Grants
The mechanism that turns Rotary generosity into community impact — from district-level seed funding to multi-million-dollar global programmes.
Five ways the Foundation funds work
Each grant type is built for a different scale of project — from a single club’s literacy initiative to a multi-country health programme.
The Rotary Foundation supports clubs, districts, and Rotaract clubs with five distinct funding instruments. District grants back local activity, global grants fund larger international service projects, disaster response grants deliver rapid relief, Programs of Scale grants tackle long-term systemic change, and PolioPlus grants directly fund polio eradication.
All grant types share one principle: Rotarians on the ground identify the need, design the project, and deliver the work. The Foundation provides the funding mechanism and stewardship.
District grants
Block grants that let districts and clubs respond to needs in their own communities and abroad.
Each district may request up to 50% of its District Designated Fund (DDF) for one grant annually. Districts use the money to support a range of activities — vocational training teams, scholarships, service projects, and youth programmes — provided they align with the Foundation’s mission.
District grants are the fastest, most flexible way for clubs to access Foundation funding. There’s no minimum size, no global match, and reporting is streamlined.
Global grants
Global grants fund strategic, high-impact international projects with sustainable, measurable outcomes in one or more of Rotary’s seven areas of focus. Minimum project size is US$30,000. The Foundation matches DDF contributions at 80%, up to a maximum of US$400,000 in match funding per grant.
Every global grant must be sponsored by two clubs or districts: a host sponsor in the country where the work happens, and an international sponsor outside that country. Sponsors must conduct a thorough community assessment before applying — the assessment shapes the project design and is required in the application.
Disaster response grants
When natural disaster strikes, qualified districts in affected areas can apply for grants of up to US$25,000 to support relief and recovery within the past six months. Funds cover basic needs — water, food, medicine, clothing — and districts may apply for additional grants once they’ve reported on previous ones.
Districts work directly with local officials and community groups to determine where the funding is needed most. Speed matters more than scale here — the goal is meeting urgent need quickly.
Programs of Scale grants
One US$2 million grant awarded each year to scale up programmes that have already proven they work.
Programs of Scale grants build on the evidence and impact of successful Rotary service projects, supporting larger and longer-term programmes that can transform whole regions. Applicants need to bring at least US$500,000 in cash contributions from non-Rotary partners.
The application process is competitive: clubs and districts submit a concept note first, and only the strongest proposals — judged by the Foundation’s Cadre of Technical Advisers — are invited to submit full proposals with implementation plans, partner commitment letters, and monitoring frameworks.
Qualification — what districts and clubs do
Annual stewardship safeguards every euro and dollar that flows through the Foundation.
For districts
Each district completes an annual online qualification process, agreeing to the financial and stewardship guidelines in the district memorandum of understanding. The district also runs a grant management seminar for clubs.
For clubs
To qualify for global or Programs of Scale grants, the club president and president-elect authorise the club memorandum of understanding, at least one club member completes the district’s grant management seminar, and the club fulfils any additional district requirements.
The Cadre of Technical Advisers — a worldwide network of Rotarian volunteers with professional expertise in our areas of focus — supports clubs through planning, applications, and monitoring. They also conduct stewardship reviews that protect the Foundation’s funds.
Talk to your District Foundation Committee.
In District 1160, the District Rotary Foundation Chair (DRFC) reviews and authorises every global grant from our member clubs and supports clubs through the qualification and application process.