularly . Focus on community assessments and proposal writing for WASH projects.

Discussion of hiring grant officer (s) to support the proposal development process


From a Regional Grants Officer Perspective

Rebeca MendozaRegional Grants Officer for district 9211


REMINDER:

All attendees will receive a link to the slides and a recording of today’s session via email within 48 hours.


Questions?


Questions?

District Efforts to Improve Global Grant Applications

Coaching/mentoring for Rotarians creating global grant applicationsAdditional training on global grantsArea of Focus expertise accessible to district foundation leadership


Questions?

General Outcomes of District Efforts to Improve Global Grant ApplicationsIncreased global grant applications and approval rates in all three districts Increased contributions to the Rotary FoundationIncreased Rotarian and Rotaractor recruitment/ retentionIncreased quality of global grants increased likelihood for high impact and sustainability


If you have additional questions for our panelists:

Marcelo Demetrio HaickRotary Club of Santos-Praiahttp://www.rotary4420.org.br [email protected]

Rotarian Moses MusiitwaRotary Club of Kyambogo-Kampalahttp://www.urwp.org/contact.html

PDG Basu Dev GolyanRotary Club of [email protected]

http://www.rotary4420.org.br/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.urwp.org/contact.html

mailto:[email protected]


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district models for submitting strong global grants

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