District 7020 Rotary Foundation Newsletter

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Alan Fields
6 years ago
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Editorial Humanitarian Grants Stewardship and Reporting We have in the past written and spoken on this topic, but feel it is of such importance especially as we move closer to the roll-out of Future

The Rotary Foundation is fully aware that the funds received from Rotarians around the world are voluntary contributions, indicating hard work and dedicated support.

One of the essential components of stewardship is the preparation and submission of timely and accurate Grant reports.

1 Editorial Humanitarian Grants Stewardship and Reporting We have in the past written and spoken on this topic, but feel it is of such importance especially as we move closer to the roll-out of Future Vision, that we need to again bring it to the attention of all parties. The Rotary Foundation is fully aware that the funds received from Rotarians around the world are voluntary contributions, indicating hard work and dedicated support. As stewards of these funds, the Trustees stress the Importance of stewardship or if you will, proper fiscal management in all activities associated with The Foundation s programs. One of the essential components of stewardship is the preparation and submission of timely and accurate Grant reports. The Rotary Foundation requires that Clubs and Districts grant sponsors submit progress reports to them every 12 months for the life of the Grant project and final reports within 2 months of the project s completion. Such reports must be submitted using the District 7020 Rotary Foundation Newsletter official Foundation report form appropriate to the grant type e.g. District Simplified Grants, Matching Grants and Volunteer Service Grants. Clubs and Districts cannot receive new grants if they are noncompliant with reporting for a previously awarded grant. If 15 months pass and an acceptable report has not been received, sponsoring clubs and Districts receive a number of warning letters to alert them of the overdue report and to inform them of the consequences of non-reporting. When the clubs are advised of this infraction the Assistant Governors under whose charge such clubs fall, are also advised so that they can assist where possible to see to the completion of the reporting requirements. You therefore will understand that the Foundation relies on timely grant reporting to e n s u r e f u n d s a r e s p e n t appropriately and are managed with proper oversight. Clubs have to realize that this is a very serious matter and should be treated as such, the Foundation cannot allow one or a few clubs to hold the rest of the District to ransom and steps are in place to hold such clubs in check for non-accountability. 1 April 2012 Volume 1, Issue 5 Inside this issue: Editorial 1 Rotary World Peace Fellowship Programme 2 Peace Our Dream 3 to Realize Polio Update 4 Paul Harris Society 5 EREY 6 Contact Us 7

2 Rotary World Peace Fellowship B y now, Rotarians, who have been reading the Foundation newsletters, would know about the Rotary Peace Fellowship and that the program has two options: Professional Development certificate in Peace and Conflict Studies and Masters degree in Peace Studies, Conflict Resolution or International Relations. The Professional Development certificate is a 3-month course involving 2-3 weeks of fieldwork and is designed to strengthen current leaders, while the Masters degree is months in duration and includes 2-3 month field experience during the summer break and is aimed at building future leaders. The Rotary Peace Fellowship program now has over 500 alumni, 95% of whom work in areas related to peace and conflict resolution. Peace Fellows are scattered across the globe on every continent; 34% are in North America, 22% in Asia, 20 % in Europe, 9% in South America, 6% in Africa and 6% in Australia/Oceania. The potential of the Rotary Peace Program is largely untapped in our District as very few applicants are being put forward by the clubs. Clubs need to do more in taking the program to the community taking into consideration that the top 3 ways to recruit Rotary Peace Fellows are: i. sending out press releases and brochures to community partners; ii. holding informational sessions about the program or hosting a Rotary Peace Fellowship speaker and inviting the community; and iii. generally spreading the Word by talking about the Rotary Peace Fellowship every chance you get from club meetings to special functions. Another observation is that clubs tend to focus on the Masters degree but, given the profile of our district and the nature of many of our community service projects, the certificate program would seem to be a good fit in many instances. Alumni of this program return to their jobs with a professional development certificate in peace and conflict resolution, as well as a new network of peace professionals. Past participants have been community teachers, pastors, field workers, police officers and nonprofit workers. Clubs are, therefore, being encouraged to make a difference in their support of this noble program, that was established to honor Rotary s founder, Paul Harris, on the 50 th anniversary of his death; and which, among other objectives, promotes greater tolerance and cooperation among peoples, leading to world peace and understanding. The Rotary Foundation is currently accepting applications for the Rotary World Peace Fellowships. Clubs and individual Rotarians should now redouble their efforts at recruitment, as we approach the end of the period, January to April, where the intensity of activities focused on recruitment should be at the peak. Also, from January through May, clubs should be interviewing, selecting and endorsing applicants. Club Presidents and sponsor counselors should sign the applications and send them to the district-level, via the Peace Fellowship Chair, Donald Barnett, at dosbarnett@gmail.com. Bear in mind that applications must complete the District review process and, if endorsed, submitted to the Rotary Foundation by 1 July to enter the world competitive process. Donald Barnett 9 April

