Click here to visit the Rotary International website.
The Rotary Foundation
Advancing World Understanding, Goodwill & Peace
The mission of The Rotary 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. The Rotary Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.
The Foundation's humanitarian programs fund international Rotary club and district projects to improve the quality of life, providing health care, clean water, food, education, and other essential needs primarily in the developing world. One of the major humanitarian programs is PolioPlus, which seeks to eradicate the poliovirus worldwide. Through its Educational Programs, the Foundation provides funding for some 1,200 students to study abroad each year. Grants are also awarded to university teachers to teach in developing countries and for exchanges of business and professional people. Contact for more information on the Foundation's humanitarian programs, PolioPlus project, and educational initiatives.
Rotarians of District 5030 give generously to the Rotary Foundation each year. Much of the money donated to the Foundation comes back to the clubs in the form of grants for local and international service projects. Foundation money is also used to sponsor scholarships, an annual Group Study Exchange, and the PolioPlus program.
Rotarians interested in applying for District Simplified Grants and Matching Grants may find more information at left. At left are also links for the Group Study Exchange program and scholarship information.
Toll-Free Rotary Foundation Contact Center Answers Your Questions!
In October, The Rotary Foundation Contact Center will begin taking general inquiry calls and emails for The Rotary Foundation and its programs from Rotarians, clubs and districts in the United States and Canada.
Call 1-866-9ROTARY or email to check on your donations and recognition points, deadlines for grants and applications, contact names for your applications, and more.
The TRF Contact Center is open Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-5:00PM, Central Standard Time.
Each year, thousands
of people around the world take part in one of the many programs of The
Rotary Foundation. These programs enrich the lives of participants and
spread Rotary's vision of peace and world understanding. Their
experiences foster international understanding through person-to-person
contact, friendship, study, service, and cross-cultural exchange.
Foundation program participants serve as goodwill ambassadors not just
when they're abroad, but also when they return to their home countries
as alumni.
These groups have a connection to Rotary clubs around the world who
sponsor and host their experience. Many Rotary Foundation alumni
continue to stay connected and give back to Rotary in a variety of
ways. Some eventually become Rotary club members themselves. The
experience of living, learning, or serving in a land other than their
own makes every Foundation alumnus an advocate for Rotary's ideals.
Who are the alumni of The Rotary Foundation?
More than 90,000 people call themselves Rotary Foundation Alumni.
Alumni have participated in any of the following Rotary Foundation
programs:
Ambassadorial Scholarships
Rotary World Peace Fellowship (the Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution)
The Rotary Foundation's oldest and best-known program is Ambassadorial Scholarships. Since 1947 nearly 37,000 men and women from 100 nations have studied abroad under its auspices. Today it is the world's largest privately funded international scholarships program. Nearly 800 scholarships were awarded for study in 2005-06. Through grants totaling approximately US$500 million, recipients from some 70 countries studied in more than 70 nations.
The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarships program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries. The program sponsors several types of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies. While abroad, scholars serve as ambassadors of goodwill to the people of the host country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other groups. Upon returning home, scholars share with Rotarians and others the experiences that led to greater understanding of their host countries.
Generous contributions from Rotarians worldwide represent continued faith that the students who are Ambassadorial Scholars today will be tomorrow's community and world leaders.
The Annual Programs
Fund is the primary source of unrestricted support for the programs of
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. The mission of the
Annual Programs Fund mirrors that of The Rotary Foundation: to support
the efforts of Rotary International in the achievement of world
understanding and peace through local, national, and international
humanitarian, educational, and cultural programs.
The Annual Programs Fund supports Foundation programs in 163 countries
on seven continents. From digging clean water wells for villages in
Africa to teaching basic literacy skills to children in Latin America,
during any given moment in a day, thousands of Rotarians volunteer
their time and expertise to ensure that all contributions given to the
Annual Programs Fund are spent wisely on quality Rotary projects.
You May Become a Benefactor to The Rotary Foundation
You may become a
Benefactor to The Rotary Foundation by making the Permanent Fund a
beneficiary in your estate plans or by making an outright gift of
US$1,000 or more to the Permanent Fund. Simply notify the Foundation,
in writing, of your bequest.
Benefactors will be presented with:
a commemorative certificate
an insignia that may be attached to a Rotary or Paul Harris Fellow pin
a letter of appreciation
Each Benefactor is recognized at the time of his or her first gift. Subsequent gifts receive a letter of appreciation.
The Rotary Foundation
recognizes those couples or individuals who have made commitments in
their estate plans totaling US$10,000 or more.
The following gift types of US$10,000 or more are eligible for Bequest Society Membership:
Bequest commitments in a will or living trust
Whole and universal life insurance
Donors are recognized at six commitment levels:
Level Six - US$1 million or greater
Level Five - US$500,000
Level Four - US$100,000
Level Three - US$50,000
Level Two - US$25,000
Level One - US$10,000
All Bequest Society members receive recognition from the Trustees of
The Rotary Foundation. Donors may elect to receive an engraved crystal
recognition piece and a Bequest Society pin.
Leave a legacy of hope. Join the Bequest Society today.
Help secure the future of the Foundation's educational and humanitarian
programs by indicating below the inclusion of The Rotary Foundation in
your estate plans.
District Simplified Grants — Helping Local Communities
Contact:
• • •
Helping Local Communities with Foundation Dollars
District Simplified
Grants (DSGs) are funds designated for local humanitarian projects that
benefit the community and/or improve the lives of the economically
disadvantaged.
Each year, clubs may apply for District Simplified Grants during
October. Two or more clubs partner to sponsor a project — often an
excellent choice for smaller clubs. Proposals must be for new projects.
