RCW Charitable Trust
Denis Kirkcaldie (Chair)
Wayne Morgan
Mary-Jane Rivers
Peter Sherwin
Carol Stigley
Beverley Wakem
Tricia Walbridge
Background to the RCW Charitable Trust
Introduction
1. The Wellington Rotary Charitable Trust was established in 1984. The purpose of this report is to set out the Trust’s current approach and to establish the strategy that will be followed over the next three years in order to serve community needs effectively given the limited financial resources at its disposal, the expanding number and range of community organisations in need of financial assistance, and the changing nature of that need.
History and Purpose
2. The Wellington Rotary Charitable Trust was set up to enable Rotarians to contribute financially to worthwhile causes either with a gift in their lifetime or through a bequest in their will. The net value of the capital fund at the end of the 2007/08 year was $355,862.
3. The Trust Deed specifies that the trust fund is for “charitable purposes”, “whether it relates to the relief of poverty, the financial advancement of education, or religion, or any other matter beneficial to the community”. Trustees will normally apply only income rather than capital.
4. The geographic focus of the Trust is Wellington City, Hutt Valley, and the Porirua Basin. The Honorary Auditor is Rhys Barlow.
Trustees
5. Trustees, appointed by the RCW Board each year, comprise up to seven members of the Rotary Club of Wellington with experience in administering trust funds, distribution of returns, and maintaining the capital intact. Trustees are required to provide an annual report to the Club and to provide reports to donors.
Donations
6. Donations and bequests the Trust has received over the years are set out from time to time on this website.
Grants
7. The general approach has been to provide grants to individuals or organisations in the Wellington region with emphasis on projects that will provide improvement in education or wellbeing for individuals; this has often been on the recommendation of Club members, or otherwise identified as of benefit to the wider Wellington community. (In 2007/08 the Trust changed its financial year end to 30 June to match the Club’s.)
Strategy
8. The strategy of the Trust is built around defined areas of need, project size and timeframes. This strategy, supported by good administration and largely web-based promotion, reflects the small size of the Trust and the Trustees’ desire to maximise benefit.
(i) Areas of Need
Areas of need will be identified on a three year cycle and support focused only on organisations and/or individuals working to address those needs. For the three year period covering 2009 to 2011, the two areas of focus will be:
Youth
Organisations and projects which work to address one or more of the following:
- youth unemployment
- drug abuse
- positive parenting skills
- youth justice – ie 5 to 12 year olds before there is a noticeable crisis and young people move into crime
- self benefit projects that can show a “ripple out” effect – eg Outward Bound, travel to youth leadership conferences
- organisations and projects linked to the purposes of Rotary and its members eg work-based projects providing work experience and skills-based training for unemployed young people
Community
Community organisations and projects where the following gaps exist:
- salaries for community co-ordinators
- providing business management, marketing or Board governance skills to community group
(ii) Project Size and Timeframe
The approach will be to support a small number of higher value projects eg 2 or 3 projects per round valued at $5,000 each per annum.
Consideration will be given to funding projects over the three years of the Areas of Need established for any three year period.
A further element of the strategy will be to seek to increase the capital of the Trust through renewing promotion of the Trust to potential donors.
Administration, Promotion and Growth
9. A standard application process will be followed.
10. Funding applications will be invited twice each RCW year (one more round is due to take place before the end of June ‘09) and decisions made and advised to applicants six weeks later.
11. The Trustees will meet a minimum of four times per year to consider the overall progress of the Trust, note income received and review and decide applications. Minutes of each Trust meeting will be copied to the Board of RCW.
12. Promotion of the Trust will be both for donors to make contributions to the Trust and for applications for grants from the Trust. This will be done through:
· information on the RCW website for donors (including a sample donation/bequest form
· information on the RCW website advertising the Trust to potential applicants
· a paper flyer covering the same
· registering with the Funding Information Service’s database of grant providers, Fundview
13. Trustees will report to the Club four times during each year (at lunch meetings and through the Club website) to report on grants given, promote awareness of the Trust particularly to new members, report on Trust progress generally, and invite members to help grow the Trust through personal contributions and legacies.
14. The Trust will formally recognise significant donors to the Trust eg donors of $10,000 and more, at Club meetings and on the website, and will report to all donors once a year.