For the second time in two years the World Fund is likely to run out of money to provide matching dollars to Global Grant applications. Last year the funds ran out in May but this year the outlook is more dire and a number of savings measures have already been put in place at Evanston. The trustees and the Board met in late January to look at stop gap solutions which may well now be known.

 

Why has this happened?  Clubs have clearly focused on Global Grant projects and the number of Global Grants applications continues to grow at an astounding rate.  At the end of December Global Grants approved were 85% ahead of what they were at the same time last year.  Despite the elimination of support for cash contributions to Global Grants this year (in an endeavour to make World Funds spread further), it is clear the funding shortfall is such that they may never return.  To compound the problem there will be a big waiting list of projects for the new area of focus Supporting the environment, ready to compete for grants on July 1 this year.

 

Many of you will associate me with the membership roles I’ve held in Rotary. Yet in my professional life, outside Rotary, much of my career has focused on marketing and communications. For almost a decade, I taught Marketing Principles to undergraduate and postgraduate students at University. Later, when I moved into University management, I put those principles into practice - marketing the University’s programs to business, government and international students.