Rogers Downtown Rotary Club Grant 

Application Information

The purpose of the Rotary Club of Downtown Rogers charitable grant program is to provide financial support to non-profit organizations providing services within the footprint of the Rogers School District. Please review the following information to determine if your organization would qualify for consideration for a grant of up to $2,500.

Qualifications

  • The Rotary Club of Downtown Rogers grants are intended to serve the needs of people within the footprint of the Rogers Public School District in one or more of the seven areas of focus for Rotary International:
    1. Promoting Peace: Working to prevent and resolve conflicts, train leaders in peace-building, and support communities affected by violence and conflict.
    2. Fighting Disease: Aiming to improve health care access, prevent the spread of diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria, and provide immunizations and medical training.
    3. Providing Clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: Focusing on developing sustainable water and sanitation systems to ensure communities have access to clean water and proper hygiene practices.
    4. Saving Mothers and Children: Making efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality rates by improving access to essential health services and nutrition.
    5. Supporting Education: Promoting education and literacy, aiming to reduce gender disparity in education and increase access to quality education for all.
    6. Growing Local Economies: Supporting economic development by strengthening local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, to create sustainable livelihoods.
    7. Protecting the Environment: Committed to developing innovative solutions to environmental challenges and promoting sustainable practices to protect the planet.
  • Grant requests should represent defined projects including specific requests for materials, equipment, etc. There is a $2,500 cap for each grant.
  • In evaluating equivalent requests, they will be prioritized based on proximity to Downtown Rogers, the city of Rogers and the Rogers Public School District.
  • The project should be under the direction of a local organization or local affiliate.

The Procedure

  • Grant requests solicited: January 1, 2026 – March 1, 2026
  • Grant requests accepted by deadline: March 1, 2026
  • Applications filled out on our website, or printed, completed and returned to Downtown Rogers Rotary Club Grant Committee Chairman Lee Kissinger at leekissinger73@gmail.com.
  • Committee and Board of Directors review requests: March 1-31 (this may entail asking for more information, clarification, etc.)
  • Funds distribution announcement: April 20 (Rotary meeting).
  • Report back from grant recipients at a Rotary meeting: Within a year of distribution)

Examples of what the Rogers Downtown Rotary Club grants will fund:

  • Purchase of equipment, supplies or other materials that will directly benefit the mission of on organization to benefit clients.
  • Direct assistance to clients in the seven areas of emphasis of Rotary International.
  • Projects or initiatives that assist an organization in providing direct benefits to clients.

What the Rogers Downtown Rotary Club grants will not fund:

  • Individual sponsorships
  • Organizations that don’t directly service our seven priority areas
  • Ongoing operating expenses
  • Political projects or political organizations
  • Though faith-based organizations may apply, the grants won’t be made for religious outreach programs
  • Sabbatical leave or scholarly research
  • Costs already incurred
  • Endowments or debt reduction
  • Fundraising events
  • A commitment of more than one year, though organizations are free to apply in multiple years

2025 Grant Winners

The Rogers Downtown Rotary Club, through its inaugural Charitable Grant program, presented $14,502 to six local non-profit organizations.

The grants went to the following agencies:

The grant program disperses money to local non-profit programs designed to assist the local community in at least one of Rotary International’s focus areas: supporting education; improving maternal and child health; preventing disease; improving water quality and sanitation; encouraging economic development; promoting peace; and protecting the environment.

The six grant recipients were selected from 20 agencies who applied this year. The successful applicants identified a specific program for which funds would be used.

The Rogers Downtown Rotary Club will continue the Charitable Grant Program again next year. Details on the application process will be announced this fall.

Past Grant Winners

In 2024, the Rogers Downtown Rotary Club, through its inaugural Charitable Grant program, presented $8,500 to four local non-profit organizations. The grants went to the following agencies: