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Collect baseline data and decide how you’ll measure the impact of your project. Create a realistic budget.
IDENTIFY MEASURABLE OUTCOMES
When you measure your success, you can show that you made
a difference. Rotary’s reputation as an effective and committed
humanitarian service organization depends on your club and the
thousands of other clubs that contribute to our global impact. We want
to measure the good we do in the world, so we’ve built it into our global
grant requirements. Quantifying your impact also makes it easier to
publicize what you’ve accomplished.
Here’s how you can get started:
Consider the outcome you want your project to have in the community
and how that positive change can be measured. Use the Global Grant
Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Supplement to find measurable data
points and develop your evaluation plan, which you’ll include in your
grant application:
• Be specific about who will benefit from your project and what benefits
they will receive
• Use your community assessment to establish baseline data and set
benchmarks to measure your progress during and after the project
• Specify your measurement methods
• Create a timeline
Budget up to 10 percent of project funds to cover evaluation expenses,
such as local travel, services rendered by individuals or agencies, and
supplies.
CREATE A FINANCIAL PLAN
Before receiving grant funds, you must develop your financial management
plan. Your plan helps you manage funds well, provide oversight, promote
transparency, and reduce errors and any misuse of funds.
The financial management plan shows how you will:
• Pay suppliers directly
• Keep thorough financial records
• Manage a club- or district-controlled bank account
Mismanaging funds directly violates The Four-Way Test and Rotary’s
mission and values. Clubs that mismanage grant funds jeopardize
the credibility of Rotary and the Foundation. If funds are misused,
the sponsors are responsible for repaying them in full to The Rotary
Foundation. The sponsors risk suspension from all Rotary Foundation
activities or termination.
Develop a budget
When developing your budget, take into account the goals of the project
and the fundraising resources of the sponsors. Make a preliminary
budget, discuss how much District Designated Fund (DDF) money and
cash are available, and adjust the budget as needed. A detailed, line-item
budget must be submitted with the application.
For sustainability, purchase equipment and other goods locally, if
possible, and in consultation with the benefiting community, so that it
can be operated, maintained, and repaired after the project is completed.
When projecting the cost of goods and services, gather at least three
bids or quotes for each major expense to ensure that you receive the
highest quality at the best price. During the competitive bidding process,
identify any Rotary members associated with a bidding vendor and make
sure that the Rotary member is not on the project committee to avoid a
conflict of interest. When selecting a vendor, document the reason for
your selection and keep records of all bids. You will need to include this
information in your application.
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