RAWCS Information

RAWCS

I need to bring your attention to changes that have or will be introduced to the way in which Rotary Australia World Community Service Limited (RAWCS) will operate into the future.

Finalisation will take time to achieve, as the process is rolled out through the various Regions.  It could be up to six months before it becomes fully operational in Northern Region.

Historically RAWCS proudly claimed that every dollar donated was actually spent on the project.

RAWCS Ltd. is a company limited by guarantee and bound by the requirements of the Companies Act.  The governance, accounting and disclosure requirements cost money.

Last year RAWCS turned over in excess of $24 million – the cost of auditing a company of this size is considerable and will keep rising.

To date, the work of receipting and recording of donations and payment of project costs has been carried out by unpaid Rotarian volunteers, who give 20-30 hours each week (and sometimes much more) to keep the records up to date.  This cannot continue. 

The sheer magnitude of RAWCS operations now requires us to employ a secretariat so we can cope with the workload. 

To assist in the funding of projects and to reduce the workload of our volunteers, RAWCS has also established online systems for registered projects. 

For some time now, RAWCS has offered an Online Donation facility to newly registered projects.  It has been thoroughly tested to ensure that all is working correctly and is now being offered to all projects. 

When the Online Donation has been turned on, a DONATE NOW button appears beside the project description on the RAWCS webpage.  The Project Manager is also advised of a link to the DONATE NOW page for that project.  The link can be placed on the Rotary Club and / or Project website.  All donors should then be encouraged to donate by using the link.

In time, donations to a RAWCS project will only be accepted through the Online Donation facility. 

Donations made using this facility can be made by Credit Card, Direct Debit or Cheque.  As soon as the payment of funds is confirmed, a receipt is generated and copies are emailed to the Donor and the Project Manager. 

To see an example of a DONATE NOW page, follow this link that has been created to another project – https://donations.rawcs.com.au/Default.aspx?ProjectID=544&ReturnTo=4

At the moment there is a delay until the start of the month after that in which the donation is made before the funds are available to pay project costs.  When the system is fully operational, the funds will be available immediately the donation is confirmed.

There is provision to make a Single Donation, or to schedule Donations – Fortnightly, Monthly, Quarterly, Biannually or Annually.

Using the facility will mean that, instead of the funds going into the bank account you operate for the project, they will immediately go into the RAWCS bank account.  The direct effect will be to, reduce –

  1. the risk of errors in any part of the recording or receipting process;
  2. any fees charged on donations made to the bank account maintained by an individual project;
  3. the time it takes for you to collate and forward the donations for the issue of tax receipts;
  4. the time it takes to prepare, reconcile and return the receipts;
  5. the time it takes you to file and send the receipts to donors.

To turn on the DONATE NOW button, email your request, either to the National Project Coordinator, PP John Roberson, johnroberson@bigpond.com or to myself.  

When you have received confirmation from John, that the DONATE NOW button has been turned on, you are asked to contact your donors and ask that they use this facility to make their donations, which, if applicable, can be by using the link that you will post on your own website.

Remember that, in time, this will be the only way that a donation can be made to a RAWCS project.

Applicable from 1 July 2012, a Service Fee of 3%, towards the administration costs of RAWCS Ltd, has applied to all projects registered after that date.  Projects registered prior to that date have paid a lower Service Fee of .5%, which will continue until the Online Donation facility is fully operational and all receipts are issued automatically through the website.

The RAWCS Board has agreed that some donations should be exempt from the 3% Service Fee, with the exception on donation made by Credit Card, because of the external fees that apply.

The exemption will apply to the following when made by direct debit or cheque :

a)      Personal Donations from Rotarians, made in relation to registered RAWCS projects and activities.

b)      Donations from Rotary Clubs and Districts in support of registered RAWCS projects and activities.

c)       Donations deemed by the National Board to be strategic and where it is not in the best interest of RAWCS to deduct the full service fee.  In accordance with this clause a smaller fee may be negotiated with donors and Government related entities offering grants for major projects.

d)      Non-taxable donations for personal and direct expenses of members of Project Volunteer Teams.

If you have any questions, or seek additional clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Ailsa Hay

RAWCS NR Chairman 2012-2014, RAWCS NR Project Funding Coordinator 2006-2014, Governor 2005-2006, RI District 9630 Inc.

Phone (07) 3899 2246; Mobile 0403 600 541

email : chair.northern@rawcs.org.au

Donations in Kind (DIK) is a program supported by Rotary Clubs in Australia which grew out of the compassion and concern of returning overseas volunteers. This recycling and reuse program involves the collection, sorting, packing, dispatch and distribution of donated items to countries in need of these goods.

Many goods and products, for which organisations in Australia have no further use, are valuable commodities in needy countries. While 50 computers with non-flat screen monitors and less than 1 gigabyte of memory may be obsolete for some corporate offices, they might instead be of significant value in helping the education of underprivileged students in East Timorese universities or in assisting with the accountancy of microfinance finance projects in Africa.

DIK Important Notice August 2014

RAWCS Northern Region covers the geographically expansive Rotary Districts 9550, 9570, 9600, 9630 and 9640.  They stretch across Northern New South Wales, Queensland and Northern Territory, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. 

Please check out their website:  http://www.rawcs.com.au/northern.htm

Rotary Australia World Community Service Ltd (RAWCS) and Rotary Australia Benevolent Society (RABS) assist Rotary Clubs develop and manage National and World .  Australian Rotarians participate in activities to improve the lives and living conditions of others and to promote international understanding and goodwill.

RAWCS Overseas Aid Fund and Rotary Australia Benevolent Society are Deductible Gift Recipients (DGR) so are able to offer tax deductible donations from organisations who wish to support our worthy projects within and outside Australia.  There are over 350 projects, particularly in the Pacific Rim area. 

Six areas of focus have been identified by Rotary International.  These areas reflect critical humanitarian issues and needs that Rotarians are addressing worldwide. RAWCS Projects align with these areas and examples of projects in these areas are available below:

  1.     Maternal and Child Health Programs
  2.     Water and Sanitation Programs
  3.     Disease Prevention and Treatment Programs
  4.     Peace and Conflict Prevention / Resolution Programs
  5.     Basic Education and Literacy Programs
  6.     Economic and Community Development Programs

To learn more please go to their website:  http://www.rawcs.com.au

NEWSLETTERS - Donations in Kind

December 2013

March 2014

For more information please contact our e-Club liaison Service Director.