Leadership Articles by PRID John Eberhard

Analysis of Interaction between a RAG and a Rotary Club (District)

The following is an example of how a RAG can work with Clubs and Districts to satisfy Rotary’s policies. It is one of many examples of how the special expertise and professionalism of a Rotarian Action Group can assist individual clubs in enhancing the Object of Rotary. The interaction between a club/district and a RAG harnesses the enthusiasm, best practices and passion of the sectorily-focused Rotary entity with the local capacity of a Rotary Club found in the area need.

This is a story of how a RAG has coordinated the necessary resources of Rotarians, clubs, districts, a TRF Matching grant, DAF funds, DDF and cash donations from districts and third parties to implement a successful international service project.

Of the 10 significant events in the Rotary world for 2010, Disaster Relief in Haiti was rated as number 1. Many clubs and Rotarians from all over the world responded generously to the plight of this poor and unfortunate island nation.

This example focuses on the work of the Disaster Relief-Rotarian Action Group (DRRAG) in its response to the rebuilding and community development activities undertaken by Haitian Rotary clubs, interacting with clubs and districts from abroad that have been brought together by the RAG in pursuit of a common goal and jointly acting to realize the strategic plan of Rotary international. Not all RAGs are stand-alone NGOs. DRRAG is one that acts in collaboration with Clubs and Districts: adding strength, best practices and financial support to local activities. 

By definition, a Rotarian Action Group “shall be an association of Rotarians who have as their purpose the advancement of the object of Rotary by providing assistance and support to Rotary clubs, districts and multidistricts in planning and implementing international service projects. Rotarian Action Groups will serve as RI resource groups in their specialty.”

As intended from the beginning of this program in 2005, this purpose goes a long way in providing assistance along with the former “Menu of Service” opportunities and “Structured Programs” to clubs and districts. But in addition to being a “resource for information”, RAGs can provide the “action” associated with the planning, the coordination, professionalism, the injection of specialized expertise and congruent policy adaptation within the specialties as they work with Clubs etc. in implementing projects

For example: During the recent Haiti earthquake (2010), many schools were destroyed, putting increased pressure on the schools’ limited resources.  Most schools have received financial assistance from the government and other NGO’s to rebuild temporary school facilities. This “needs assessment” lent itself nicely to a community service project for local clubs.  The need for adequate school equipment and materials has not been met. The social impact of the earthquake on learning and schooling has been devastating.

The project, which is now unfolding and described here, is collaboration with d 7020, the Doner Advised Fund for Haiti, and many clubs and districts. It seeks to provide school equipment and materials to 2 schools:  Academy Lise Dérisiers and la Petit Sirene. It also will provide additional school supplies from Canada to other Haitian Schools that have been “adopted” by other Rotary Clubs.

Following the devistating eathquake in January 2010,  communication, on a worldwide basis has included direct contact with local Haitian Rotarians who have begun to play an important role in the rebuilding of the country. A cadre of interested Rotarians from the United States and Caribbean countries particularly, recognized the need to prepare for future devastating natural disasters. This included creating resilience (a disaster relief term) in Haiti, which has been assisted by the Haiti Task Force led by senior Rotarians in d. 7020 and Haiti playing a coordinating role with the 17 clubs in that country. The d. 7020 disaster relief committee has been an important component in the development of criteria for recognition of worthy projects and making recommendations to the DAF for support for specific project proposals.

There has been excellent communication with the leadership at the club, district and regional levels.  DRRAG has played a pivotal role in the coordination of the program involving clubs and districts outside of Haiti; DRRAG has been able to effectively utilize the Rotary international network. This would not have happened without communication between DRRAG and the DAF trustees.

