The Rotary Club of Brisbane is aiming to inject positivity into our communities by launching a new grants and support project to help budding charities, startup NGOs, and worthwhile entrepreneurs realise their dreams to bring to life ideas that will help the community.
2020 has been a year like no other. We’re all doing it tough. But between the hardship, people have picked each other up and soldiered on. There are some great projects that have started across Australia that are uplifting our communities. Driven by young millennials with big hearts and seasoned campaigners with young hearts - new ideas from startup charities seem to be popping up everywhere. And while they come with the best intentions, some might struggle to realise their potential. The Rotary Club of Brisbane introduces - Sponsordea: a platform to open applications for Ideas for Humanity
Rotary Club of Brisbane President, Dan Adler, said “It’s all about great ideas for products and services that help people, the environment, anything and everything is eligible for assistance. If you’ve got one that could help your community and the people in it, by all means, get on the website and apply for a grant today. Whether you’re making soup for the homeless in your family kitchen or creating a plant nursery in your garage and brightening up your neighbourhood. Whatever your idea, if it’s a keeper, check out our website and get amongst it. Together we can make the world a better place.”
Polio Plus, a programme spearheaded by Rotary International for the past 35 years and which has helped reduce the incidence of polio in the world by 99.9% since 1988 started as an idea and a dream in the mind of Sir Clem Renouf, a Rotarian doctor from Nambour. Could your idea have such an impact? [Photo: Rotary International]
The Rotary club of Brisbane through its fundraising and foundation supported charities and humanitarian causes to the tune of almost $80,000 in 2019-20. The Club has almost 100 years of history supporting charities and humanitarian causes. Our community contribution over the last 10 years’ totals over $750,000 and thousands of hours of volunteer time. This year we are looking to deliver some of that assistance to young entrepreneurial charities and causes that need help to elevate their product or service and make a worthy difference. But Sponsordea is about so much more than just the money. Sponsordea calls upon a stable of highly successful business people from the Rotary Club of Brisbane, each with their own unique skill sets and experiences waiting to mentor and guide successful applicants along their journey.
Mr Adler added, “We also help sponsored organisations with presentation skills, marketing & advertising, social media drive, business plan development; you name it - our team of mentors has been there and done that. We can definitely help them realise their dreams.”
The very first call for applications go live on Wednesday, 11th November, 2020. Entries close on 28th January 2021, with a shortlist announced on the 1st February. Shortlisters would then be asked to pitch their idea in person to the Rotary Club of Brisbane board, like they do on the successful TV show ‘Shark Tank’. From there, a winner will be awarded a grant. The process will then happen all over again in April 2021. Sponsordea is yet to confirm how many times they’ll run their program each year, but it’s estimated to be happening seasonally. Bring on autumn, if you’re not ready for this summer’s round.
Rotary International brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels. The Rotary Club of Brisbane Inc., received its Rotary charter on 29 May 1923 with a membership of 16. The Club is going through a growth phase, and we are always looking for new members who can bring enthusiasm, drive and expertise. Formal lunchtime meetings are held at The Brisbane Club once a fortnight, and on alternate weeks we meet from 5.30pm after work for executives who can’t make lunch times.
