Chris Knapp, District 6000’s Rotary representative, gave us an overview of the Rotary Foundation work and history. The Rotary Foundation was started in 1917 with $27.65 invested.
Chris reminded us of some important dates coming up: November 3, 2018, there will be a foundation dinner at the Sheraton in West Des Moines. November 17, 2018, there will be the district’s Ride to End Polio. For that ride, clubs are urged to ride stationary and regular bikes and have sponsors, with the money to go toward clubs’ goals for Polio Plus.
Ways to give to the Foundation include giving to the Annual Fund, the money for which goes in and stays for three years and in the fourth it comes back to the district. Other Foundation funds include the Polio Fund, and the Endowment Fund. Explaining how the Endowment donation works, for example, $450,000 per year is invested. After the first four years, $200,000 goes back to the district for activities and another $200,000 would be used for global grants.
Endowment Fund income comes back to the district for global and community grants.
In our district, 81 Rotarians are Paul Harris society members. That means they give $1000 a year. In addition, 40 more give almost $1000 a year.
The Polio Fund has been in existence almost 38 years. Polio cases are down to 15 in two countries -- Pakistan and Afghanistan. For the Polio Fundation, donations have to be specifically designated so that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation will match the donations. We are still in the five year match period. Last year, our District 6000 won the competition among all districts nationwide raising money for polio through the bike ride. Our goal this year is to raise $30,000. This would be 90,000 with the match.
There is an Endowment Fund legacy form for individuals to designate a bequest upon death. Donors can direct $25,000 or more and that money can be available to the district to use. Recently, the district had 41 applications for grants, with $137,000 available for the grants. Grant applications sh4ould focus on humanitarian activities. To learn the grant process, members should go to grant management seminars. The maximum available for a community grant is $5000.
Global grants are doing good in the world. Chris talked about the Hy-Vee One Step products. One Step is a 501(c)(3) foundation. The products sold go to the foundation, which grants then to other charities. The district has received over$ 100,000 from Hy-Vee for water projects. Chris Knapp encouraged us to buy One Step bottles of water.
The six areas of Foundation focus are peace and conflict resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, and basic education and literacy, Chris reviewed the history of our club’s donations to the annual fund for the Rotary Foundation. In the last three years, our club has been ahead of all others in the district per capita. Our goal this year is to raise $7000 for the Rotary Foundation.
Chris noted that for those having to take IRA minimum required distributions, it is possible to donate some or all of such distribution to a 501(c ) (3) as a qualified minimum distribution. The appropriate forms would have to be completed.