March 2024 - Connecting the Dots
By: Sarah MacGillivray, Secretary, and Public Image Coordinator, District Foundation Committee, RC of Bath Sunrise
This month we have a lot of important information to share. The full article will cover grant training which is required for clubs to complete (at least 2 club members) prior to submitting their MOU before this year’s new deadline date of April 30. We also have exciting news and updates on our ShareForever Challenge. Not to mention our monthly installment of Rotary Minutes that I hope have been answering some club members questions on all things that make up OUR Rotary Foundation. We have heard that there are still a lot of people out there with questions about just what OUR Foundation does, and if it really makes a difference if we make donations to it. We hope that the information we share in this article helps to “connect the dots” and answer even the most basic of questions to help everyone understand how much good is done in the world because of OUR donations to OUR Rotary Foundation.With warmer temperatures upon us, I hope it has many Rotarians around our district thinking of new projects that might only be made possible with the help of a district grant! You have hopefully seen the emails I’ve sent out with information on the training that we have available, and have visited the training page on the district website Click Here for details on the training options. The first live training was done via zoom last month, and there are videos posted at the above link, that you may watch at your own pace. Then complete the quiz after watching all three, and you will be qualified as completing the training.
If you would rather attend a training in person, there are still two opportunities. The next training will take place on Saturday, March 16 at 10:00 am at the South Portland Housing Authority. You may register for this training by clicking this link: Click Here The final training will be held at the District Training Assembly on Saturday, April 20. Remember, that even if you have completed training in the past or your club has had 2 club members who have been trained, each club needs 2 club members to complete the training each year. There is plenty of new information that needs to be shared! We have a new on-line grant module that is explained from start to finish, this module will keep all grant documents in one easy to find location!
If you aren’t familiar with district grants and need project ideas, I thought I might share this extra Rotary Moment:
HOW DO DISTRICT GRANTS HELP AT HOME?
A Rotary club in the United States used a $3,000 district grant to purchase food and personal care items for a local food pantry that saw a 50% increase in need. A Rotary club in India is using a district grant to provide hygiene kits and training to girls who might otherwise miss school when they are menstruating. The project aims to help 40,000 girls.
Clubs worldwide use district grants to support similar short-term projects in their communities. Every club has the opportunity to create positive change in their community with grants from The Rotary Foundation, one project at a time. What do you want to accomplish in our community? And your community can be local to you, or a community from anywhere around that world that you know needs your help!
There is also exciting news to report on the ShareForever Challenge that we announced last fall. We are close to halfway to meeting our goal! As you may remember, a generous District 7780 anonymous donor has made a legacy gift to support the ShareForever 7780 Million Dollar Challenge up to one million dollars!
This generous challenge gift can double the impact of YOUR legacy gift and multiply the impact you will have on Rotary’s work - forever.
- Challenge includes all new D7780 endowment gifts this year to any TRF endowment designation.
- Your bequest, benefactor or other legacy gift can be earmarked for Endowment Fund SHARE (EF-SHARE), the yearly endowment earnings will perpetually add DDF funds for our district grants, global grants and district-7780 directed programs.
Our first goal is to raise over $1M in new endowment expectancies and gifts by June 2024. The legacy challenge between now and June 30, 2024 could DOUBLE D7780 gifts to $2M.
Some interesting questions have been shared when it comes to this challenge for the Endowment of the Rotary Foundation (TRF), compared to making an annual donation to TRF. Some Rotarians prefer to do both! Some like to make their annual donation through Rotary Direct and have selected to make their legacy gift to the endowment by making Rotary a benefactor in their will, or as a beneficiary of their IRA or 401K. The options are many, but your questions may be too. So we have brought together a wonderful group of Rotarians in our district that would be happy to sit down with you to help navigate through some of your questions. And if they don’t know the answers themselves, they will connect you with someone who does!
Thank you to our ShareForever Ambassadors for their hard work. Please reach out to them today!
