Community Grants

Applications are accepted from October 1st through November 15th.

 

Background

 

The Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island has a long and proud history of providing grants to support diverse community projects, dating back to the Club’s founding in 1947. Members of the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island are stewards of funds we raise at our annual Rotary Auction & Rummage Sale.  We strive to manage funds in an effective, appropriate, and timely manner; and ensure that grant awards result in positive impacts in our community.

To review past Community Grant recipients and descriptions of their funded projects, visit the Community Grants awards page.

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Your organization must have current IRS tax-exempt status.
  2. Your organization must support Bainbridge Island or the wider community of which Bainbridge Island is a part.
  3. You must be based in Kitsap County, or be a chapter of a larger organization with the chapter located in Kitsap County.
  4. The grant request must be for capital equipment/project funding. Examples: equipment, tools, technology, facility improvements, and other items that are reusable and have a prolonged useful life. We do not fund the purchase of land or operating expenses such as salaries, supplies, marketing or training.
  5. If your project requires a construction permit, the permitting process must be in process or approved.

 

Please note:

  • Our budget varies from year to year, based on the results of our annual fundraiser, the Rotary Auction & Rummage Sale.
  • Individual grants typically range from $500 to $15,000. We award many grants each year, of which only a small number are in the $10,000 to $15,000 range.
  • Rotary is a non-political, secular organization. As such, we do not fund grant requests that support political or religious activities.
  • Recipients of grants made in prior years are eligible to apply, but this is not a guarantee of new funding.
  • Grants are intended to fund projects/purchases that will be completed in the calendar year the grant is awarded.

Application Instructions

Applications are accepted from October 1 through November 15 each year. To submit an application, please follow the following instructions:

Note:
* Please be prepared for the process to take up to five months. If your needs are immediate, we may not be the best funding source for you.
* You may submit questions to the above email address.

Approval Process

Step 1: Committee Evaluation and Selection

  • One or more committee members will be assigned to guide your application through the committee’s review process.
  • They will contact you for additional information if needed, and arrange a meeting, either in-person, virtually or by phone.
  • The Committee will discuss all applications and make their final recommendations to the Rotary Board of Directors.

Step 2: Approval Process

  • The Club’s Board of Directors will review the committee’s recommendations and vote to accept or decline each one.
  • The Board will present their approved list to all Club members for comment, as a final approval step.

Step 3: Notifications

  • Following final Club approval, each applicant will be notified by e-mail of the result.
  • Denial of grant requests can happen at any step in the process. If denied, notification will be made promptly to the applicant by committee leadership.

Grant Conditions

  • If we are not able to fund your full request:
    • we may fund a stand-alone component of your project;
    • or award a “challenge grant” (the funds will be released to you when you’ve raised the remaining money needed to complete the project/purchase).
  • Rotary expects to work with each grant recipient on a method to acknowledge our Club’s contributions. This helps inform our community on how we spend the money we raise.
  • We require a final report (a simple form is provided) which includes an accounting of grant funds spent, and verifies funds were used for the purpose set forth in the award.
  • Other conditions will depend on details of individual grant requests.