1. AREA OF FOCUS Water and Sanitation [presenter] [date]
768 million people do not have access to safe water. Almost two fifths of the world’s population does not have access to an adequate, clean toilet. Waterborne diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under the age of five. In this area of focus, Rotarians carry out service projects that enhance water access, water quality, sanitation and hygiene practices in communities around the world.
Some of the key ideas that we hope to convey today revolve around the question, What are the common project types in water and sanitation? Additional key points to consider for most successful projects, whether they’re funded by grants or not, are generally sustainability, measurability, and community ownership, because ultimately our work must be long lasting and holistic.
We will also discuss the ideal project lifecycle, review grant eligibility guidelines, and point out resources available from Rotary.
[presenter]
[date]

2. Introduction to Water and Sanitation
Rotarians around the world are involved in projects that support investments in infrastructure and people to create measurable and enduring improvement in water, sanitation, and hygiene. They can:
Provide access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene conditions
Implement sustainable water and sanitation systems
Provide scholarships related to water and sanitation
Water and sanitation is one of the most popular project types led by Rotarians. They engage their communities in ways such as:
Providing equitable community access to safe water, improved sanitation, and hygiene
Strengthening the ability of communities to develop, fund, and maintain sustainable water and sanitation systems
Supporting programs that enhance community awareness of the benefits of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene
Supporting studies for career-minded professionals related to water and sanitation

3. Common Water and Sanitation Project Types
Water Quality
There are many ways to carry out a project that will bring lasting change to the water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions within your community, including:
Increasing water supply and distribution (for example, rainwater harvesting, water storage, wells, and boreholes)
Improving water quality (purification)
Providing hygiene education
Supplying waste management
Enhancing water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions in schools and communities
Water Supply

4. Common Water and Sanitation Project Types
Irrigation
Hygiene
You can also:
Provide scholarships related to water, sanitation, and hygiene
Supply vocational training
Conduct training with communities to establish water, sanitation, and hygiene committees, such as Rotary Community Corps, to manage the infrastructure and continue necessary training once the project has been completed

5. Project Lifecycle
We understand that each service project is unique: some are large in scale, some are small. Some use Rotary grants to help fund them, and other projects are funded by clubs or districts.
However, there’s one thing all successful service projects have in common: a “lifecycle.” This graphic shows the lifecycle of a service project. As you can see, the key areas are:
Planning
Acquiring resources
Project implementation
Evaluation and promotion
While we won’t be discussing the lifecycle in detail, you can find more information on rotary.org.

6. Leveraging Knowledge: RAGs and RCCs
Rotarian Action Groups (RAGs)
Rotarian Action Groups (RAGs) leverage their expertise in their particular area of interest to support clubs and districts.
Rotarian Action Group for
Water and Sanitation
Rotary Community Corps (RCC) A Rotary Community Corps (RCC) is a team of non-Rotarians who are flexible partners of service for Rotary clubs. RCCs offer community solutions for community issues. RCCs can offer key insight into the intricacies of the local demand and water and sanitation needs.
A Rotarian Action Group is an autonomous group of Rotarians, family members, and Rotaractors who are experts in a particular field, such as literacy or water and sanitation. Group members share their expertise by assisting Rotary clubs and districts with their humanitarian service projects.
The Rotarian Action Group for Water and Sanitation helps conduct community assessments, assists in identifying key partnerships, provides technical guidance, and highlights the work of successful Rotarian initiatives in the field. They offer technical resources on their website at

7. Global Grants with The Rotary Foundation
Global grant eligibility requirements
Sustainable
Measurable goals
Align with an area of focus
Respond to real community needs
Actively involve Rotarians and host community members
While Rotary clubs frequently fundraise and carry out projects without seeking a grant from The Rotary Foundation, a global grant can be a wonderful opportunity to leverage support for large, sustainable, international projects. To be eligible for funding, a global grant project must be:
Sustainable, which means the activity continues after grant funding has been spent
Measurable, with an established process for tracking and reporting on project results
Aligned with an area of focus that meets The Rotary Foundation’s goals and activities
Responsive to real community needs that are identified through a community assessment
Led by Rotarians who have built a relationship with community members in the project location

8. Global Grants Scope for Water and Sanitation
Humanitarian Projects
Vocational Training
Scholarships
Supporting graduate-level studies in:
Civil and environmental engineering
Public health with a focus in water and sanitation
Watershed management
Implementing or improving water and sanitation systems
Skills transfer in engineering, systems management, community health promotion, and irrigation
There are many types of global grant projects that can support water and sanitation, such as:
Scholarships
Capacity building
Vocational training

9. Water and Sanitation Resources
Communities in Action: A Guide to Effective Projects
Please take some time to check out these water and sanitation resources. They provide great information to for starting next your project. Go to the Rotarian Action Group for Water and Sanitation website at
Community Assessment Tools
An Introduction to Vocational Service
Rotarian Action Group for Water and Sanitation

10. Global Grant Resources
Terms and Conditions for Rotary Foundation District Grants and Global Grants
Grant Management Manual
Areas of Focus Policy Statements
Rotary’s Areas of Focus
Also, check out these global grant resources when you’re considering your next project. You can find all documents at rotary.org.
Questions?

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