Your Voice, Your Solution for developing signature projects

Rotary International News -- 2 February 2011

A Rotaractor assists a beneficiary of the mobile food pantry in Springfield, Missouri, USA. What advice would you give to a new club looking to create a signature project? Rotary Images/Alyce Henson

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Your district governor has asked your club to mentor a new club in the area.

A fellow club member tells you that he has been appointed to help the new club develop a signature project, but he has no idea how to do that.

What advice would you give to a new club looking to create a signature project?

Rotary International's monthly problem-solving forum asks Rotarians for their strategies to address the challenges they deal with every day. Please use the comments section below to share your solutions to this month's problem. Comments may be used in abbreviated form in other RI publications, including the Rotary E-Learning Center .

Past problems and your solutions:

10 Comments:

At 11:33AM on 15 May 2012, im Rowland Dolliuns wrote: Look around your area for needed resources to your community and find strong leaders through local chamber of commerce and develop a plan to meet the need for improvement. Example: In our area our fish hatchery is in financial distress and theatened closing, which would devistate this area economically. A possible solution would be to ask for volunteers in the area to work the hatchary needs, allevitating much of the financial distress.

At 12:22PM on 21 March 2011, joe wrote: First look at your resources.(membership) Look at your communities needs .Identify people you can work with in the community. You can start small or big depending on needs and resources.Failing to plan is planning to fail!

At 1:49PM on 23 February 2011, Ed Jacobson wrote: We needed a signature project to energize our club. The president asked members to "nominate" worthy projects over a two-to-three-month period. A committee recommended three of the projects for review by the membership. Each of the project champions pitched his/her idea at a club meeting. Then the club voted (almost unanimously) to adopt the favorite.

At 2:35PM on 17 February 2011, nina clancy wrote: As the Governor's Representative to a new Club we found that having the Club members brainstorm on unmet needs in the community. The Club then had speakers with knowledge of the issue come in and speak to the Club. The Club selected two projects: water proof personal need bags for homeless women and computers for achieving unprivledged students for use at home. After a Club Assembly this evening it appears that these will becoming the Club's signature projects .

At 9:40AM on 7 February 2011, Terry Mathias wrote: As a former Governor's Representative who helped to start a new Rotary club in Southern Illinois, I suggested that the club recognize community needs, then initiated a few small (pilot) projects. Within a short period of time, one of those early attempts developed and took root firmly in the community -- thereby becoming the club's signature project.

At 9:34AM on 7 February 2011, Cheryl Ferreira wrote: You should also consult other clubs in your area. This can help in two ways: first it will lessen the chance of redundancy and the undesirable competition for dollars and second it may reveal an opportunity to partner with another club to increase visibilty and resources.

At 9:32AM on 7 February 2011, AC Peter RC Delhi East End wrote: One of the prime projects of the Club with continuity, reaching out to large number of needy people, enhancing Rotary public image and the Club is widely identified/ known for, is 'signature project'. Gift of Life (for saving lives and building peace) is our Club Signature project (for arranging open heart surgeries of children below 20 years of age suffering from congenital heart diseases).

At 5:55PM on 7 February 2011, PDG David Forster D9810 wrote: If seeking a local project, do a needs assessment with local government authority. If International, perhaps use ProjectLINK to see what is available. Or perhaps partner a nearby Club that needs assistance. Individual Clubs cannot necessarily do everything by themselves and partnerships are very productive. In all cases, seek input from members to see where their interests lie - it's always useful to go with passion. Finally, look at the possible projects and select one that in someway fits in with the RI Strategic Plan.

At 5:54PM on 7 February 2011, Robert Clinch wrote: Need to liaise with your local governmnent and to recommend that particapents to under take project planning course.

At 10:09AM on 3 February 2011, Sachiko Yenokida wrote: Partner with your Chamber of Commerce, they know many organizations that have projects that need help.

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