It should be no surprise that funding tops the list of needs among most non-profit organizations. If your organization's interested in implementing a sustainable project focusing on health, hunger, literacy, at-risk youth, or the environment then consider partnering with your local Rotary Club. Rotary Clubs are great avenues for networking in order to further develop or expand projects as well as for financial support. Rotary International currently has over $2 million of grant funds invested in Haiti. Just recently, I partnered with Project Medishare and South Florida Rotary Clubs on a water and nutrition project, totaling to $150,000. Haiti Innovation has provided the essential tips on how to be eligible and apply for Rotary funding in Haiti.

Rotary Clubs, present in over 200 countries, consist of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service. Many Rotary Club members are able to financially support projects, however they may lack on-the-ground expertise to implement these international projects. Rotary Clubs are often searching for organizations to partner with and support.

Below is a list of requirements for project eligibility:

1) Does your project support any of the following issues: health, hunger, agriculture, food production, education, literacy, at-risk youth, environment, small business, microcredit, water, sanitation, or health promotion;

2) Rotary clubs are most interested in supporting the following projects: water, child survival, health & hunger, and literacy

3) The following items are ineligible for Rotary funding:
- Purchasing of land or buildings
- Construction or renovation of any structure
- Provision of plumbing or electrification inside any building
- Salaries for individuals, operation, or administrative expenses of another organization
- Projects already undertaken and in progress
- Projects that support purely religious functions at places of worship
- Purchase and distribution of birth control devices

Below is a list of how to organize and fund a potential Rotary project:

1) Locate a Rotary Club in your area. Find your local Rotary Club here.

2) Call the Rotary Club to attend a club meeting as a guest or even to present your project. If one club is not receptive try contacting another Rotary Club.

3) Schedule a meeting with the club's International Chair.

4) Every Rotary Club is automatically eligible for matching funds by their District and Rotary International Foundation. Matching grant guidelines can be found here.

5) Your partnering Rotary Club must also partner with a Rotary Club in Haiti. Click here to find the closest Haitian Rotary Club to your project site.

6) All Rotary International Matching Grant applications must receive the approval of the Rotary Haiti Task Force chaired by Guy Theodore.

7) Rotary Volunteer Service Grants are also available to subsidize the travel costs for Rotarians to either provide technical expertise or visit the project site for coordination purposes. Click here for more information.

8) If your organization requires technical expertise in the listed fields, a Rotary Volunteer Database is also available: administration, agriculture & food production, community development, education & literacy, water & sanitation, and health. Click here for access to the database.

Please post any questions and/or comments that you have regarding Rotary grants. Haiti Innovation would be more than happy to provide you with more information.

~ Samira