The District 6250 International Service Committee (ISC) encourages and helps clubs to get involved in all that is international in Rotary. This can include Global Grants, Friendship Exchange and Youth Exchange among others. Let your imagination run wild and use the many tools in the Swiss Army Knife that is Rotary to Unite For Good all around the world!
The ISC vets international projects on the following basis in the hope of picking out a few gems for you or your club to consider.
- A strong and capable Host Partner / Club leading the project.
- Our clubs prefer to be the International Partner on Global Grants.
- Our clubs and District prefer that the Global Grant is the beginning of a longer-term relationship that may include other aspects of Rotary (RFE, Youth Exchange, etc.)
- Our clubs and district prefer to see strong Host Partner and Host District financial support. We believe this shows that the project is viable and important to the local community.
- Our clubs are not very often focused on specific priority areas … more important is building a good relationship with our Rotarian friends around the world.
Following below is a current list of international opportunities for individuals, clubs or AG groups to get involved in.
If any of the following appeal to your club contact the ISC via Edwin Bos at 920-650-0734 or edwin@bosdesignbuilders.com.
East Africa District 9212 (Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Kenya).
Initial connection established by DG Mike Kloss and DG Wairimu R. Njage when both met in Orlando in January 2025.
This is an opportunity for a Club or AG group to get in on the ground floor of a new Rotary relationship. Following e-mail recently received from District 9212.
Dear PDG Edwin,
Thank you sincerely for your message and for so clearly articulating the guiding principles your clubs and district follow when considering Global Grants. Your thoughtful framework provides an excellent foundation for shaping initiatives that are both impactful and sustainable.
I fully recognize the importance of a strong and capable Host Partner, together with active Host District support, as essential elements in ensuring the viability and long-term success of any project. Likewise, I deeply value your emphasis on building enduring partnerships—extending beyond a single grant to encompass the broader dimensions of Rotary, whether through exchanges, fellowships, or shared service opportunities. This reflects the true spirit of Rotary: fostering goodwill, friendship, and collaboration in service to communities.
With this in mind, our DISC Committee is currently in the process of identifying the most suitable clubs and projects that align with the priorities you have outlined. Once these are consolidated, we will be pleased to share the information with you, with the hope of exploring how we might join hands in creating meaningful and lasting impact, guided by the principles of Service Above Self.
We would like to have a zoom meeting with you to discuss the partnership possibilities soonest. I am copying in members of the Rotary D9212 DISC committee and would be grateful if you could kindly let us know if we can have a zoom meeting on Wednesday 3rd September at 6pm East Africa Time. I will share a zoom link upon confirmation.
With warm Rotary regards,
Ritesh Barot
Water Pipeline Global Grant. Tanzania District 9214 (Tanzania & Uganda).
A partnership has been established between Rotary Friendship Exchange groups from our Wisconsin District, a Dutch District, the Polish District, the Croatian District, and the Tanzanian District to explore the possibility of laying a 18 km water pipeline to provide water to the Mbaash Primary School established for the children of the Maasai tribe in the desert of northern Tanzania. Initial Community Assessments and Technical Feasibility Studies have been conducted. This project will also include a future Friendship Exchange and other, as yet to be defined, collaborations.
Burn Victim Global Grant. India District 3060, Gujarat, India.
Opportunity for a District 6250 Club to become the International Partner on a Global Grant that will provide facilities for burn victims. Host Club is the Rotary Club of Ankleshwar. The Host Club and District are providing the vast majority of the funding (indicating strong local support) for this $41,000 Global Grant. Our partners in India are looking for a District 6250 Club to contribute $1,566 to become the primary International Partner on this Global Grant. Great way for a club just beginning with Global Grants to get involved.
Dear Edwin,
The structure $1,566 Club Money + $3,130 DDF + $2,504 World Fund = $7,200 Total from International partner is correct. A Club can become partner in the grant with this structure.
Also we have a Directed Gift from our club for this grant so 15% minimum contribution of International partner is not applicable for the grant. So we are good on that.
Thank you for all your help and support.
Regards,
Manish Shah
Pediatric Laser Surgery Global Grant, Hungary District 1911, Budapest.
Another relationship established by DG Mike with his counterpart in Hungary during their time together in Orlando this past January. More information on this Global Grant will become available this fall. We are promoting it now based on this response from our Partners in Hungary.
Dear Edwin,
Thank you for the reply and thanks for the important information about your approach towards Global Grants. I fully appreciate and agree to all of them. The way we are assessing possible participation in projects is quite close to yours. May I give you my comments to your bullet points.
- Being host partner: As I described, based on our track record in previous paediatric type projects, including GGs, we may say that we have gathered experience in identifying suitable projects, have some skill in selecting partners, and a fair ability to recognize potential pitfalls. In addition to this (based on the selection procedure we went through before picking this particular project), the Club is very much committed to the “paediatric laser-surgery” project.
- Your Clubs being International Partners in this particular project: We have some earlier commitments to other clubs (RC Dresden Canaletto and RC Daytona Beach) who may also be interested in the same, but this does not exclude any further Clubs to be named and act as International Partners.
- Longer term relationships between our clubs: This is exactly the way we would like to move forward in such a relationship. Our club permanently hosts students in the Youth Exchange Program (we had a Mexican and two Brazilian students last year, another three of them the year before). There is a reoccurring demand from Hungarian students to go for long or midterm RYE to the US but the number of positions is usually limited. I am sure that this is an idea we would be happy to explore. RFE is a bit more complicated in practice considering the geographical distance, but we would be open to develop this also.
- Internal financing: We hope to get a substantial part of the GG budget as a DDF from our district D1911, and our Club will also participate in the financing as much as our budget can afford.
- Projects vs relationships: This is very cultural/historical, I think. Although friendship as a basic Rotary value is always in our primary focus we prefer to run projects parallel to enjoy being Rotarians. The need in the World around us is great, so we believe that those who can do so, should help others. In some of our projects members can be involved broadly, so this helps the building of the Club spirit also. Ideally it should not be considered as projects “versus” relationships, but rather projects “and” relationships.
I hope this helps a bit to understand our attitude and behaviour as a Rotary Club. If you allow me, I will send you a copy of the first circular about the “paediatric laser surgery” Global Grant as soon as it will be available. This may happen within August-September. Based on this, you may consider any further steps from your side. Would you have any questions in the meantime, please, do not hesitate to mail or call me any time.
Sincerely yours,
György
Success! Fort Atkinson and India District 3060, Surat Sea Face Rotary Club
With a $2,200 Club Donation and a $2,200 DDF Donation by our District, the Fort Atkinson Club became the Lead International Partner on this $31,000 Global Grant that established a full Laparoscopy Unit in a Regional Hospital. A future Friendship Exchange to visit the project is in the planning. The District ISC Committee assisted the Club in realizing this project.
Success! Edgerton and Brazil District 4590
With the help of the ISC, the Edgerton Rotary Club recently took on the role of Lead International Partner on a Vaccination Global Grant being undertaken by the Rotary Club of Jundiaí Serra do Japy in Brazil. This past month the Global Grant was approved by the Rotary Foundation. Edgerton took the lead on this $44,000 project with a $2,100 Club Donation matched with a $4,200 District DDF Donation.
Edgerton is planning to visit Brazil and they are looking forward to doing more international work. Congratulation Edgerton Rotary!