The Valparaiso Rotary Club Community Development Committee and Service Improvement Committee are now working under one umbrella as the Community Development/Community Service Committee.
The Community Development/Community Service Committee is now accepting grant requests for Valparaiso-based organizations and agencies for Rotary Community Development/Service Grants. Rotary Community Development/Service Grants are given for either the procurement of a specific item or items, usually as part of a larger project or for service projects and community events that serve local community needs.
If applying for funds for an item or items, the funds are not available as a supplement to cover a recipient’s general operating expenses or as a contribution to a recipient’s wider community capital campaign. If applying for funds for a service project or event, these requests must be community-service oriented and provide benefit primarily to residents of the city of Valparaiso and secondarily to resident of Porter County.
Requests must include the organization’s name, contact person, address and phone number. Requests should be concise, and prepared on 8 1/2 x 11” paper, maximum 2 pages in length. (Limited, additional supporting information or attachments, such as item specifications and/or pictures, is welcome.) Requests must explain available opportunities for matching or challenge funding support, the number of people who will be impacted by the grant, and the date that the grant-related project with be completed. If a service project, also include a summary of the project or event along with its benefits to the community. Include the budget for the proposed project and explanation of how the grant moneys will be used.
The grant-related project must be completed within the Rotary fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) in which the grant is given. In the event that a project is not completed within the grant year, the recipient may request in writing an extension (of up to one additional year) for just cause. If a project is not completed during the Rotary fiscal year, the applicant could apply again the following year.
The grant is paid to the recipient when the Community Development/Service Committee receives from the recipient a written confirmation that the grant-related project has been completed.
Grant proposals must be submitted in writing and post-marked no later than September 9, 2011. Grant requests are to be mailed to: Chair, Community Development/Service Committee, Valparaiso Rotary Club, P.O. Box 522, Valparaiso, IN 46384-0522.