The Hearts of Europe initiative, funded jointly by USAID and the Rotary Foundation, is a three-year program that aims to foster collaboration, networking, and friendship among Rotary in select Eastern European countries and the U.S. The program will be administered through the Foundation's global grants but will offer additional financial and project support through 30 June 2025.

What Hearts of Europe Global Grants can support

Hearts of Europe grant projects must meet global grant requirements as well as some additional requirements, including:

  • Projects should involve activities that increase engagement and strengthen relationships between Rotary members in the U.S. and in Eastern Europe.
  • The international sponsor of the grant project must be a club or district in the U.S. Clubs in other countries may participate in and contribute to the project in other ways.
  • At least one U.S. Rotarian from the international sponsor club or district must visit the project and meet with members of the host club or district.
  • If any Rotaract clubs are near the project site, the sponsors must involve Rotaractors in developing, implementing, and monitoring the project.
  • All grant applications must be reviewed by a regional grants officer before they are submitted.

See Hearts of Europe Global Grants Guidelines for full details. Please note in the guidelines the additional rules and regulations of this special USAID Rotary program, such as environmental standards and prohibited activities.

Rotary clubs and districts that apply to sponsor these grants may receive an additional match thanks to the USAID-Rotary Hearts of Europe program. The Rotary Foundation is modifying its global grant funding model effective 1 July 2021. District Designated Fund contributions will now be matched by the World Fund at 80%. The additional funding from the USAID-Rotary Hearts of Europe program will match District Designated Fund contributions at 120%.

Who can apply for Hearts of Europe Global Grants

The projects funded by Hearts of Europe Global Grants must take place in the following countries where USAID has a presence: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine. The host sponsor for the grant must be a club or district in one of these countries. The international sponsor for the grant must be a club or district in the United States.

How to apply

  1. Review the Terms and Conditions for Rotary Foundation District Grants and Global Grants, the Area of Focus Policy Statements, and the Hearts of Europe Global Grants Guidelines.
  2. Conduct a community assessment.
  3. Contact Program Officer Sam Kendall, sam.kendall@rotary.org, to discuss your project idea and confirm eligibility for the Hearts of Europe Global Grant.
  4. Confirm host and international sponsor for the grant. The host sponsor must be a club or district in one of the countries listed above. The international sponsor must be a club or district in the United States.
  5. Engage with your local USAID as needed. Rotary staff can help facilitate these contacts.
  6. Fill out the global grant application in the Grant Center. Complete the Hearts of Europe Global Grants Application Appendix and upload to step 8 of the global grant application.

Resources & Reference