Global Grant Writing for Peace Projects

Rotarians, Rotary Clubs and Districts that wish pursue peace projects may apply to the Rotary Foundation for Global Grants in the area of focus under Peace, Conflict Prevention and Resolution. Peace Projects may be undertaken by Rotarians alone or collaboratively with Rotary Peace Fellows and Peace organizations with expertise in the area concerned.

The minimum Rotary Foundation contribution for a Global Grant is $15,000. This means that the project must have a budget of between $30,000 and $35,000, depending on whether or not it is a District Global Grant or Rotary club initiated with District participation. The maximum amount The Rotary Foundation will contribute is $100,000.

Writing a Global Grant for a Peace Project is straightforward provided one follows the following steps, which streamline the process, helping prospective applicants prepare their application in an efficient and effective manner.

Prospective applicants may want to begin by looking at successful past Global Grants for projects in Peace, Conflict Prevention. Click here for examples.

Suggested Steps for a Successful Global Grant

A primary host sponsor (Rotary club) has a project in mind and will contact (usually because of prior relationship) a primary international sponsor. Why does it work this way? Because the primary host sponsor should know the community needs best, and has worked with the community to establish needs.

Global Grants require an international partnership between a Rotary club or district in the country or geographical area where the activity will take place (primary host sponsor) and a Rotary club or district outside of that country or geographical area (primary international sponsor). Each sponsor must establish a three-person grant committee to oversee the application, implementation, and reporting processes. One individual on the grant committee must be designated as the primary contact to be responsible for all grant-related correspondence with the Foundation.

Global Grants require active participation of Rotarians in the host and international sponsor club or district. Grant sponsors are required to identify the specific tasks that both host and international Rotarians will be responsible for during the course of the grant.

Primary sponsor clubs and districts must be qualified to participate in a Global Grant. There is no master list for qualified districts. However, the Global Grant application will not let the initiator submit the application if the district is not qualified (and therefore any club in that district would not be qualified). The Rotary Foundation qualifies Districts. Districts in turn, qualify, through annual training, clubs. 

Budget

Global Grant applications require an itemized budget. Grant sponsors are expected to list the estimated costs of all budget items and identify the vendors/suppliers that have been selected through a competitive bidding process. The total budget must be exactly equal to the total financing.

Funding from The Rotary Foundation and District

Global Grants are funded by the Foundation from the World Fund, and awards range from US$15,000 to US$200,000. The Foundation matches cash contributions at 50 percent and District Designated Funds (DDF) contributions at 100 percent. The Foundation will also match non-Rotarian contributions toward a grant, provided they do not come from a cooperating organization or a beneficiary.

If the Global Grant is to fund a humanitarian project, at least 30 percent of contributions to the Global Grant financing must come from outside the project country

Other grant requirements

  • Align with one or more areas of focus, such as Peace, Conflict Prevention and Resolution.
  • Respond to a need that will benefit the community concerned
  • Include the active participation of the benefiting community
  • Strengthen local knowledge, skills, and resources
  • Provide long-term benefit to the community after the Rotary club or district has concluded its work
  • Have measurable results
  • Involve active Rotarian participation

Activities funded by Global Grants include

  • Humanitarian projects
  • Vocational training teams
  • Scholarships

The Rotary Foundation accepts Global Grant applications on a rolling basis throughout the year. However, applications involving travel expenses should be submitted 90 days prior to the travel dates. The criteria for Peace and Conflict Resolution grants are contained in the linked document. These are the criteria that technical cadre and Grant Coordinators use when reviewing grant applications. www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/document/areas-focus-policy-statements

If you have questions, you can refer to the Grant Management Manual, consult a member of your district Rotary Foundation committee.

Once the foregoing criteria have been met, it is time to begin the Global Grant application process. Please remember that project outcomes must be measurable and the sustainable after grant funds have been expended. There should be a Needs Assessment performed before the grant application is submitted.

  • Conduct thorough assessment of community needs and strengths
  • Talk to community members directly
  • Start with needs assessment rather than project plan

Make sure that the area of focus chosen is correct

  • Review areas of focus policy statements (link above)
  • Identify most appropriate area of focus based on needs assessment
  • Design project based on identified area of focus
  • Ensure that all project activities relate to the area of focus goals 

Detailed Project Plan

  • Provide detailed project implementation plan
  • Involve beneficiaries in project design

Rotarian Involvement

  • Provide detailed project implementation plan
  • Involve beneficiaries in project design

Budget

  • Provide detailed project implementation plan
  • Involve beneficiaries in project design 

Sustainability

  • Clearly explain specific sustainability components – See Six Steps to Sustainability:

www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/document/six-steps-sustainability

Measurement

  • Include specific information related to measurement and evaluation

Training Information

  • Include detailed information for each training opportunity
    • Frequency
    • Curricula
    • Target audience (specific beneficiaries, adults vs. children, etc.)
    • Trainer (s)

Cooperating Organization MOU

  • Include MOUs for each cooperating organization

Please read the Global Grants Manual at: www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/document/673

For additional information on grants visit: www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/search/all/global%2Bgrants%2Bmanual 

Peace and Conflict Resolution Measures

TRF enables Rotarians to promote the practice of peace and conflict prevention/ resolution by:

  1. Training leaders, including potential youth leaders, to prevent and mediate conflict
  2. Supporting peace-building in communities and regions affected by conflict
  3. Supporting studies for career-minded professionals related to peace and conflict prevention and resolution
Measure Measurement Options
Total number of direct beneficiaries Grant records and reports

Direct observation
Number of groups/ organizations participating in peacebuilding efforts Grant records and reports

Direct observation

Questionnaires and surveys
Number of communities that reported reduction in level of conflict Interviews and focus groups

Questionnaires and surveys
Number of individuals trained Grant records and reports

Direct observation
Number of conflicts mediated Focus groups and interviews

Questionnaires and surveys