Project Enhancement Process Pilot
Frequently Asked Questions
August 2013
General Questions
Q.
What is the “Project Enhancement Process”?
A.
The Project Enhancement Process (PEP) is an effort by The Rotary Foundation
(TRF) to strategically utilize its volunteer and staff resources to sharpen Rotary’s
focus, enhance the technical quality of projects, support sound project design,
make effective grants, and measure our impact in the areas of focus. The pilot
will concentrate on achieving these objectives in the water and sanitation area of
focus.
PEP is made up of six key components:
The first four components include specific outputs for Rotarian use within the
PEP pilot:
Water & Sanitation Area of Focus Policy
Review and compare water, sanitation, and hygiene technologies and activities
for Rotarian use in project planning
Funding and deployment of project planning teams for Rotarians planning
projects with budgets of US$200,000 or more
Coordination of relationship management group and coordinated contact list
Q. How did PEP begin?
A. Many Rotary Senior Leaders had shared their vision for the best way to use all
Rotary resources in support of service projects with the new General Secretary.
Based on their input, he invited a small group of Rotarians involved in the water
sector to initial discussions in July and August 2011 in Evanston, IL. These
discussions sought to identify a mechanism to better utilize Rotary’s resources and
have a larger impact through more effective grant making. Once established, the
framework was then carefully vetted by both Rotary Boards and the Future Vision
and Strategic Planning committees before being approved by the Trustees in March
2012 for piloting in the 2012-13 Rotary Year.
Q. What are the goals of PEP?
A. PEP Goals are:
• to increase the quality and likelihood of sustainability of Rotarian-led water,
sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects
• to enhance Rotary’s profile, reputation, and image
• to utilize and leverage Rotarian expertise to enhance and improve project design
• to increase external funding as a result of strong projects and enhanced public
image
• to transition from short-term projects to long-term and more comprehensive
programs that holistically address community needs.
Q. How does PEP align with Rotary International’s Strategic Plan?
A. PEP’s objectives align with the following priorities and goals of the Rotary
International Strategic Plan:
Strategic Priority #2: Focus and increase humanitarian service
• Goal #4: Create significant projects both locally and internationally
Strategic Priority #3: Enhance Public Image and Awareness
• Goal #2: Publicize action-oriented service
Q. When will PEP be piloted?
A. PEP began 1 July 2012 and will end 30 June 2014
Q. In which districts will PEPbe piloted? How were the districts selected?
A. As part of the pilot, The Foundation identified the following PEP pilot districts to serve
as PEP host districts:
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2430 Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, part of Turkey
3140 Part of Maharashtra, India
3360 Lao People’s Dem. Rep., Thailand
3810 Philippines
4250 Belize, Guatemala, Honduras
4651 Brazil – part of Santa Catarina
4915 Argentina – part of Buenos Aires
9211 Uganda and Tanzania
9212 Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan
9600 Australia – part of Queensland, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and Solomon
Islands
Districts were selected in an effort to reflect a representative sample from around the
world paralleling that of the Future Vision Pilot district selection.
Q. What resources are available to PEP pilot districts?
A. Rotary districts selected to participate in the PEP pilot may choose to request a
Program Planning and Performance (PPP) Team. PPP teams are groups of
international volunteers, with specialties in water, sanitation, and hygiene that can
assist host clubs with needs assessments, technology and program
recommendations, project prioritization, project planning, and monitoring and
evaluation. PPP teams support projects with a projected budget of US$200,000 or
more. Typically, they travel to a host district for 10 to 14 days and will interact with a
variety of stakeholders. The PPP team is expected to improve project design quality
and communication with The Rotary Foundation resulting in a more efficient global
grant application process.
Q. Can PEP pilot districts still request PPP teams?
A. The Trustees approved and funded an additional pilot year. This allows Rotary the
opportunity to assess if PPP teams can effectively provide the amount and type of
support requested by clubs and districts to assess and plan for large scale,
sustainable WASH projects that are eligible for funding through The Rotary
Foundation. Interest in this pilot has been encouraging. New requests for PPP teams
may be submitted to TRF through 31 October 2013. Click here to complete the PPP
Team Request form online.
Q. What is Wasrag’s role in PEP?
A. Wasrag has developed technical resources and processes for use by all Rotarians
and is responsible for reaching out to their membership to encourage active
involvement in achieving PEP’s objectives. In partnership with The Rotary
Foundation, Wasrag developed many of the elements of PEP for use within their
own membership. Because Wasrag represents a large portion of Rotarians
interested in water and sanitation issues, many of whom have professional expertise
in the field, it was a logical place to start when developing a mechanism for better
utilizing Rotarian expertise and resources. Guidelines for planning sustainable water
and sanitation projects and hygiene education are available for download at
Wasrag.org.
Q. What if a club or a district needs technical assistance but does not need a PPP
team?
A. Take advantage of the technical guides offered through the Water and Sanitation
Rotary Action Group (Wasrag) at Wasrag.org. Prepared by fellow Rotarians with
expertise in water and sanitation, these resources provide information and guidance
to help Rotarians plan comprehensive water, sanitation and hygiene projects.
Rotarians may also address technical questions to Ask an Expert, at Wasrag.org or
to Erica Gwynn, Area of Focus Manager, Water and Sanitation.
Q. I am interested in volunteering to participate on a PPP team. Whom do I
contact?
A. If you are interested in participating in a PPP team, Rotarians and non-Rotarians can
submit their information for consideration through Wasrag.org-Volunteering.
Q. How is the Cadre of Technical Advisors involved with the PEP?
A. The Cadre of Technical Advisors’ activities are distinct and separate from PPP team
activities and they do not have a role in the PEP pilot. The Cadre’s duties are carried
out as part of the global grant process. They are responsible to conduct technical
reviews, site visits, and audits of grant applications and projects and report their
findings to the Trustees as required by the TRF grant process. The Cadre may be
furnished with PPP team reports to assist in evaluating grant applications from
sponsors who have benefited from a PPP team. The PPP report does not preclude or
replace Cadre responsibility to fairly evaluate and audit grant applications and
projects.
Q. What will happen once the pilot year concludes?
A. At the end of the second year of the pilot, an assessment will be conducted, the
results of which the Trustees will use to determine next steps. A comprehensive
evaluation will include a system for documenting best practices and lessons learned
throughout the pilot and will result in a plan for how best to move forward with the
PEP concept.