A complex formula for funding and logistics has been undertaken through the cooperative efforts of a number of Rotary, NGO and commercial entities. They include:

·         The Rotary club of London Ontario Canada

·         The Rotary club of Pétion-Ville. , Haiti

·         Disaster Relief-Rotarian Action Group

·         The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International

·         the Donor Advised Fund of Rotary International (Haiti) [numbers 59 and 13]

·         District 7620

·         District 4380

·         District 5160

·         the disaster relief committee of district 7020

·         The Thames Valley District School Board with Head Office in London Ontario

·         Rotarians from many clubs in District 6330 and 7080

·         citizens from the London area interested in helping Haiti

·         Hensall Global Logistics

·         Haitian Resource Development Foundation

·         Chatelain Cargo Services Inc.

·         Salvation Army (London)

In addition, because of its global membership base, the Action Group has been able to communicate with four districts outside of Haiti through members and leaders of DRRAG. Three of them have seen the value of the collaboration, and provided funding in both cash and DDF. One district has generated interest from a number of clubs for the purpose of securing, warehousing, trucking, and loading of containers to be shipped to Haiti for the purpose of utilization in a large number of schools currently being refurbished by Haitian Rotary clubs. The Haitian Rotarians have taken on the responsibility of unloading, and placing the goods in needy schools.

DRRAG has assisted a local Rotary club in district 6330 (Canada) in the preparation of a matched grant application which leaves the leadership of the project implementation to the Rotary clubs in Haiti and in Ontario. Members of DRRAG, on behalf of The World Community Service Committee of the club, have negotiated a “best price” on the purchase and shipping of eight containers, negotiated exchange rates, seaworthiness certificates, bills of lading and commercial invoicing with shipping companies and wire transfers of cash. These resources and expertise would have been outside of the expertise to be found in the local club. Acting as agent for the WCS committee of the donor club partner in the match grant application, the relationship, responsibilities and expectations between the RAG and the club are clearly spelled out in a "memorandum of understanding".

The R/C of London (donor club) working with 17 other Clubs in District 6330 and 7080 has been responsible for the logistics of securing supplies from the Thames Valley School Board and working collaboratively with DRRAG to secure trucking, storage and containerization of the goods before shipping and the RFPs required to be issued for the cost of the containers and shipping of same in coordination with Haitian authorities, the host club, the Trustees of the DAF and the Haiti Task Force.

The RAG has assisted the donor club by putting it in contact with three other districts known to it to be willing to provide funding to support the match grant application. Without the intervention of the DRRAG, this application would not have been made. The application now has a TRF application number 74127.

The subject project is sponsored by the host Rotary Club of Pétion Ville, Haiti. It is providing the necessary core funding through the grant process to acquire the goods that can be locally purchased to meet the needs of the two schools.  Matching financial resources are sought from the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund (DAF) for related parts of the project not covered by TRF funds, or possible by TRF policies.  Rotary Club of Pétion Ville is purchasing the equipment and materials and is in charge of distributing them to the schools. The Rotary Club members and beneficiary school representatives will attend inauguration ceremonies and a Rotary stamp will be placed on all equipment. Rotary signage is to be supplied by the host Club.

The second aspect of the project will be the supply of school supplies from the Rotary Club of London (Canada) working in collaboration with the Disaster Relief Rotarian Action Group on the supply of up to eight 40ft (cubed) container loads of school supplies that have been primarly donated by the Thames Valley District School Board in Ontario. The loads consist of used school equipment: children’s desks, teacher desks, tables and chairs, black boards and filing cabinets etc.  These storage containers and contents will be owned by and distributed as needed by the Rotary club of Pétion-Ville.  and the Haiti Task Force.

It is the intention that DRRAG members from Canada and the USA to attend in Haiti in February, 2011 for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating the ongoing program.

