Does our organization have to be located in Annapolis proper?
Not necessarily, but the work funded by the grant needs to be done for the benefit of the citizens of greater Annapolis. One of the main goal of our grants is to better the quality of life for the citizens of the greater Annapolis area. As Annapolis is our designated Rotary service area we are restricted to disburse funds within this area only. There are over 29,000 Rotary Clubs in the world. Other Rotary Clubs may offer grants within their service areas.
Do we need to be incorporated as a non-profit? Yes. Our granting process requires that you are a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization or have similar non-profit status. We will ask for a 503 (C) 3 Letter of Determination.
Can we apply as a regional branch of a national organization?
Grants from Annapolis Rotary are to benefit the citizens of greater Annapolis. As long as that criterion is met, the location of an organization's headquarters will not be an issue. It is less important that an organization is headquartered in Annapolis than that the service work it is doing is for the citizens of Annapolis. Other Rotary Clubs may offer grants within their service areas. There are over 29,000 Rotary Clubs in the world.
Is there any cost for the application?
We charge no fee for grant applications requests. There is no cost beyond your own expense in preparing the application.
When is the best time to apply?
You must apply between August 15th, through October 10th for grant consideration for this year's crab feast. We spend the month of January following the crab feast evaluating the grant requests, then notify and distribute grant funds between February and March. Grant request recipient for the Black Tie & Diamonds event must be in by October 31st, Grant requests made to our club after November 1st Crab Feast, October 31st BT&D will not be considered. Annapolis Foundation Grants requests will be accepted from March 1st to April 15th.
Do you give to the same organizations every year or does it change? The roster of organizations receiving funds changes every year, although some organizations do receive grants in multiple years. There is no rule for this.
How much should I ask for? In the past, we have awarded individual grants from $500 to $4,000. Projects that do the most good for the most people are the ones generally favored by the Grant Committee. Please detail in your application how the funds you request will be used. Be specific about the request and be aware we cannot always fund the total amount you may request.
What if I do not get all the funds I request? Each year our club receives approximately 60 to 90 requests with a combined total in excess of $200,000 for a total grant budget in the $45,000 - $55,000 range. Clearly, the needs of our community far outstrip the resources of our Club, but we do the best we can with our funds. If you do not receive all the funds you request, we can only hope you will put them to the best use possible. If a project cannot be completed without full funding, please advise us in your grant request.
What if I have an urgent need for funds out of cycle of your grant process?
The funds for this granting process are limited to those funds earned by our Crab Feast. The President of our club has a small (and we mean small) budget for emergency requests. It is up to the sole discretion of the President to disburse funds from this emergency budget. These grant requests are rarely funded.
How do I find out if I received a grant?
We make every effort to notify grant applicants by mail or email depending on how their submission was made. We do not begin the notification process until sometime in May, and this can be delayed due to the difficultly of scheduling committee meetings. You may always inquire by sending an email or letter to our club.
How many grants can I submit?
If you have different projects that require funding, you may submit more than one grant application. We look for projects that help as many people in our Annapolis community as possible. When grants are distributed, it is done with one check. We expect the funded organization to divide the funds as needed. We do not issue separate checks.
Will you follow up on our grant usage after funding? Yes. You may be contacted by a Rotarian to review progress. It is important that the funds we distribute are used for the requests made. Therefore, various Annapolis Rotarians may be assigned to your organization for a follow-up call or visit.