3 ROTARY WORLD PEACE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM PEACE - OUR DREAM TO REALIZE! The advancement of International Understanding Goodwill and Peace- our fourth object of Rotary, is the foundation on which our organization is built. Rotarians are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Rotary Peace Fellowship Program. Since 2002 when the program was established, more than six hundred men and women from all walks of life have passed through our peace doors. These Peace graduates are working assiduously around the world promoting understanding, goodwill and peace and are making a difference. They are Rotary s cadre of peace-builders and they, like us, are working and hoping for a more peaceful world. There is no doubt we have accomplished much, but there is still much to be done. My Fellow Rotarians, have your clubs been unearthing candidates for the academic year? Come, join in the search! Closing date for applications is May 31, The district committee looks forward to receiving your applications, don t wait until the last minute to send them in. You may also wish to know that in Rotary International will hold three Rotary Global Peace Forums, which will focus on young people, including New Generations program participants, Rotaractors, Interactors, RYLArians, Ambassadorial Scholars, Rotary Peace Fellows, Alumni, Youth Exchange Students and young Rotary leaders. The first of these will be in Bangkok Thailand, May Will you join us there? 3

4 POLIO UPDATE S ince the End Polio Now programme s inception in 1985, more than two billion children have received the oral polio vaccine. Along with our partners and volunteers, Rotary (all Rotarians worldwide) has been able to reduce the over 350,000 reported cases annually in 125 countries to under 1000 cases and endemic in only three countries. There has not been a reported case of polio in India in over a year and the remaining three countries have shown vast improvement. We embarked on a $200M polio eradication challenge in 2007, responding to the substantial contribution from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with tremendous success. We have already made our target. Rotarians, around the world, through tremendous efforts have raised over $207M of this total. I am proud to report that we, in District 7020, have nearly doubled our target contributions to the Challenge, and even more profound, 7020 was placed second in the world, responding to an online 2 for 1 promotion marking World Polio Day in 2010 a tremendous feat. We are 99% there the last 1% is the most difficult it would be a travesty to give up now as we are within a couple years reach of total eradication of a preventable disease as long as polio threatens even one child anywhere in the world, children everywhere remain at risk. The stakes are that high. Controlling the disease is not an option, eradication is a must. We are this close to ending polio. Eradicating polio will be a huge public health achievement you can do it!!! Trevor Heaven Polio Challenge Chair April

5 Paul Harris Society - District 7020 C urrently District 7020 s Paul Harris Society (PHS) has 117 members. This, of course, translates to$117,000 per annum donated to the Rotary Foundation, most of which goes to the Annual Programs Fund. It is easy to see the advantage of encouraging your Club members to make that commitment to join the Paul Harris Society. That number includes 25 Rotary Clubs and 92 individuals in the District and based on last year s total contributions to the Annual Programs would represent 42% of all contributions. Very, very significant. Unfortunately, the 117 numbers includes only two new members so far for the year. We have also received a promise from a club in Jamaica and are awaiting the documentation required to formalize that club becoming a member. This is a long way from achieving the 25 new members that we targeted at the beginning of the year. Many of our Clubs contribute $1,000 or more to the Foundation annually, so please consider getting your club to make that commitment and join the Paul Harris Society, or, as previously suggested, consider asking 20 members to contribute $50 each to make your Club a member. At the risk of repeating myself from my last article, I remind you that the District 7020 PHS Pledge Form and other supporting information is available on the District website (Rotary District 7020). Once you have done that the easiest way to contribute is through Rotary Direct (previously called TRF Direct) See Member Access on the website. Please, let s hear from you and continue to build a bigger and better Paul Harris Society in District Murray Forde Paul Harris Society Chair District

6 C EVERY ROTARIAN EVERY YEAR ontributions from clubs to their APF Annual Programs Fund, is unfortunately not where it ought. Funds are trickling in and clubs need to pay special attention to this area of contribution. All clubs should now be prepared to send their commitment (those who haven t yet done so) to The Rotary Foundation. As you know this is really the lifeblood of our Humanitarian and Educational Programs and if Future Vision is going to have the desired effect when it is rolled out in full- then your contributions must, of necessity, play a significant role in the scheme of things. Just take a look at what your APF can do 39 children in Guatemala now have the opportunity for a healthy life because of a Rotary Foundation Grant. Consider the Bustamante Hospital for Children now undertaking an expansion program in Jamaica. Once completed, the hospital will serve the entire Caribbean area and parts of Latin America offering healthcare for children with heart problems and other issues. Think of the possibilities and remember that your contributions are eligible for Paul Harris recognition! 6

7 District 7020 Foundation Committee Members District Rotary Foundation Chair & Newsletter Editor PAG Fabian Bobby Young (h) (o) (f) Annual Programs Fund Chair PAG Haresh Ramchandani (h) (f) (m) Permanent Fund & Major Gifts Chair AG Rosalie Jameison (o) (m) Paul Harris Society Chair PAG Murray Forde (o) (h) (m) Ambassadorial Scholarship Chair PAG Everton Davis (h) (o) (F) Rotary World Peace Fellowship Chair PAG Donald Barnett (h) (o) (F) Grants Chair AG Lindsey Cancino (h) (o) (m) Polio 200M Challenge Chair PAG Trevor Heaven (h) (o) Group Study Exchange (GSE) Chair PDG Richard Grant (h) (m) Alumni Chair Elisabeth Anderson District Chair Future Vision PAG Jeremy Hurst (o) (c) (f) TRF OFFICERS Annual Programs Fund Joanne Bertsche Permanent Fund & Major Gifts Debra Lowe Ambassadorial Scholarships Renee Stephenson Service Above Self 7

DISTRICT 7020 ROTARY FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER (MARCH 2011 VOL VI) Humanitarian Grants

DISTRICT 7020 ROTARY FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER (MARCH 2011 VOL VI) _ Editorial... Humanitarian Grants Deadline:- The deadline for submitting matching grant applications to the Foundation for this year, is