Community and Judd Huney Grants
History: The Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island has a long and proud history of providing grants to support diverse community projects, dating back to the Club's founding in 1947. In recent years we have provided an average of nearly $300,000 annually in support of various activities and projects. Please visit our accomplishments page to see worthy projects assisted by Rotary.
Purpose: We operate as stewards of funds received by Rotary, and we strive to handle them in an appropriate and timely manner. Rotary grants are intended to support projects that will provide services and facilities for the Bainbridge Island community that might not be possible without independent, non-government funding. Our emphasis is on assisting groups in obtaining equipment and materials needed for their services.
There are two types of grant programs. Each program has its own guidelines and application process.
A. Community Grants
B. Judd Huney Grants
Scholarships are awarded through a separate, competitive program. Please refer to the scholarships page for more information.
A. Community Grants
Guidelines: Grant requests typically exceed available funds, therefore we adhere to specific guidelines when evaluating grant requests. Community grants fund capital projects that require tangible, material "things" to get the job done. We DO NOT fund the purchase of land, recurring operating expenses, speakers, or conferences. To determine whether your request may be appropriate for a community grant, please review the application process below.
Project size: Community grants are intended to provide funds in the range of $100 to about $15,000. While there is no specific dollar limitation, we try to support numerous small projects each year, and can process small requests more quickly. We can generally only support one or two large projects (up to $15,000) per year, and the review process for those projects tends to be longer.
Applications: Applications for 2014 community grants will be accepted from October 14, 2013 through November 29, 2013. Because Rotary is an all-volunteer organization and several levels of review are required, please be prepared for the process to take up to three or four months. If your needs are immediate, we may not be the best funding source for you. Click here to download the application template. E-mail questions and your proposal to: grants@bainbridgeislandrotary.org.
Grant Conditions: We approve grants only for nonprofit organizations registered with the State of Washington and those with an IRS tax-exempt status. We often make grants contingent upon organizations raising matching funds, and in some cases we may only be able to fund a portion of your request. In most cases Rotary expects to work with the recipient organization to arrange for news coverage of the project, and for other recognition of Rotary's contribution. Other conditions will depend on details of individual grant requests.
Approval Process:
1. Committee Approval: Your written application will be reviewed by our committee, and one or more members may be assigned to guide your application through the review process. We may contact you for additional information or to arrange a visit to your site. After a complete review, committee recommendations are forwarded to the our Board of Directors.
2. Board of Directors Approval: The Board of Directors will review the committee’s recommendations, and vote to accept or decline each one.
3. Membership Approval: Grants approved by the Board of Directors will be read at two consecutive club meetings and, if approved by the membership, grant payments will be made.
Denial of grant requests can happen at any step in the process. If denied, notification will be made promptly to the applicant by the committee chairperson.
B. Judd Huney Fund: The Judd Huney Fund, named after a charter member, supports major community projects (generally over $50,000). Past examples include contributions toward the Bainbridge Public Library, Senior Community Center, Boys & Girls Club, and various parks projects. These funds are not awarded through an application process; instead, Rotary will engage in long-term planning discussions with sponsor organizations, the community, and Rotary membership to determine what projects to support, and in what ways.
For these projects, Rotary may seek to be involved through hands-on and in-kind contributions, planning assistance, and other means, in addition to substantial financial contributions.
Rotary's Huney Strategic Planning Committee considers possible major projects on an ongoing basis. If you think your organization's major project might be of interest to Rotary, contact us at contact@bainbridgeislandrotary.org and your email will be forwarded to the committee.