Rotary Foundation Global Grants Create Bold Successes In SMA

By Tom Murlowski

Our Rotary Club is celebrated in more than one country for its ability to identify local problems, muster local and international support to alleviate them, and attract global grants from The Rotary Foundation to catalyze that support.

​The global grant that probably put Rotary Midday ‘on the map’ was the Rainwater Harvesting Project. Since 2008, between the rainwater harvesting and dry composting toilets projects, Rotary Midday has received almost $650,000 USD in funding with global & district grants. This translated to the ability to build more than 1,500 rainwater catchment systems and 150 dry composting toilets in low-income communities around San Miguel.

We also have an extremely successful Girls' Empowerment Program, where we received more than $90,000 USD in a global grant to be able to reach almost 3,600 5th and 6th grade girls in schools around San Miguel in order to provide them education and materials to empower and propel them to further their education.

This past year, we also received a global grant for $93,000 USD to provide the Lee Carter Hospice Center with equipment, furniture and training. 

In addition, the Escuela de Educación Especial, founded by our member, John Doherty, has received more than $180,000 USD for equipment and vocational training from global grants.

Most recently, we received more than $62,000 USD in a global grant for the APOYO Skills for Success Trade School, which will teach eight different subjects from 
English to electricity to more than 320 individuals over the next two years.

And we just submitted our newest global grant application for the Watershed Education Program to teach children, youth, and families how to improve the local ecosystem as managers of change by promoting an understanding and respect for nature.

We are getting about 1,700% return on every dollar we contribute to the Rotary Foundation which awards global grants, so it’s important to keep the Foundation financially sound to ensure future successes. 

The Rotary Foundation has been proven to be ethical, transparent and sustainable, so know we may donate to it with confidence. That has been proven by Charity Navigator, which has bestowed 15 consecutive four-star ratings on the Foundation.