COMMUNITY GRANTS

San Marino Rotary Charities Grants

On behalf of the Rotary Club of San Marino, the San Marino Rotary Charities (“Charities”) annually considers credible agencies and institutions serving children, youth, the elderly and the greater San Marino community for cash Community Grants. The Grants are awarded for programs that are part of the recipient’s mission or capital expenditures used to improve facilities.  Grants will only be made to IRS 501(c)3 charitable Organizations or to single day community events, such as the City of San Marino Memorial Day Ceremony.

Invitations to submit applications are available in the Fall of each year with awards announced in the Spring of the following year.  The Current Procedures and Guidelines to Apply for a Community Grant and the Application are posted on this webpage.  

 For additional information about the San Marino Rotary Club’s Community Grants program, please contact the Community Grants Committee Chair, Wally Rosvall, at [email protected] or 626-278-0697.

SAN MARINO ROTARY CLUB

Procedure and Guidelines to Apply for a Grant from the Rotary Club of San Marino (2024-2025)

On behalf of the Rotary Club of San Marino, the San Marino Rotary Charities (“Charities”) invites credible agencies and institutions serving children, youth, the elderly and the greater San Marino community to submit an Application for a Grant of up to $2,000.

To be considered for a grant, a completed Application must be completed by an authorized officer of the Organization and received by 5:00 p.m. on February 5, 2025. Please send the completed Application and supporting documents to [email protected].

Eligibility:

A. Charitable Purposes: Grants will only be made to IRS 501(c)3 charitable Organizations or to
single day community events, such as the City of San Marino Memorial Day Ceremony.

B. Board-Approved Non-discrimination Policy: The applicant Organization must have a boardapproved
policy regarding staff employment, electing a governing board, and providing service
without discrimination on basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or
national origin.

C. Eligible Grants:

1. Programs. Grants are available for a new program, the expansion of an existing program or strategic support for an existing program. Services delivered by the program must be part of the nonprofit’s mission and meet identified community needs. The program is defined as a coherently packaged group of activities designed to result in meaningful and measurable change for its participants. The program should be designed to reach
   the greatest number of people at the most reasonable cost. These funds are to be used to support direct program costs, not indirect operating expenses (e.g. salaries, rent, insurance or similar expenses).
2. Capital Expenditure. Grants may be made for a capital expenditure used for the acquisition of tangible items or improvement of facilities. Examples of tangible items are new vehicles or equipment, equipment replacement and modernization, and educational materials that tend to remain with an Organization and have a minimum life span of five years. Items that do not constitute a capital expenditure include videos,books, web site development, and “consumables” such as brochures, posters, uniforms, purchased prior to the Grant award date.
3. Grant Period. The Grant must have a completion date within one-year from the date of award. If funding is not utilized within one year from the date of the award, the Grant may be rescinded at the option of Charities. If the Grant is rescinded the unexpended funds are to be returned unless a prior extension is granted through a written request.

D. Grant Limitations: Grants for the following purposes will not be considered:

1. Conferences, workshops, exhibits, travel, surveys, film or publishing activities;
2. Debt retirement;
3. Projects or programs normally financed by government, academic, or private sources;
4. Endowment funds;
5. Political Organizations or candidates;
6. Primarily sectarian religious purposes;
7. Medical, science, or academic research; or
8. Direct grants, scholarships, or loans to individuals.

E. Grant Review Process: Each Grant proposal will be reviewed by the Rotary Community Grants Committee composed of Rotary Club of San Marino members. The Committee may request additional information and clarification and/or an interview and site visit. All Applications are treated with confidentiality and impartiality. Only fully completed Applications will be considered.

F. Grant Review Criteria: The following Grant review criteria play the most important role in the decision-making by the Committee.

1. Appropriateness: Does the Program or Capital Expenditure meet the Grant Eligibility criteria?
2. Significance: Will the Program or Capital Expenditure make a meaningful and significant contribution in our community?
3. Capacity: Does the Organization have sound management practices and the skills, commitment, resources, experience and time to implement the proposed project successfully? An applicant’s efforts to obtain additional funding for a project from more than one source will be viewed favorably.
4. Methods: Does the plan of action give the Committee a clear picture of how the project will proceed?
5. Clarity: Are the proposal project or capital expenditure, plan of action and proposed outcomes stated clearly so that the Committee fully can understand what is involved and what will occur if it is funded?
6. Results: Consideration will be given to the support of well-conceived projects which promise significant positive results, sustainability and long-term effects.
7. Rotary Club Volunteers: Grant requests from nonprofit Organizations that are represented by volunteers from the Rotary Club of San Marino are given priority.

G. For Only Recipients of Grants in 2023-2024: In order for a previous year grant recipient to be eligible for this round of funding, the organization must submit a report documenting the grant amount, the project’s actual cost, results and effectiveness. Photographs and additional supporting documentation must be included. Grants previously awarded do not impact your current Application.

H. Awards: All applicants will be notified whether a Grant request has been approved in the Spring of 2024. If a proposal is declined, a designated member of the Committee will be available to explain and advise on future Application efforts. Lack of approval of your request does not mean that the Committee lacks appreciation for the merit of either your Organization or your application. Grants will be presented at regular lunch meetings of the San Marino Rotary Club. The San Marino Rotary Community Grants Committee would like to thank you in advance for providing all the details of your request so that we may make an informed decision. For questions, please contact your Club Liaison or Wally Rosvall at [email protected] or Michael Rizzo at [email protected].