Gilroy – As part of their 2005-06 Charitable Giving efforts, the Rotary Club of Gilroy will be donating $37,000 to local charitable organizations this year through their Community Grants program.
The program primarily provides funds for organizations that focus on youth and education. In order to qualify for a grant, interested parties must meet certain requirements.
The money must go to a philanthropic organization – not an individual – that plans to serve the local community with the grant. The funds must go to a specific cause that will show clear end results – they cannot be applied to general operational or maintenance costs, or to scholarships. Beyond that, the use of the grant should have a broad impact on the Gilroy community. Recipients of the grant should also agree, if appropriate, to publicize the Rotary name or symbol as part of their project.
Jay Baksa, chair of the Rotary charitable giving committee, said that in past years the Rotary Club has given grants to about 15 to 18 groups and plans to do about the same or above this year.
“It’s relatively small amounts, but we feel as though the organizations that do apply can use it for leverage to get money from other agencies and so on,” he said. “Our club is in the business of service, and this is one of our ways of giving back.”
Over the past seven years, the club has donated about $180,000 to local and educational nonprofits. The application deadline is Nov. 11.
The application is available at www.gilroyrotary.org, or call Baksa at 846-0202. Submissions should be sent to: Rotary Club of Gilroy, Special Grants, P.O. Box 1912, Gilroy, CA 95021.
