The Future Vision pilot, launched with 100 pilot districts, has already produced exceptional global grant projects with sustainable, measurable outcomes.

Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar highlighted several early success stories of the Future Vision Plan while touting its benefits before an audience of incoming district governors at the fourth plenary session of the 2011 International Assembly, 18 January in San Diego, California, USA.

“Future Vision represents a philosophical shift in the way the Foundation funds Rotarians’ activities,” Stenhammar said. “Under Future Vision, the Foundation asks Rotarians to start their planning by identifying a pressing need and working with the community to determine the best activity or combination of activities through which to address it, and then carry them out.”

One hundred districts were specially trained in San Diego three years ago and began testing a new grant model 1 July in the Future Vision pilot. All districts will begin using the model this year on 1 July 2013.

Though change isn’t painless, Stenhammar said, the plan will allow for increased flexibility, particularly for scholarships. District grants can fund scholars either locally or abroad at any level, for any length of time, either for a degree or certificate program or for a period of study. With global grants, clubs and districts may use their cash or District Designated Fund to receive a World Fund match for graduate-level students studying abroad under one of the areas of focus. Global grants can fund students for a single year or for an entire degree program, up to four years in length.

Stenhammar pointed to the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle, California, which has used two global grants for $30,000 each to sponsor a student from Quito, Ecuador, and another from Kampala, Uganda, to study peace and conflict resolution.

He encouraged nonpilot districts to learn as much as they can about the plan and its opportunities at www.rotary.org and in the Future Vision Pilot News newsletter.

Earlier in the day, Foundation Trustee Chair-elect William B. Boyd outlined goals for the Foundation:

• Eradicating polio
• Increasing support for the Foundation
• Continuing progress on the Future Vision Plan

Boyd said the areas of focus under the Future Vision Plan allow Rotarians to carry out projects with a common purpose, in a way that will benefit as many people as possible.

“All of us should work to build those six areas of focus into the culture and thinking of every Rotary club,” he said. “We should seek opportunities to build partnerships between clubs and districts, our Rotary Foundation, and other organizations that can join us in our mission to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.”