At the 1917 Rotary convention, outgoing Rotary president Arch Klumph proposed setting up an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” That one idea, and an initial contribution of $26.50, set in motion a powerful force that has transformed millions of lives around the globe.
The mission of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.
The Rotary Foundation is organized as a public charity operated exclusively for charitable purposes and governed by a Board of Trustees. The operations of Rotary International, a member organization, are overseen by its Board of Directors.
The headquarters of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation are in Evanston, Illinois, USA. It has associate foundations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
During the past 100 years, the Foundation has spent $3 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects. CNBC ranked The Rotary Foundation as No. 3 in its annual list of Top 10 Charities Changing the World in 2016. The list includes some of the largest and highest-rated charities that help women, children, the poor, and the environment throughout the world, according to Charity Navigator, and that maintain high standards of financial health, accountability, and transparency of reporting.
The Foundation was noted for connecting 1.2 million members from more than 200 geographic areas to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges, including projects that focus on disease prevention, water and sanitation, and maternal and child health. The ranking also recognized Rotary’s role in the effort to eradicate polio.
Each year CMIRC sends The Rotary Foundation U.S.$ 50 for each member from the dues we pay to the club ("Every Rotarian Every Year") and some members make additional donations, permitting CMIRC to consistently be recognized as donating U.S.$ 100 per member to The Rotary Foundation.