Rotary Club of Pétion Ville’s “Community Action Committee” will supervise the management of the project including the fixed assets registration and used equipment replacement procedures. Cooperating members of the “Haiti Task Force” working in cooperation with Disaster Relief - Rotarian Action Group and other Haitian Clubs will be responsible for the secure storage and distribution of school supplies not required by the two focus schools. The club is arranging for the transfer of ownership of all of the goods shipped to the local schools which will be the ultimate beneficiaries. Sustainability is assured. The other projects have been identified by the Trustees of the Haiti TRF DAF. The logistics will be handled by local Rotarians but not necessarily those from the Host Club. The collaboration between the DAF trustees (particularly PRID Barry Rassin, a member of the Board of DRRAG, and the other participating Rotary entities has been essential. Each is playing an important role in facilitating the ultimate implementation of the program. This would not have been possible had only two Rotary clubs been responsible for all elements of this complex community service project.

The Rotary Club of London under the leadership of John Eberhard and the Disaster Relief Rotarian Action Group began a project by holding a meeting at the CRCID office on June 10, 2010. The meeting provided an opportunity to link with the Rotary Club of Grand Bend and learn about their efforts in collecting goods from local school boards and pack and ship containers to Africa. The RCL wanted to initiate a similar project but ship the goods to Haiti.

The Thames Vallev District School Board is closing a minimum of 5 schools each year and is expected to continue at this pace for about the next 3 to 5 years. All of the furnishings that are not being used by the board to fill the new schools are being donated to the RCL for the Haiti relief project. The 19Rotary Clubs in Haiti will receive the furnishings and have plans to build 30 schools in the near future. The RCL began in earnest to collect the school goods in July 2010 and this summary provides the details of that activity.

SCHOOLS EMPTIED:

Caradoc Central                   Mt. Brydges   June 30, 2010

Princess Anne                                 Ingersoll         July 7, 2010

Robarts                                  London          July 7, 2010

Sir John A MacDonald       London          July 29, 2010

Victory Memorial                  Ingersoll         August 18, 2010

Manor Highland                   London          August 25, 2010

Woodland Heights               London          August 25, 2010

Arthur Ford                            London          August 25, 2010

McEachren                           Lambeth        October 7, 2010

Mitchell Public School        Mitchell          November 13, 2010

Brick Street school               London          November 17, 2010

DONATED BARN SPACE:

Adams Barn              Birr                  Ron Loft

Coursey Barn           Lucan             Vivian and Rob Burns

DONATED TRUCKING:

Salvation Army – Centre of Hope

CONTAINERS LOADED:

HAITI:

Adams Barn              1 container                October 30, 2010

Mitchell School        1 container                November 13, 2010

Coursey Barn           6  containers             Spring 2011

GIFT DAY:

The RCL members were invited to donate gifts to the Haiti Relief Project and did so at their meeting on October 18, 2010 prior to the shipping of the first container.

ITEMS COLLECTED:

Kids Desks                1008

Black Boards                        78

Teacher Desks         54

File Cabinets                        73

Tables                                    346

Chairs                                    1101

Shelves                     137

Rugs                          3

Boxes of books         117

Easels                                    15

Gym mats                  58

Gym Climbing          10

Gym Benches                      8

Movie Screens         7

Sleeping Mats          350

VOLUNTEERS:

Rotary Club of London

Rotary Club of London North, South, West, Hyde Park
Rotary Club of Grand Bend

Rotary Club of Woodstock

Rotary Club of Goderich

Rotary Club of Mitchell

Medway High School Students

Interact Club of London members

Citizens of Ilderton, Birr, Kirkton, Alisa Craig

The Rotary Club of London has agreed to be the conduit for the purpose of receiving and disbursing funds from D7620 and D5160, two districts that have agreed with their DRRAG Rotarians to support the project.

At its November meeting the RI Board of Directors agreed to a new governance model for RAGs. The value of this decision has already been proven in the Haiti project experience. The leadership in districts 7020, 6330, 4380, 7620 and 7080 would not have been able to conclude an acceptable collaboration without the intervention of DRRAG. The involvement of current and past directors with the DAF and the leadership of the Haiti Task Force provided a link to the Rotary clubs in Haiti (District 7020), which proved invaluable in generating the collective interest and focusing on a specific project offered by the DAF trustees. The coordination through the RAG is evidence of the far sighted decision of the Board.

