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A thorough project plan sets your project up for success. Clearly assign
responsibilities.
DEVELOP A PROJECT PLAN
Collaboration is essential to developing your project plan. The
sponsoring clubs should work together and agree on how to manage each
part of the project and how to follow Rotary’s global grant guidelines. At
the very least, your plan should document:
• The impact you wish to have on the community
• Measurable goals and outcomes of the project
• Actions needed to implement each step of the project
• Assignment of responsibilities so that all work is covered
• Ongoing monitoring and data collection in the benefiting community
• Possible alternative approaches if activities do not yield the desired
impact
Involve community members early in the planning process by including
plan with you or review it and provide feedback. The most successful
plans allow Rotarians and community members to take action together.
That collaboration — and the active involvement of Rotarians — should
be clearly visible to anyone who sees your project plan.
CREATE A TIMELINE
With so many tasks and responsibilities to keep in mind, a timeline helps
you make sure that everything is done in a timely manner and no tasks
are forgotten. Think about how much time is needed for each step of your
project’s planning, implementation, and follow-up. Include events and
tasks such as:
• Community assessment
• Project committee meetings
• Training
• Major meetings with the benefiting community and cooperating
organizations
• Follow-up on meetings, conversations, and agreements
• Scheduled communications to sponsors, beneficiaries, cooperating
organizations, and any other stakeholders
• Project implementation milestones and benchmarks
• Ongoing monitoring throughout the project
• Evaluation in the middle and at the end of the project
Work as a Team
The host and international sponsors each have a project committee of at
least three Rotary members. Having a project committee ensures that
you have team support of your project. You all know the details of the
project. You make decisions together. And you make sure you’re meeting
your goals and following your budget.
Each sponsor designates one primary contact to be responsible for all
grant-related correspondence with Rotary. Also make a communication
plan to keep your clubs informed. Ultimately, clubs, not individuals, are
responsible for the outcome of a project.
Plan for continuity
Every Rotary year, your club’s leadership changes. When you form your
committee, identify leaders who are committed to the project and expect
to be able to stay involved through the life of the grant. At times, project
committee members become unable to serve, so establish a process for
replacing them if necessary.
Decide who will do what
Now that you have your project leaders in place, divide the key tasks from
the project plan among them and others. Assign them to members of your
team, cooperating organizations, community members, and others. For
instance, if your plan includes managing local volunteers, make someone
responsible for finding volunteers, greeting them at the site, providing
meals and snacks, and thanking them for their work. Other essential
responsibilities include community outreach, maintaining a good public
image, and promoting the project using social media. Document those
responsibilities and ask the assigned person to take ownership of each
task. By assigning responsibilities at the beginning, you can save time
later, ensure the jobs are done, and let your project committee focus on
the overall outcome of your grant-funded project.
Avoid conflicts of interest
Rotary members are leaders within their communities. They may be
members of the board of a hospital or owners of a shipping company.
While it’s important to have community leaders involved in your project,
no one who would gain financially or personally may serve on your
project committee. Even the appearance of a conflict of interest can
interfere with the success of a project. Ask committee members if they
have any interest in the project and disclose all potential conflicts of
interest on your application.
Get expert advice
Rotary members have professional expertise. We apply that knowledge
to look at challenges in new ways. We also know when we need to call in
an expert. Sponsor project committees could look to any of the following
groups for expert advice:
• Qualified club members (e.g., consult a civil engineer for a water
project)
• Cooperating organizations that have the technical expertise and
resources to help you develop and implement the project
• District international service chairs, who can connect you with
members who have Rotary grants expertise in your project’s areas of
focus.
• A Rotarian Action Group (RAG) related to your project
• Regional grants officers, who can advise you on project design and
assess grant ideas for eligibility
• Rotary’s staff area of focus managers, who can help you craft granteligible
project plans and offer guidance on best practices in the areas
of focus
• The Cadre of Technical Advisers can offer technical expertise and
they evaluate larger grant-funded projects for The Rotary Foundation
Trustees