Area 1 Ambassadors:
Dave Underhill, Portsmouth Rotary Club - dave.underhill.nh@gmail.com
Frank Nappo, Portsmouth Rotary Club - franknappo@gmail.com
Area 2 Ambassadors:
Marion Cheney, Dover Rotary Club - macheney@comcast.net
Harry Cheney, Dover Rotary Club - hccmacbelle@gmail.com
Gregg Dowty, Dover Rotary Club - gdowty60@gmail.com
Area 3 Ambassadors:
Larry Richburg, York Rotary Club - richburgbuilders@gmail.com
Susan Gross, York Rotary Club - susan.gross@maine.rr.com
Brenda Cressey, Ogunquit Rotary Club - rotarybrenda@gmail.com
Area 4 Ambassadors:
Bob MacKenzie, Kennebunk Rotary Club - rmackenzie@kennebunkmaine.us
Mark Mickeriz, Sanford - Springvale Rotary Club - markmickeriz@gmail.com
Area 5 Ambassadors:
Dennis Robillard, Saco Bay Sunset Rotary Club - risc@maine.rr.com
Jeff Slaton, Rotary Club of Saco Bay - slatonjeffrey@yahoo.com
Area 6 Ambassadors:
Dick Hall, Portland Rotary Club - dickhall7780@gmail.com
Tony Wagner, South Portland - Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club - tony.wagner163@gmail.com
Nicole Albert, South Portland - Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club - nicole.albert70@gmail.com
Area 7 Ambassadors:
Peter Johnson, Yarmouth Rotary Club - peter.johnson@ubs.com
Michele Bois-Gilbody, Freeport Rotary Club - michele@bois-gilbody.com
Area 8 Ambassadors:
Bob Gravino, Bath Sunrise Rotary Club - rcgravino@aol.com
Marty Helman, Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club - MartyRotary@gmail.com
Area 9 Ambassadors:
Ron Smith, Fryeburg Area Rotary Club - rsmith.rotary@gmail.com
Emma Bodwell, Bridgton Rotary Club - ebodwell@icloud.com
Last but not least, here are your Rotary Moments for March - Don’t forget to share these at a club meeting!
WHAT ARE DISTRICT AND GLOBAL GRANTS?
The Rotary Foundation has spent more than US$3 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects around the world. Rotary members can work with communities through Foundation grants, and two key options are district and global grants.
District grants fund small-scale, short-term activities that address needs in your community and communities abroad. Your district chooses what activities it will fund with these grants, such as humanitarian projects, scholarships, youth programs, or vocational training teams.
Global grants fund large, international activities with sustainable and measurable results in Rotary’s areas of focus. These can include humanitarian projects, scholarships for graduate-level study, or vocational training teams.
WHAT ARE MAJOR DONORS?
Major Donors are people who have contributed at least US $10,000 to The Rotary Foundation.
You receive Major Donor recognition as an individual or couple when your cumulative personal outright giving has reached that level, regardless of how the gift is designated to be used. Major Donors can choose to receive a crystal piece and a lapel pin or pendant at each new recognition level. More than 30,000 people have become Major Donors since the program began!
WHAT ARE THE ROTARY PEACE FELLOWSHIPS?
Each year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded fellowships for dedicated leaders to study at Rotary Peace Centers at universities around the world.
Through academic training, practice, and global networking opportunities, these professionals develop their capacity to become effective catalysts for peace. Rotary Peace Fellows earn either master’s degrees or professional development certificates in subjects related to peace and development.
Since 2002, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,500 fellows who work in over 115 countries in education, in government roles, and at international organizations.
Rotary members like you can shape the next generation of peace leaders by identifying and interviewing potential candidates. Contact Bob Gravino at rcgravino@aol.com if you know someone who might be an excellent candidate. If you would like to discuss how to identify such a candidate, for example, from former Interactors or Rotaractors you know, Bob would be happy to hear from you.
WHAT ARE DISASTER RESPONSE GRANTS?
When communities are affected by catastrophes, The Rotary Foundation supports relief and recovery efforts through grants from the Rotary Disaster Response Fund.
Disaster response grants of up to US$25,000 fund relief and recovery efforts in areas that have had a natural disaster within the past six months. These efforts can include providing basic items such as water, food, medicine, and clothing.
Districts that have had a disaster and are qualified to receive Rotary grants can apply for a grant to launch their own projects or work with established relief organizations.
Think about how you want to take part in grant programs. Which one interests you?