Ideally, organizations such as Rotary Emergency Disaster Initiative (REDI), the disaster relief committee of District 7020 and a disaster preparedness organization at the district level (here referred to as the Haiti Task Force) should exist in all regions of the Rotary world. This grand vision incorporates a policy framework which would work cooperatively with the Rotary Foundation, clubs and districts and a structure within the Rotarian Action Group which would include club in district related disaster preparation (emergency measures) committees that would work locally and on occasion, collaborate internationally. Central to this organizational vision would be a pooled emergency fund that would provide immediate financial assistance, pursuant to a prearranged policy directive, to local clubs dealing with local emergency situations. However, the primary focus of this structure would be to support local clubs and districts and thereby address Rotary strategic plan through community rebuilding, recovery and community development activity.

The new policy contemplates funding through TRF and implementing organizations. DRRAG is already using these mechanisms.

If Rotary really wants to make a contribution to humanitarian service through a professional organizational structure, it will have to realize that “things change”. Most Rotary entities that have done valuable international service have realized that by working with cooperating organizations and using professional “partners” (often in local NGOs) they generate more sustainable and higher quality program results. This calls for “professional management”. To have congruent coordination of best practices in clubs and districts with the assistance of the Action Groups, RAGs will need professional and highly qualified and dedicated management people.

"This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it. The story of Rotary will have to be written again and again!" ~ Paul P. Harris Page 253 "This Rotarian Age"

The administration of the TRF grant application that has led to the supply of materials to the Haiti project is not something that could be handled on a club to club level. Hopefully, the point has been sufficiently made that collaborating Rotary entities other than the individual clubs have been necessary to ensure the success of this project. It is been implemented at the initiative of the sponsoring Rotary club requesting DRRAG to become engaged in the implementation strategies. It came about by a memorandum of understanding that includes the following:

This memorandum of understanding is between the World Community Service Committee (London) on behalf of the Rotary Club of London; the Rotary Club of London Foundation and Disaster Relief-Rotarian Action Group (DRRAG).

DRRAG has identified a service project which includes the purchase and shipping of eight containers to Haiti to meet the needs of the reconstruction of schools undertaken by the Rotary Clubs of District 7020. The Rotarian Action Group has negotiated with certain suppliers for the delivery of school goods to Rotary counterparts, including the Haiti Task Force and the disaster relief committee for the district. Rotarians in district 6330 led by the Rotary Club of London have agreed to load the containers and be a party to a Matched Grant application to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary international, which is intended to augment funding provided from various sources. The WCS committee of the Rotary Club of London has asked Disaster Relief-Rotarian Action Group to be its agent for the purpose of negotiations, administration and all dealings with the Haiti Task Force and the Rotary Foundation of Rotary international to ensure implementation of the project; securing additional funds from other districts and Rotary clubs; monitoring the implementation of the project and facilitating the reporting requirements to TRF as required.

The Rotary Club of London has endorsed the involvement of its WCS Committee in the activities associated with the sourcing, storage and loading of the containers bound for Haiti. It is not intended that there should be any costs associated with the project to the Rotary Club of London or its Foundation.

Through its Foundation (the Rotary Club of London Foundation), the Rotary Club of okay for London has agreed to be the conduit through which funds will flow to the DRRAG and project accounts. It is expected that funds will flow from district 4380 and 5160, the DAF accounts of TRF and TRF itself. It is understood and agreed that these funds will be forwarded to DRRAG (less any associated bank transfer fees) or as called for pursuant to the TRF matched grant approval in collaboration with the partner Rotary Club in Haiti.

DRRAG will pay for the containers, shipping, all associated fees, administration and customs arrangements as agreed to and by the Haiti Task Force. It will report as required through the Rotary Club of London to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary international on all required aspects of the matched grant. It is understood and acknowledged that certain members of the WCS committee are also officers of DRRAG. It is understood that members of the Haiti Task Force are also members/directors of DRRAG. All of these individuals are members of their respective Rotary clubs.

