“Rotary Foundation” Meeting
“Outline of The Rotary Foundation and the New Grant System “Future Vision Plan””
November 10, 2010
Mr. Seiichi Komiya
Chairman of Rotary Foundation
Committee, RI D2580
Past Governor
A. Outline of The Rotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation implements various humanitarian and educational service activities assigned to Rotarians, supported solely by voluntary contributions made by Rotarians. Its mission is “to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support for education, and the alleviation of poverty.”
1. Characteristics
The Rotary Foundation supports humanitarian and educational service activities. Donations are spent solely on service activities. Transparency and traceability guarantee clear flow of funds.
2. Programs
Educational programs, humanitarian grants program and PolioPlus constitute the three pillars. Educational programs aim at personnel development, through various initiatives including Rotary Peace Fellowships, global grants or Vocational Training Team programs. PolioPlus aims at eradicating polio.
3. Details of Voluntary Contributions
Contributions are classified into three: Annual Programs Fund, Permanent Fund and funds for specific programs. We ask for an annual contribution of 100 dollars per person to the Annul Programs Fund, a major source of our various service activities. Resources to this fund are returned to the districts after 3 years. As for Permanent Fund, there is no designated amount for contribution. If your donation exceeds 1,000 dollars in total, you are recognized as Benefactors or Paul Harris Fellows. Funds for specific programs include PolioPlus Fund or named donations of large-sum donors.
4. Flow of Funds
The Rotary Foundation activities are funded by investment profits of Permanent Fund as well as the principal on Annual Programs Fund after three years of management. These funds are halved into World Fund (WF) and District Designated Fund (DDF). The Rotary Foundation headquarters decide for which purposes the WF would be used, while Rotary Foundation Committee of each District decides how to use the DDF.
5. Objectives for 2010-2011
We want to secure abundant funds to implement the following 4 objectives set for the current Rotary Year:
-1. Prioritize PolioPlus
-2. Continue the Future Vision Plan
-3. Further encourage annual contribution of 100 dollars per person to the Annual Programs Fund
-4. Assist Permanent Fund
B. Future Vision Plan
The Rotary Foundation will celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2017. Future Vision Plan was developed to review and update the Foundation toward its second century of service, and its full-scale implementation is scheduled to start during Rotary Year 2013-14.
1. How to implement the Future Vision Plan
The following three pillars constitute its implementation:
-1. New grant system will be introduced to divide DDF into “Global Grants” and “new District Grants”
-2. Long-term collaboration will be built with NGOs specialized in the 6 areas of focus
-3. Modify and simplify the grant provision procedure
2. Pilot Districts
Before the full-scale implementation of the new grant system, 100 Pilot Districts are selected from around the world to test-try this system for 3 years, starting from 2010-11. The following 6 Districts are selected from Japan: District 2580 (Tokyo North, Okinawa), District 2650 (Fukui, Kyoto, Nara, Shiga), District 2690 (Shimane, Tottori, Okayama), District 2760 (Aichi), District 2770 (Saitama South) and District 2830 (Aomori).
3.Foundation Activity Funds for District2580 (Rotary Year 2010-2011)
Annual Programs Fund totaled 405,992 dollars (36 million yen) during Rotary Year 2007-2008. Adding the investment profits of Permanent Fund worth 62,243 dollars (5.6 million yen), the total would exceed 468,000 dollars. By halving this sum into WF and DDF, our District activity fund will be 234,117 dollars (21 million yen). As mentioned earlier, the Annual Programs Fund made 3 years ago will be spent this year.
C. New Grant System in the Future Vision Plan
Under the Future Vision Plan, the District Designated Fund (DDF) will be halved into “Rotary Foundation Global Grants” and “Rotary Foundation new District Grants.”
1. Global Grants will be spent solely on projects for the following 6 areas of focus:
Related to goodwill and peace: 1. Peace and conflict prevention / resolution
Related to education: 2. Basic education and literacy
Related to alleviation of poverty: 3. Economic and community development
Related to health: 4. .Disease prevention and treatment, 5. Water and sanitation, and 6. Maternal and child health.
The areas of focus will be revised every 9 years.
Global Grants for 2010-2011 are decided to assist the following 4 programs:
-1. Send our Global Grant scholar, Ms. Kawabata, to Georgetown Graduate School.
-2. Assist water resource project at refugee camps in Thailand.
-3. Assist the advocacy, treatment and research project of epilepsy in Indonesia.
-4. Assist the water infrastructure project in India.
2. New District Grants allow each district to select their own projects, by using the DDF for up to 50%, which is an improvement from the current limit of 20%. We made a final decision on the grant allocation for Rotary Year 2010-11, to financially support 3 scholarship students and assist 10 projects.
This concludes my explanation on the Future Vision Plan and the new grant system. by asking your understanding and generous assistance on this new program.