Grant, Partnership & Volunteer Application
Our Club and Charity encourage and evaluate Grant, Partnership and Volunteer requests from broad constituencies.
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Fundamentally, we are advocates for all groups wanting to improve Merced County opportunities and communities.
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Our Board considers sustainability, community impact and budget plans paramount.
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Any organization that desires to partner, request financial assistance or needs volunteers is considered an Applicant and must use this standard form to make a formal and timely request.
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This includes other Rotary clubs seeking International project or Global Grant support.
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Applications are minimally considered semi-annually, but all parties must understand that final approval is subject to the Club and Charity's own internal process which takes time.
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Foremost, every Applicant we seek to support will be expected to speak to our Club at one of our regular meetings - normally 20 minutes with 10 minutes dedicated to questions - before receiving support.
Our Board may require further information or presentation as well.
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For Applicants requesting financial assistance, it is vital that a complete Budget be submitted with your Application.
By example, if you request $1,000 to support some project, please tell us EXACTLY how you will spend the $1,000. Complete Budget information can be included in the subject Application, or submitted as a separate document.
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Regrettably, our Club does not make direct grants to individuals.
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Finally, any Applicant or interested party is encouraged to contact the Club/Charity directly through this website with any question or concern. Applicants are encouraged to attend our regular open Rotary meetings (most Friday mornings at 6:30AM at Yosemite Station Restaurant) and speak to our Officers to get things started.
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All Applicants must use our standardized APPLICATION, including as much information as possible.
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Applications must be prepared and submitted by the grantee's chief executive officer in order to clarify official need and interest.
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Applicants are reminded that partnerships and grant requests are competitive.
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All Applicants are encouraged to provide a compelling mission statement, salient project narrative, a specific monetary or volunteer request, a Budget, any deadline or date needed and correct legal and contact information.
The Applicant may also upload additional information in the form of files or external links.
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A sample of any proposed marketing or media art and text must be included in any request for use.
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Grantees shall report on the success and sustainability of all support within 12 months of award, including a presentation before the Club.
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Additional terms and conditions may apply depending upon the project and request.
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Our Board categorizes Grant requests in three broad segments;
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Local Community Grants
International Grants
Veterans, Active Duty Military and First Responder Grants
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Local Community Grants
This Grant segment includes Community based grants used to improve the Quality of Life of people and communities and stimulate the public interest. This segment includes the support of Youth and young leaders through leadership development, scholarships, sporting events and formal programs like Rotaract, Interact, and Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. Finally, the Club is devoted to Vocational excellence and supporting local organizations that give support and meaning to acquiring new skills and knowledge leading to improved household incomes. Some examples of our Club Community support include; CASA of Merced County, Crimestoppers, D Street Shelter, Merced Rescue Mission, Merced Symphony, NAACP of Merced County, Shakespeare in the Park, Special Olympics, Merced College Vocational Scholarships, 4H Club, college scholarships, All Dad's Matter, All-Star Junior High School Baseball, Boys & Girls Club, Rich Miller's Clothes for Kids, Make a Wish Foundation, Merced County Arts Council, FFA, Merced Skimmers, Bob Green North-South Rotary Football Classic.
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International Grants
For over 100 years, Rotary globally expands goodwill and better friendships by building peer sustainable Rotary clubs and focusing on clean water, sanitation, economic development and global health. By establishing common ground internationally, Rotary seeks to promote peace and understanding by volunteering our time and resources abroad and at home with new partnerships and intention. Our Club works with international change-agents and other Rotary clubs on a variety of intimate ever-changing projects, larger Global Grants and Polio eradication in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Our support includes; working with Hearts Afire Foundation in Somoto, Nicaragua, digging water wells in the Republic of Uganda, sanitation projects in the Republic of the Philippines, cleaning beaches in Baja California, Mexico and certain micro-financing in Romania, Peru and India to name a few.
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Veterans, Active Duty Military and First Responder Grants
This special category was formed from restricted donations earned during our annual Merced Field of Honor event co-sponsored with Merced College and the Peter J. Gallo Memorial Foundation. After event expenses, our Charity reviews Grant Applications directed to our men and women from the Uniformed Services. Every year, new challenges and opportunities intersect with this specialized funding source. Our support includes; Honor Flights, Merced Police Department Honored Officers Memorial, Castle Air Museum, the Yosemite Veterans Education and Leadership Seminar, care packages to forward-deployed active duty military, Disabled American Veterans Charity (DAV), scholarships awarded to Merced College veteran-students, defibrillators for Merced Fire Department. Learn more about this funding source at Merced Field of Honor.