Friday, December 12, 2008

Trustees refine Future Vision Plan

Trustees refine Future Vision Plan
By Janis Young
Rotary International News -- 13 November 2008

Rotary Foundation District Grants will retain much of the flexibility of the current District Simplified Grants Program. Photo courtesy of Rotary District 7020
At their October meeting, The Rotary Foundation Trustees took significant steps to refine the Future Vision Plan before the pilot application period begins in January. Reflecting the plan’s goal of simplification and flexibility, their decisions establish specific policies that fill in the broad outline of the plan.
In the area of Rotary Foundation Global Grants, the Trustees set initial policies designed to help clubs and districts work within the six areas of focus. For example, the Trustees agreed that there will be no age requirements for vocational training team members and that teams may be made up of three or more members, with no maximum. In addition, qualified past and current district governors and governors-elect may serve as team leaders.
Policies for selecting global grant scholars will also be flexible. Scholarships can be awarded for one to four years of graduate-level study. Applicants must demonstrate either unconditional or conditional acceptance to their chosen university. The Rotary Foundation will vet each scholarship proposal before a formal application is submitted to determine whether it fits within an area of focus. This process, which will be used for all club- and district-developed global grant applications, is designed to increase the acceptance rate of grant applications.
To further simplify the grant-making process, the Foundation will accept all club- and district-developed global grant applications throughout the year. Under this system, for example, a scholarship application showing proof of admission could be submitted months, not years, before the term of study begins. The Foundation will assess each application based on its support of the areas of focus. Additional assessments may be required depending on the award amount or complexity of the project. Only club- and district-developed global grants over US$100,000 will require approval by the Trustees.
Rotary Foundation District Grants will retain much of the flexibility of the current District Simplified Grants Program. Districts may receive one district grant per Rotary year. Districts will be encouraged to submit applications during the planning year for immediate payment at the start of the program year; however, applications may be submitted during either year. Within 12 months of receiving the grant, districts must submit a final report to the Foundation listing the distribution of the funds. As part of the qualification process, districts must also report the use of all district grant funds to their clubs.
The application period for the pilot will begin immediately after the 2009 International Assembly in January and continue through 15 May. Selected districts will be notified and announced to the Rotary world in June.

Rotary International

ROTARY
Rotary International | One Rotary Center | 1560 Sherman Avenue | Evanston, IL 60201 USA
Media Contact: +1 847.866.3237
E-mail: pr@rotary.org
www.rotary.org
01/07-EN
ROTARY
AN ORGANIZATION OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERS • UNITED WORLDWIDE •
1.2 MILLION MEMBERS • MORE THAN 200COUNTRIES AND GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS • PROVIDING HUMANITARIAN SERVICE • BUILDING GOODWILL AND
PEACE IN THE WORLD
WHAT IS ROTARY?
Rotary International is a volunteer organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service, and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. There are approximately 1.2 million Rotary club members belonging to more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in nearly 170 countries.
Founded in Chicago in 1905, Rotary celebrated 100 years of service in 2005. The Rotary Foundation has awarded more than US$1.6 billion in grants, which are administered at the local level.
What is the purpose of Rotary?
Rotary clubs exist to improve communities locally and around the world. Rotary also encourages high ethical standards in business and professions. Rotary clubs work to advance international understanding by partnering with clubs in other countries.
What do Rotary clubs do?
Rotary clubs address critical issues in communities worldwide. Examples of Rotary’s focus areas include:
Polio Eradication - In 1985, Rotary International created PolioPlus – a program to immunize all the world’s children against polio. To date, the PolioPlus program has contributed more than US$620 million to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. These funds are providing much needed polio vaccine, operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment and educational materials for health workers and parents.
With its community-based network worldwide, Rotary is the volunteer arm of the global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio. Rotary volunteers assist in vaccine delivery, social mobilization and logistical help in cooperation with the national health ministries, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Peace - In an effort to educate tomorrow’s peacemakers and ambassadors, Rotary launched the Rotary Centers for International Studies in 2002 at seven prestigious universities worldwide. The program provides master’s-level education in conflict resolution to groups of 60 Rotary World Peace Scholars chosen annually.
International Education - Rotary is the world’s largest privately-funded source of international scholarships. Each year, about 1,000 university students receive Rotary scholarships to study abroad. Rotary clubs also coordinate a high school-age student exchange program that sends nearly 8,000 students abroad for three months to a year.
Humanitarian Projects - Rotary clubs initiate thousands of humanitarian projects every year. These projects address problems that create instability and trigger conflicts --hunger, poverty, poor health, and illiteracy.
Literacy - Rotary clubs are engaged in the fight against illiteracy worldwide. A cumulative language encounter program in Thailand dramatically reduced school failure and was adopted by the Thai government for all the nation’s schools.
Water Management - Recognizing the importance of clean water, many Rotary clubs help to install wells and develop water treatment and distribution systems to increase access to fresh drinking water for communities in need, especially in developing countries.

