Joe Roberts told us about the Rotary International Foundation, which was started in 1917. Rotary truly is a premier international service organization. As Rotarians, we see solutions to challenges in our communities, and we take action to bring those ideas to life. One of the benefits of being a Rotarian is access to funding from The Rotary Foundation to create meaningful grants both here in your community and elsewhere in the world.It is a Foundation for Rotarians — it funds grants that are created by Rotarians, and it is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians, like you, and friends of our Foundation who share its vision of a better world.
The Rotary International Foundation has been highly recognized by Charity Navigator, which is the leading evaluator for nonprofits in the U.S. The Association of Fundraising Professionals named the Rotary International Foundation as the World's Outstanding Foundation, and CNBC named it as one of the top 10 charities. The generosity of our members and the good work that we do have not gone unrecognized. Our Foundation is carefully overseen by your fellow Rotarians on the Board of Trustees. They ensure that your donations are invested well and spent wisely to do good in the world. In 2016-2017, the Foundation celebrated its centennial year -- a milestone that few other organizations have reached.The Annual Fund
Our Foundation’s Annual Fund is the source of funding for the local and international grant projects we get to do as Rotarians. Contributions to our Annual Fund are used to make these humanitarian projects possible.
For example, when you give to the Annual Fund, you help women like Gabriela Martinez Flores. Gabriela is expanding her small sewing business and providing a better life for her family thanks to a grant created by Rotarians in Honduras and California that provides business training and access to microloans.
Giving to the Annual Fund supports Rotarian-driven projects just like these — projects that are created at the local level, fostered through international fellowship, and developed to meet the needs of the community. Through a single gift, you can help women like Gabriela provide a better life for her family.
Our Foundation is dedicated to six causes — or areas of focus — that build international relationships, improve lives, and promote a more peaceful world. These six areas of focus are: Promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economics. Does any of these create something that you see Lincoln East Rotary Club working on locally. Lincoln East has been working to provide clean water in Zambia for many years through global and local grants.
The Rotary Foundation can help you turn the passion you have for a specific cause into a reality. Rotarians are encouraged to spearhead efforts in these six areas, and The Rotary Foundation is here to make those grants possible.
In fact, the very mission of our Foundation 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.
When I ask people why they support our Foundation’s Annual Fund, many say they give because our Foundation is the only organization where when you give, you get something back — you get to help determine how that money is used. When you contribute to the Annual Fund-SHARE, 50 percent of your gift goes back to your district and is available for your club to use. The other 50% goes toward global grants, such as the Zambia project that Lincoln East originated. Actually the Zambia project has received another $30,000 for working to improve nutrition. Totally the Zambia project has received about $120,000 in its efforts to make a difference.
Every Rotarian, Every Year
These grants we just discussed are possible because Rotarians supported the Foundation and participated in our grants program. Several years ago, we started a campaign for the Annual Fund called Every Rotarian, Every Year. This gives the Rotarian an opportunity to give something to the Rotary Foundation. So far $140.1 million dollars has been given to the Annual Fund, $111.5 million given toward humanitarian grants, 1,260 global grants approved, and countless lives changed.
Recognition to Clubs
- The Every Rotarian, Every Year Club Banner recognizes clubs with an average of $100 in giving per member, with every member giving at least $25 to the Annual Fund.
- The 100% Foundation Giving Club Banner recognizes clubs with an average of $100 in giving per member, with every member giving at least $25 to any Foundation fund.
- The 100% Paul Harris Society Club recognizes clubs in which all members contribute at least $1,000 to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, or an approved global grant during a given Rotary year.
- The three clubs in each district that give the most, per capita, to the Annual Fund are also awarded with the “Top Three Per Capita” giving banner.
- And, finally, the 100% Paul Harris Fellow Club Banner recognizes clubs where every active member is a Paul Harris Fellow at the time the District Governor requests the banner.
Paul Harris Fellow
We also recognize our generous donors who give to the Foundation as Paul Harris Fellows. Paul Harris Fellows are those whose Annual Fund and PolioPlus Fund contributions — or Foundation recognition points received — total $1,000 or more.
Paul Harris Society
Some members want to support the Foundation in a significant way each and every year as members of the Paul Harris Society. The Paul Harris Society recognizes those generous individuals who intend to give $1,000 each year to the Annual Fund, the PolioPlus Fund, or an approved Foundation grant. Their consistent support is incredibly important to the district. It means that each year, the district can rely on gifts from these donors to fund important district and global grants. Paul Harris Society members represent about 16 percent of all Annual Fund donations. What more, donors who give $1,000 or more to the fund represent 44 percent of all giving to the Annual Fund. Indeed, Paul Harris Society members are a small but vibrant and growing community of donors who provide vital support for the Foundation and its projects.
Giving to the Rotary Foundation
There are several ways you can give to the Rotary Foundation. They are:
- You can use Rotary Direct, where your amount is taken from a checking, saving or credit card each month, quarterly or however you want it to come out.
- You can give online at rotary.org/donate. If you're signed into My Rotary, your gift will automatically be connected to your account and credited to your club.
- You can slo talk to your club Foundation chair and make a gift through the club.
- You can mail in your gift with the Foundation contribution form, which is available on My Rotary.
No matter how you choose to give, I hope you will join me in supporting our Foundation with a gift to the Annual Fund this year. Remember, gifts of any size have a big impact when they’re leveraged through our Foundation and our network of Rotarians here and around the world.
Remember you can make a difference through a gift to the Rotary International Foundation.