The DRRAG is not certain as to how other Rotarian Action Groups handle the relationship with clubs who they are expected to assist. However, using this as an example, there are mechanisms whereby Rotarian Action Groups can provide comfort and expertise and "action" to clubs that would otherwise not be available. In the past several years, DRRAG has been asked to act as agent for districts, which are suffering from local disasters for the purpose of raising money for their district disaster relief bank accounts. The RI policy does not specifically address this issue, but the Rotarian Action Group has no reason to believe that, when acting as agent for the district, it offends the code of policy provision that prevents online financial assistance for individual projects.

By placing the Rotary logo, and the logo for DRRAG on the containers being shipped to Haiti, the public image of Rotary is enhanced and the relationship between disaster relief operations, rebuilding and community development creates a brand which makes use of the expertise available in the operational activities of Rotary international.

All funds received by Rotary clubs, districts, or multidistricts through the efforts of a Rotarian Action Group must target specific projects or programs with an identified time frame. This is a function that DRRAG has been advocating for a long time. We are very pleased that a “Pooled Disaster Relief” restricted fund will now be available under the new policy and funding model advocated by the RI Board. The terms of reference, access, policy issues related to use of funds etc. remains elusive in this policy statement. WE will eagerly await the wisdom of the TRF Trustees and the RI Board as it deals with these operation issues.

It will be important to detail the nature of the “partnership” terms with individual RAGs. DRRAG is unique in that its disaster specialists are aware of the international protocols and priorities that arise at the time of a natural disaster. Most Rotarians want to donate at that time to assist local clubs in their early efforts at response, recovery and rebuilding. This means that money that comes in for relief purposes needs to get out to the Clubs and Districts immediately. That is why the funds have been donated and that should is how it should be trustingly be distributed. Money is the number 1 needed commodity is the time immediately after the disaster. Thereafter (and that has to be defined in the partnership policy) a unique policy framework has to be created that will allow the funds to be distributed without the trappings of a matched grant process in these early days. (This is a complicated, time consuming and rife with conflicts – especially now between pilot and non-pilot districts). It will be important to most RAGS to be able to continue their work with clubs without restrictions related to building, staffing and a complex application process for matched funding etc.

Since the great tsunami, it is conservatively estimated that Rotary Clubs and Districts have generously distributed over $165 M USD. The potential for a coordinated approach to this find of fund raising and congruent distribution guidelines is now possible under the recently introduced RI policies.

The policy for DRRAG might include terms related to rebuilding and community development and resilience that clearly set out the role expected to be played in the international SPHERE protocols so that all clubs involved understand the nature of the best practices established by the international community. DRRAG can bring that expertise to the Rotary world.

This policy objective is nicely illustrated in the current ongoing Haiti project being undertaken by DRRAG. The RAG acted as agent in the use of its website in the collection of money for the disaster relief account for district 7020. Pursuant to the terms of the agency agreement funds were raised online and delivered for immediate relief purposes. However, the main thrust of the RAG’s involvement is consistent with Rotary policy in that it addresses recovery, rebuilding and community development along with disaster resilience as its main focus.

This is where DRRAG is unique from other RAGS. Rotary (and non-Rotarian donors) will be donating to “Disaster Relief” even though the majority of the funds collected will be used for recovery and rebuilding. But they do not expect to “donate” twice through a matching grant formula. Accordingly something along the lines of the Haiti DAF

process, will be much more acceptable to Rotarians. A well defined "restricted fund" mechanism with realistic policies and collaboration between the Rotarian Action Group and the foundation needs to be thoughtfully considered and a policy framework developed.

The current Haiti project illustrates how a complex interaction between several districts and several clubs can be brought together pursuant to a policy framework that is well understood by District governors. Many of the active members of the Rotarian Action Group, The Haiti Task Force and the DAF trustees are knowledgeable in world community service, and the implementation policies of the Rotary Foundation. Of course, there needs to be a mechanism to ensure that the clubs of Rotary international are trained and knowledgeable participants.

