Research & Appeals Committee - Investigating the Appeals for Financial Assistance

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Research & Appeals Committee - Our Mandate

 

Investigate appeals to the Club for financial assistance for projects within Toronto (preferably in the downtown area), giving priority to the fields of health, education, youth and welfare. It makes recommendations to the foundation board supporting “seed money and new initiative requests rather than for operating costs” and requires that recipients have registered charitable status, demonstrate the seriousness of the problem as well as the ability of the organization to achieve lasting results. The Committee meets at the call of the chair. 

Research and Appeals Committee

A Committee of the Rotary Club of Toronto Charitable Foundation

Research and Appeals Committee Annual Report 2016-2017

by: Luzita Kennedy, Research & Appeals Committee Chair

 

The Research and Appeals Committee reviews unsolicited appeals for funding that are received in the Rotary office.  The Committee’s role is to conduct due diligence reviews using its Project Evaluation Guidelines, and making recommendations to the Foundation. The focus is the downtown area of Toronto with an emphasis on seniors, youth, children and community programs. Applications must have Canadian registered charitable status to be considered and grants are not made to individuals.

 

The Foundation Board authorizes all grants and Research and Appeals Committee’s role is strictly advisory.  Appeals are assigned to committee members who conduct an in-depth review. This review may involve calls to or visiting the appeal agencies, interviewing senior staff, examining relevant financial information and other important details.

 

Research & Appeals Committee members prepare a written report by applying the Project Evaluation Guidelines.  These reports are presented at the monthly meetings of the Research and Appeals Committee and votes are conducted on each appeal. All recommendations to the Foundation Board are a result of a collective decision of the Committee.

 

In 2016-2017 Research and Appeals Committee reviewed 31 appeals and 10 were recommended for approval.

 

The successful appeals were made by the following charities:

  • Furniture Bank

  • Concerned Kids

  • ArtHeart Community Arts Program

  • Woodland Cultural Centre

  • Disabled Sailing Association of Ontario

  • Nanny Angel Network

  • Gilda’s Club

  • St Alban’s Boys’ & Girls’ Club

Research & Appeals Committee also conducts due diligence and comments and provides recommendations to the Foundation Board on major projects selected by the Seniors Committee.  These projects were made possible by the restricted Laughlin Fund.

 

Seniors projects:

  • SPRINT

The Foundation Board provided $234,000 for R & A appeals and a further $125,000 for Seniors appeals.

Appeals directed to our Foundation for grants in excess of $75,000 are assigned to the Research & Appeals Committee for due diligence and comments only.  A report is provided to the Foundation Board following a similar process as described above.