Areas of Focus - Elements of Successful Scholarships
Areas of Focus: Statements of Purpose and Goals for the District 5450 Rotary Scholars
With respect to the Areas of Focus policy statements, The Rotary Foundation notes that:
- The goals of the Foundation are to increase efficiency in scholarship processing and ensure the quality of funded scholarships.
- The content of each policy statement describes eligible and ineligible areas of study.
- Eligible areas of study reflect those that are aligned with one of Rotary’s seven Areas of Focus.
- All scholarship requests must comply with the policy statements related to the chosen Area of Focus.
Elements of Successful Scholarships
Global grants support graduate-level scholarships for career-minded professionals. The Foundation considers the following when evaluating global grant scholarship applications:
- The applicant’s previous work experience in the relevant field.
- Academic program alignment with the chosen Area of Focus. Examples of preferred academic programs are provided under each focus area.
- The applicant’s career plans as they relate to the chosen Area of Focus.
Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution
Rotary supports training, education, and practice of peace and conflict prevention/resolution.
Elements of Successful Scholarships
Global grants support graduate-level scholarships for career-minded professionals. The Foundation considers the following when evaluating global grant scholarship applications:
- The applicant’s previous work experience in the field of peace and conflict prevention/resolution.
- Academic program alignment with peace and conflict prevention/resolution.
- Examples of preferred academic programs include conflict prevention/resolution, peace and justice studies, and international relations or law with a specialization in peace and conflict.
- Programs that will be considered favorably include those that focus directly on peace and conflict issues.
- Programs that will not be considered favorably include those that relate to general international relations or law.
- The applicant’s career plans as they relate to peace and conflict.
Disease Prevention and Treatment
Rotary supports training in programs that reduce the cause and effect of disease.
Elements of Successful Scholarships
Global grants support graduate-level scholarships for career-minded professionals. The Foundation considers the following when evaluating global grant scholarship applications:
- The applicant’s previous work experience in the field of disease prevention and treatment.
- Academic program alignment with disease prevention and treatment.
- Examples of academic programs include public health, advanced degrees in nursing or medicine.
- The applicant’s career plans as they relate to disease prevention and treatment.
Water and Sanitation
Rotary supports activities and training to provide access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
Elements of Successful Scholarships
Global grants support graduate-level scholarships for career-minded professionals. The Foundation considers the following when evaluating global grant scholarship applications:
- The applicant’s previous work experience in the field of water and sanitation.
- Academic program alignment with water and sanitation.
- Examples of academic programs include water science/engineering, water management, environmental science, epidemiology, and parasitology.
- The applicant’s career plans as they relate to water and sanitation.
Maternal and Child Health
Rotary supports activities and training to improve maternal health and reduce child mortality for children under five.
Elements of Successful Scholarships
Global grants support graduate-level scholarships for career-minded professionals. The Foundation considers the following when evaluating global grant scholarship applications:
- The applicant’s previous work experience in the field of maternal and child health.
- Academic program alignment with maternal and child health.
- Examples of academic programs include epidemiology, nutrition, global health, public health, and health promotion, and degrees in nursing and medicine.
- The applicant’s career plans as they relate to maternal and child health.
Basic Education and Literacy
Rotary supports activities and training to improve education for all children and literacy for children and adults.
Elements of Successful Scholarships
Global grants support graduate-level scholarships for career-minded professionals. The Foundation considers the following when evaluating global grant scholarship applications:
- The applicant’s previous work experience in the field of basic education and literacy.
- Academic program alignment with basic education and literacy.
- Examples of academic programs include education, literacy, curriculum development, special education, and school administration.
- The applicant’s future career plans as they relate to basic education and literacy.
Economic and Community Development
Rotary supports investments in people to create measurable and enduring economic improvement in their lives and communities.
Elements of Successful Scholarships
Global grants support graduate-level scholarships for career-minded professionals. The Foundation considers the following when evaluating global grant scholarship applications:
- The applicant’s previous work experience in the field of economic and community development. Applicants are expected to demonstrate how their work contributed to the economic well-being of poor or underserved communities.
- Academic program alignment with economic and community development.
- Examples of preferred academic programs include social science degrees with a specific focus on economic and community development, and business degrees tailored for social business or microcredit.
- Programs that will be favorably considered include those that:
- Focus on grass-roots economic development strategies.
- Focus on addressing economic issues of poor and underserved communities.
- Support social business development, such as a tailored track within a Masters of Business Administration program.
- Include “community development” in the name of the program or tailored track.
- Programs that will not be favorably considered include those that:
- Focus on purely theoretical or macro-level economics.
- Support general private business development, such as a masters of business administration.
- Connect in a general way to the field of community development but do not include “community development” in the name of the program or tailored track.
- The applicant’s career plans as they relate to economic and community development.
- Careers that will be considered favorably include those that:
- Focus on improving the economic well-being of poor and underserved communities.
- Are in a non-profit or social enterprise environment.
- Careers that will not be considered favorably include those that focus on general business activities in a private or corporate environment.
- Careers that will be considered favorably include those that:
Supporting the Environment
Rotary supports activities and training to support the environment to bring about positive change in the world.
Elements of Successful Scholarships
Global grants support graduate-level scholarships for career-minded professionals. The Foundation considers the following when evaluating global grant scholarship applications:
- The applicant’s previous work experience in the field of environmental support.
- Academic program alignment with supporting the environment.
- The applicant’s future career plans as they relate to the environment.