Nothing since Polio Plus has refined or has the potential to refine our focus as much as a RAG. Each contributes to the strengthening of our clubs. A single WCS program recommendation that uses the club to club network and based on protocols developed by experts with no overt fund raising that could possibly be said to be competitive with TRF. The many individual “causes” on the menu of service  opportunities for club service that have emerged will allow Rotarians and the world see that Rotary is actually acting in a coordinated and strategic way in respect of any one of the individual priorities of the Strategic Plan.

 “Disaster Relief” in the hands of Rotarians experienced in the actual delivery of emergency response – all collected under a Rotary recognized Global Networking group - would allow Rotary to do something in this area of service that it has never done before!

The governance of a world-wide Disaster Relief plan under the guidance (governance) of a related Rotary entity such as a RAG has tremendous advantages for both the Foundation and for Rotary. The policies of RI would govern. The groups are intended to be made up of the “experts” that RI or the TRF do not have at world headquarters. TRF has never had a department on emergency measures and presumably never will have. Certainly RI is not structured to implement the Sphere Project protocols that are demanded by governments and international NGOs for recognition as “players” in the disaster relief field. But a RAG acting in the name of Rotary on this file, the governance of programs like that is refined and countless other benefits accrue. More importantly, the principals of “community development” can be implemented in a coordinated fashion. Since Rotary need not compete with other international players in the Disaster Relief area, we can structure the “partnership” in a way that focuses on community and economical development as key in the area of this RAG’s efforts. This, of course is consistent with the future vision priorities as well.

Not a single non-RI sponsored program has the potential of raising the public image of Rotary as much as a disaster relief dimension to Rotary – where the emphasis is on resilience, recovery and rebuilding. RAGs have far greater potential than any single Rotary Club to raise the public profile – world-wide! That is why a Rotarian Action Group has the potential for satisfying this objective of Rotary’s Strategic Plan.

The Haiti project nicely illustrates how the coordinated efforts of several levels of Rotary expertise can fit within the provisions of the Rotary foundation's existing policies for match grants. Indeed, approximately 30% of the funds that have been made available on the Haiti project have come from the source. However, the complexities of making this application and the time associated with the delivery of its benefits have resulted in frustrations not unknown to Rotary club applicants. It is in this area that Rotarian action groups can prove to be invaluable in providing services to clubs and districts that wish to take advantage of the Rotary foundation in the implementation of their international service projects.

You will be aware of the DAF established in the USA (TRF) for the receipt of funds that will primarily be used in the recovery and rebuilding process. The Trustees of the fund include two directors of DRRAG (PRIDs Barry Rassin and Bob Stuart).

The chairman of the advisory board of directors of DRRAG is on the ground in Haiti in a leadership role with the American Red Cross. Rtn. Lee Malany is an internationally recognized Disaster Relief expert and often called upon by the US Government and large international relief NGO’s to perform the role he presently is playing. Of course, he is in touch with local Rotarians in his work.

If you go to www.drrag.org you will see the extent of the support being provided at the request of the Governors. On the “members only” side of the web site, you will see the daily up-dates on the work by Rotarians in this massive and complex challenge. I hope you will do so and take the opportunity to thank them for what they are dong in the name of Rotary to help people who cannot help themselves.

The DRRAG Board strongly supports the notion of working closely with TRF as it continues to support and assist Rotary Clubs and Districts in the Disaster Management continuum (Preparation, recovery, rebuilding and community development). Its statement of purpose is consistent with Rotary’s new strategic goals but, as importantly, is a cross cutting theme on the areas of focus of the FVP. Water and sanitation, health, poverty and hunger are all in the scope of Disaster Management and particularly, where Rotary has always shone – in community development – DRRAG has a major role to play

John J. Eberhard,

President - Disaster Relief - Rotarian Action Group