Foundation Update - April 25, 2016

Foundation Update - April 25, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Foundation Update: District Grant proposals received for 2016-‘17
 
By Sanjay Deshpande
 
Thirty-one clubs in our district have submitted proposals for District Grants for projects they intend to undertake during 2016-2017 Rotary year, which begins this July 1. The projects and clubs are listed below.
 
The total of requested grants is $44,500 which compares to $38,000 in grants awarded for 27 projects in 2015-‘16. Only two clubs, Needham and Shrewsbury, have proposed to conduct projects outside the U.S.
 
District 7910 is expecting $93,000 in district-designated funds during ‘16-‘17 out of which 50 percent (about $46,500) is required to be reserved for global grants. We do have the freedom to decide how we utilize the remaining funds for District Grants, polio and other Foundation programs.
 
Based on these proposals, District Grants Subcommittee Chair Jorge Yarzebski will submit a Master District Grant to The Rotary Foundation for $46,500. The anticipated breakdown is as follows:
 
District Grants awarded to clubs for their projects
$36,000
Administrative expenses (maximum allowed, 3%)
$1,395
Contingency expenses (maximum allowed, 20% or $9,300)
$9,105
TOTAL
$46,500
 
Please note that we are reserving $36,000 for district grants even though the total of requested grants is $44,500. The reserved amount is thus about 80 percent of the requested amount.
 
There are two reasons for this:
  1. Of the 51 clubs that have submitted proposals, only 26 have met the per-capita threshold of $100 in Foundation contributions for ‘16-‘17. The rest of the clubs have until this June 30 to achieve that threshold and qualify for grants. Further, nine of the 26 clubs, above, have not submitted a district-grant proposal - and it is not certain that they will undertake a project in the year.
  2. The amount reserved for district grants is restricted in that it must be used for that purpose and cannot be used for either administrative or contingency expenses. Therefore, it is prudent to budget the restricted funds to 80 percent of the requested total.
Administrative expenses cover the cost of the ClubRunner Grants Module (the online application and reporting system) that our district will adopt for ‘16-‘17 on its website plus expenses for training Rotarians in our district on using the system. Any unspent funds reserved for administrative expenses can be applied to district grants. The anticipated cost of the Club Runner Grants Module is $1,325 in ‘16-‘17
 
Contingency expenses need to be provided for at this time to cover unforeseen expenses related to the implementation of the grants system, including additional expenses on awarded grants for the year. Based on experience in the last three years, the contingency expenditure are likely to be used for additional district grants to clubs. Also, several of the projects that are actually undertaken during the year will likely be different than those listed below.
 
It is expected that the Master District Grant will be submitted by this April 30 and will be approved by this May 30 - well in time to allow award of district grants in early July.
 
2016-‘17 District Grant Proposals
 
Club
Description
Grant Requested
Acton-Boxborough
CPR machine for Fire Department; therapeutic riding program
$1,500
Athol-Orange
Backpacks for breakfast
$1,500
Auburn
Build bridge over dam to connect park and library
$1,500
Ayer
Ramps to Freedom for handicapped
$1,500
Bedford
Refurbish victims-interviews room at court house
$1,500
Brookline
Domestic-violence posters, arts/garden supplies
$1,500
Chelmsford
Basketball and hockey equipment for town park
$1,500
Clinton
Support Wheat Community Café for the needy
$500
Concord
Videos to assist inmates with online job applications
$1,500
Dedham
Summer-camp scholarships
$1,500
Framingham
Service-dogs program for handicapped
$1,500
Gardner
Weekend food-backpack program
$1,500
Leominster
Heating oil for families in need
$1,500
Littleton
To pay for plots of land at a community farm
$1,500
Lowell
Tutoring services after-school program
$1,500
Marlborough
Provide crock pots and cookbooks to low- income people
$1,500
Milford
Summer feeding program for children
$1,500
Montachusett Area
Funds for homeless children in the community
$1,500
Nashoba Valley
Nature Connection for seniors and children
$1,500
Natick
Provides meals for needy families
$1,500
Needham
Install/maintain solar system in India
$1,500
Neponset Valley Sunrise
School on Wheels project for needy students
$1,500
Northborough
Habitat for Humanity playhouse project
$1,500
Shrewsbury
Haiti maternal center
$1,500
Sturbridge
Fundraiser dinner to benefit food pantry
$1,500
Uxbridge
Meals on Wheels
$500
Wachusett Area
Service-dogs program
$1,500
Waltham
Boys & Girls Club will develop program in the arts
$1,500
Wellesley
Tutoring project; donate books to children
$1,500
Westborough
Westborough 300th anniversary; library donation
$1,500
Westwood
Eagle Scout project; Change of handicapped signs
$1,500
Total Amount of Grants Requested
$44,500