2009 R I Convention

Convention

2009 RI Convention in Birmingham, England, 21-24 June
Be a part of history and celebrate the 100th Rotary convention, which will take place in Birmingham, the heart of England!
I f you haven’t been back to Birmingham since the 1984 convention, you may not recognize this former industrial town. Now a lively canal city known for its outstanding shopping and dining, Birmingham — or Brum, as the natives call it — underwent a dramatic facelift in the 1990s. The transformation resulted in a modern, more pedestrian-friendly city that retains traces of its medieval and Industrial Age roots.
Download the convention booklet for more reasons to come to Birmingham in 2009. This 24-page booklet also contains registration, hotel reservation, and Host Organization Committee forms.
Register early and save
Register early for the convention to take advantage of special pricing!
First deadline: 15 December
Second deadline: 31 March
Register online. It’s convenient and secure. Your confirmation materials will be e-mailed to you.
Or download the registration form.
Housing reservations
Birmingham Convention Bureau will handle all individual and group housing requests. Reservations are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Mail:
Birmingham Convention Bureau
Millennium Point Level 4
Curzon Street
Birmingham
B4 7XG
England
Phone: +44 (0) 121 202 5154
Fax: +44 (0) 121 202 5123
E-mail: bcb.accommodation@marketingbirmingham.com
You will receive a hotel confirmation from the Birmingham Convention Bureau indicating the hotel name, address, room rate per night, room type requested, and dates reserved. All housing changes/inquiries must be made directly to the Birmingham Convention Bureau until 8 May 2009.
Booking for RI Convention housing begins 14 June 2008. Confirmations will be issued beginning July 2008. Please return your completed reservation form by 17:00 GMT on 8 May 2009.
Download the hotel reservation form or reserve your hotel online.
For a block of 15 rooms or more, download the Group Housing Form.
Alternative housing
In the Birmingham area, there are several economic housing alternatives. Read more about these options.
Note: These housing alternatives are not part of Rotary International’s official convention housing block, and they are not serviced by the RI Convention shuttle.
Convention venue
The National Exhibition Centre is Europe’s busiest venue, staging more than 180 exhibitions each year. Its 21 interconnected halls offer plenty of space for convention activities such as registration services, plenary sessions, the House of Friendship and exhibits, convention luncheons, workshops and interactive discussion groups, and the Rotaract and Youth Exchange preconvention meetings. Find more information about the NEC.
Read more about Birmingham.
Host events
Find out more about the Birmingham area and meet local Rotarians by participating in the events the Host Organization Committee has planned. Pre- and post-convention tours also are available. Purchase tickets online at www.rotaryconvention2009.com through a secure service, or download the ticket order form and fax or mail it to the HOC:
Fax: +44 (0) 1789 765570
Mail:
Birmingham Convention 2009 Limited
Kinwarton Road, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 6PB
United Kingdom
Questions?
Fax: + 44 (0) 1789 765570
Phone: +44 (0) 1789 765411
E-mail: enquiries@rotaryconvention2009.com
Information for first-time convention attendees.
 
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