• Introduction
  • Allison Beers opens the meeting
  • ‘God Bless America’
  • ‘Pledge of Allegiance’
  • Thoughts of Gratitude and Reflection- Homer Nye
    • ‘Service is Giving’
  • ‘An Ode to Mothers’-Cindy Ruzak
    • Various tunes dedicated to wonderful mothers!
• Visiting Rotarians and Guests
  • Al Zelinski with visiting Rotarian Liz Erins, Crooked Tree Arts from Petoskey Noon Club
  • Katy McCain with guests Audra Jackson, Great Lakes Equestrian Festival Director and Christine Keef, Owner of 123 Speakeasy
  • Trevor Tkach with guest Frank Lowery, IronMan Midwest Region Director
• Announcements
  • Vern Gauthier ‘Way to Go Rotary Show’- show wrap up and appreciation
    • Round of applause for those involved in the show this year
    • Words of gratitude included “the great idea generator” “could not do it without you” “sky is the limit” “not afraid to speak up and keep things going” “one of the hardest jobs!” “calm and positive force” “great energy and empowering” “eat, sleep and breathe rotary” “the glue that brings everything together” “a GREAT president”

• Trevor Tkach- Getting Involved with Rotary Grant Reviews
  • Looking for help with ‘Assets’ and ‘System Innovation’
  • Contact Stacey Foster sfoster@rotarycharities.org 

• Steve Haskin- NMC BBQ
  • 56 people currently signed up
  • Still looking for volunteers
  • ‘come flip burgers and hotdogs on the 19^th’

• John Noonan- Workbees
  • Where: Discovery Center and Pier
  • When: Thursday or Saturday at 9:00 a.m.
• Raffle 50/50
  • Winner Al, holding tickets for Allison who donated to World Community Service!
• Program
  • Al Bonney- Grant Management
    • Enable Rotarians
    • Share Funds and what happens to my money when I donate

• Lorraine Beers introduced Kathy Gray RN of Soaring Unlimited Haiti
  • Kathy Gray is with Soaring Unlimited and is a recipient of the Michigan State University Community Service Award. She has spent time in Haiti every year, twice a year, for the last 7 years.
  • Soaring Unlimited is a non-profit organization of 25 years that has focused on enhancing the quality of life, empowering the community in medical care, and community development in Haiti
  • The clinic and birthing center has focused strongly on childbirth and making families stronger in Haiti. This has been done through community involvement and interaction to tailor education and resources to family planning there. Soaring Unlimited has worked towards education in family planning and nutrition, training traditional birth attendants, ‘Matwons’ and working towards a building campaign, and grant supplies for Matwon training and Laboratory Technicians. In Haiti, they have created a response to developing and implementing a comprehensive maternal and infant health program. Involving doctors, students and other health care professionals to partner and strengthen access to proper healthcare in the area.
• Closing
  • Next two meetings to be held at Country Club

Rotarians from the five-county area have volunteered to review grant applications for decades and their expertise has shaped our region. Last fall, we shifted our grantmaking strategy, created new criteria and questions.

We now have 2 new grant areas to be considered during the annual cycle. We continue to support community asset building and capital campaigns through our Assets for Thriving Communities grants. We've widened our scope to fund comprehensive solutions to complex community problems through our Systems Change Accelerator grants.

It's time to bring our volunteers up to speed, including those with experience and new volunteers. All volunteer reviewers for the 2019 season – including those who have volunteered in the past – must follow the requirements listed below to participate. We invite you to participate in the training and review process – your perspectives, questions and commitment to impact help us make great grant decisions!

• Becky Ewing, Executive Director, Rotary Charities of Traverse City

What do reviewers do, exactly? 

During grant review season October-November 2019:

1. Review & comment on grant applications that have made it through the first round of staff and board review.

2. Participate in a 1.5 - 2 hour in-person interview with applicants and the review team.

3. Help the review team come up with a recommendation that goes to the board for final decision in December 2019.

What does it take to become a volunteer?

1. Email Stacey Foster to let her know you’re interested in volunteering to review: sfoster@rotarycharities.org. Direct any questions to Freya Bradford: fbradford@rotarycharities.org or 231.941.4010 ext. 209

2. Attend this May’s Grant Training for applicants, or watch the taped session, available in June.

   • Grant Training for Applicants – REGISTER HERE
     May 29th, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM 
     Hear exactly what we share with potential applicants. Please indicate you're registering as a Rotarian Grant Reviewer when prompted. 

3. Required reading/watching

• Grant Application Guidance - ATTACHED

• Beyond Checkbook Philanthropy: The Power of Transformational Giving

• Farm to School: A Systems Story

4. Look out for the Rotarian Grant Reviewer Training
    

   • TBD date in September 2019
     Prepare for in-person grant reviews with finalists

 

Optional Training

Systems Thinking for Social Change

May 21st - 22nd

A two-day workshop with national experts highlighting new skills and mindsets that are at the heart of our new direction.

REGISTER HERE