Introduction
Rotary is the leading organisation for supporting global projects in the field of water, health, education and community. As Rotary is a global organization with clubs and members all over the world, their network enables Rotary clubs to start, guide and monitor projects in other countries with the aid of local Rotary clubs.
Rotary Club Delft-Koningsveld (RCDK) is a Rotary club located in Delft.
The Institute for Water Education (IHE) in Delft, The Netherlands, is the largest international graduate water education facility in the world. It carries out education programmes for Water Management on a post graduate Master level for students worldwide.
Why RIAS
There is a close relationship between IHE and Rotary International. Every year several international students obtain a scholarship from Rotary to study in Delft. Over 120 students already finished their education at IHE with the aid of Rotary scholarships.
After the education programme, most students find their way back home to work in the field of water. RCDK has taken the initiative for a fund to support and finance projects of IHE alumni in their home country. In this way the alumni can make better use of the knowledge gained at IHE, giving them a head start for setting up local projects.
The projects
Projects supported by RIAS preferably are related to the Rotary focus areas: Water (sanitation), Peace (water diplomacy) and Environment (climate adaptation).
Every student or alumnus of IHE Delft can pitch for a contribution of RIAS by sending in a project plan. Students and alumni that have been sponsored by a Rotary fellowship submitted a motivation with their application. They already indicated a potential project they would like to implement, using their knowledge gained during their study at IHE Delft. Projects, limited in size and time, typically need a donation between € 500 and € 2.500. Projects must be supported and controlled by a legal entity in the country concerned.
Structure of RIAS
RIAS will be managed by IHE staff, as they do for another IHE related fund as well. This means that the administration, the management and the financial control will be carried out by IHE. There will be limited costs related to these activities, born by fund.
The Advisory Board, mainly consisting of Rotarians and supporters of the fund, will do the screening and prioritisation of the submitted projects.
An Expert Team by IHE will be responsible for the technical assessment and feasibility of the proposals.
If both the Advisory board and Expert team have a positive attitude towards the application, RIAS can start funding the project and monitoring the progress of the project.
ANBI
The IHE-Rotary fund will have an ANBI status under the Netherlands Law due to the ANBI status of the IHE.
Gifts for RIAS will be considered for tax exemption in The Netherlands.