District grants fund small-scale, short-term activities that address needs in your community and communities abroad. Each district chooses which activities it will fund with these grants.

What district grants support

You can use district grants to fund a variety of district and club projects and activities, including:

  • Humanitarian projects, including service travel and disaster recovery efforts
  • Scholarships for any level, length of time, location, or area of study
  • Youth programs, including Rotary Youth Exchange, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), Rotaract, and Interact
  • Vocational training teams, which are groups of professionals who travel abroad either to teach local professionals about their field or to learn more about it themselves

You have plenty of freedom to customize your service projects. Refer to the Terms and Conditions for Rotary Foundation District Grants for information about district grant requirements.

How they’re funded

Districts may use up to 50 percent of their District Designated Fund to receive one district grant annually. This percentage is calculated based on the amount of DDF generated from a district’s Annual Fund giving three years prior, including Endowment Fund earnings. You aren’t required to request the full amount available.

You’ll receive this funding as a lump sum and then distribute it to your clubs.

Qualification

Districts need to become qualified to apply for district grants. Learn more about the qualification process.

How clubs request funds

If your club is seeking district grant funding, you can apply directly to your district. Individual districts administer their own district grant programs. Check with your district to find out about available funding, application forms and guidelines, deadlines, and any other requirements.

Resources & reference

Tools