How to Engage with The Chamber

Introduction

This is a guide for clubs on how to promote their local community projects to the business community via the Chamber of Commerce with the objective of identifying a company or companies who will provide volunteers and/or financial support. The process detailed below has been agreed by the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce and the District Rotary Engages with the Chamber Team (REC) and it is important that clubs do not deviate from this.

A project is any quantifiable, costed course of action to deliver a benefit to a community, usually of short duration, with ongoing support following separately as required. Fund raising events are not projects.

To be eligible a project must meet the following criteria:-

1. It must take place within the boundaries of D1220.
2. It must have a designated Managing member from the nominating Rotary club.
3. It must have identified and quantifiable objectives which provide benefit to the local community, the supporting Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce members.
4. It must have a defined timescale, but the timescale can span more than one Rotary Year.
5. It must be self-financing, but can be considered for a District Grant if the project meets those requirements.
6. It can be a joint project involving more than one club.

Examples of appropriate projects include construction of Eco Greenhouse, dipping platform, landing stage; building restoration; canal clearance.

Step 1

Download the Project Planning Form and fill in all of the boxes. Click or tap in the box and start typing and the guide information will be overwritten. Please ensure that agreement has been obtained to share relevant contact details to other parties in compliance of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). By filling in personal information signifies the individuals have given their permission.

Step 2

Email the form to [email protected]

Step 3

The District REC Team will assess the form and if it successfully completed they will do the following:

1. Register the project on an offline monitoring database.
2. Place the completed form on the District Website where it will receive a link address so that interested parties can access the form.
3. Extract the basic project information, including the link address, and send those details to the Chamber who will advertise the project to those members who have indicated they are interested in CSR projects.

Step 4

Any business wishing to be considered will be advised by the Chamber to register their interest by contacting the REC Team using the email address [email protected]

By providing contact details to the REC Team those named persons agree to share this information to other parties involved in the project in compliance of GDPR.

Step 5

Details of interest will be entered on the monitoring database and forwarded to the Rotary Club contact(s). The club will then make contact with their chosen partners and agree the plan of action.

Step 6

Prior to the start of the project the Rotary Club will advise the REC Team of the start and the business partner(s) involved.

Step 7

On completion of the project the Rotary Club will advise the REC Team and ideally provide some PR material that can be used for marketing purposes. The REC Team will remove the project information from the District website but maintain the details on the offline monitoring database.

Final Comments

Clubs engaging with the Chamber on community are afforded an opportunity to meet with members of the local and business communities. We recommend every club looks upon this as an opportunity to identify prospective new members and makes every effort to promote the benefits of joining Rotary.

We recommend that Rotary Clubs also register the project details on Rotary Club Central as a permanent record of the project. 

NOTE: For any further clarity on these instructions please email the REC Team at  [email protected]