A district committee reviews all applications and selects short-term
Community Service or Vocational Service projects that significantly
benefit the sponsoring clubs' communities. Awards are made of
$3,500-$5,000 each, and require a full match from the sponsoring
club(s).
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Examples of projects that can receive DSG funding:
Purchase of a vehicle for a charitable organization;
Construction of infrastructure, such as service roads, wells,
reservoirs, dams, bridges, latrines, toilet blocks, water supplies or
similar structures;
Development of parks, purchase of park play equipment, other park furniture (benches, etc);
Projects associated with population growth and development, e.g.
community health training, public health education, or newborn baby
screenings;
Purchase of technical equipment, such as computers, for community organizations.
Examples of projects that cannot receive DSG funding:
Construction or renovation of structures in which individuals live, work or engage in any gainful activity;
Purchase of land and buildings;
Payment of salaries, stipends, or honorariums;
Funding of administrative or operating expenses of any organization;
Postsecondary education activities.
Examples of projects that District 5030 has funded in the last 2-3 years:
Healing Garden at Highline Medical Center (Rotary Clubs of Southcenter, Burien-White Center, Tukwila, Des Moines, and Vashon);
Van for Meals on Wheels (Rotary Club of Bellevue)
Assault survivor kit for Eastside Puget Sound Hospitals (Rotary Club of University);
Outdoor learning center - permanent tables, bark, trees at Eastgate Elementary School (Rotary Club of Bellevue Sunrise);
Cribs and diaper drive tool kit for poor families (Rotary Clubs of West Seattle and Burien-White Center);
Survival packs for Eastside Domestic Violence (Rotary Club of Bellevue Sunrise);
Scholarships for 43 youth at Boys and Girls Clubs of Mercer Island (Rotary Club of Mercer Island);
Refrigerator and freezer for Maple Valley food bank (Rotary Club of Maple Valley);
Equipment for teaching youth in an environmental lab (Rotary Club of Vashon);
Outdoor play area for homeless youth (Rotary Club of Redmond)
Homework factory (Rotary Clubs of Shoreline Breakfast, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline);
Medicine for a Rotacare Medical Clinic (Rotary Club of Renton);
Dictionaries for school children (Rotary Clubs of Federal Way, Federal Way Sunrise, Kent Sunrise, Rainier, and Des Moines).
Outright Contributions to The Rotary Foundation Rotary District 5030 The Rotary Foundation recognizes those couples or individuals whose combined personal outright or cumulative giving has reached US$10,000. All outright contributions made to The Rotary Foundation are included in this total, regardless of the gift designation.
The Rotary Foundation recognizes these special donors at six gift levels:
Matching Grants — Helping Communities Around the World
Use Foundation Contributions to Share Rotary Projects and Programs.
Through Matching
Grants, The Rotary Foundation matches contributions raised by Rotary
clubs and districts for international service projects. Matching Grants
projects are based upon international partnership; Rotary clubs and
districts in at least two countries must work together to plan,
implement and complete the project. Awards for these grants range from
$5,000 to $150,000, and help fund a wide range of humanitarian projects.
Applications are accepted from July 1st to March 31st and approved from
August 1st to May 15th. Requests over $25,000 will be considered at the
biannual meetings; therefore, applications must be received and
complete by August 1st for consideration at the October meeting and by
January 1st for consideration at the April meeting.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Examples of projects that can receive Matching Grant funding:
Revolving loans/microcredit;
Construction of infrastructure such as service roads, wells,
reservoirs, dams, bridges, latrines, toilet blocks, water supplies, and
other similar structures;
Short-term and/or contracted labor for project implementation;
Publicity expenses such as newspaper fees, or printing of posters,
brochures, or fliers to inform the community of an available service;
Vaccines and immunizations, if the project is consistent with the
criteria, procedures, and policies of the PolioPlus program and World
Health Organization.
Examples of projects that cannot receive Matching Grant funding:
Salaries for individuals working for another organization;
Construction or renovation of any structure in which individuals
live, work, or engage in any gainful activity. This includes buildings,
containers, mobile homes, or structures where individuals carry out any
type of activity such as manufacturing, processing, maintenance, or
storage, including provision of new services or upgrade of facilities;
Purchase of land or buildings;
Rotary signage.
• • •
Download applications for Matching Grants in PDF or Word formats:
The Paul Harris
Society is a special district recognition program designed for
Rotarians who wish to support The Rotary Foundation in a more
substantial way each year.
The Paul Harris Society recognizes Rotarians and friends of The Rotary
Foundation who annually contribute US$1,000 or more to the Annual Pro-
grams Fund, PolioPlus, and PolioPlus Partners, or the Humanitarian
Grants Program.
The first Paul Harris Society was established in 1998 in District 5340
(California, USA) by District Governor Wayne C. Cusick. The idea gained
momentum and quickly spread to other districts throughout the world.
The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation officially approved the Paul
Harris Society as a district-administered recognition program effective
1 July 2006.
Guidelines for District Paul Harris Society Membership & Recognition
Recognizes individual donors who make a commitment to contribute
US$1,000 or more each year to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Programs
Fund, PolioPlus, and PolioPlus Partners, or the Humanitarian Grants
Program.
With an additional annual gift of $1,000, donors may also recognize their spouse as a Paul Harris Society member.
Membership in the Paul Harris Society will be tracked and
recognized in the donor’s district. Members receive Paul Harris Society
recognition as designated by their district.
Paul Harris Society contributions are eligible toward Rotary
Foundation Sustaining Member, Paul Harris Fellow, Multiple Paul Harris
Fellow, and Major Donor recognition.
Rotary's Vision, Foresight & Desire to Make a Better World
The Permanent Fund was
established in 1982 to ensure a strong future for the Foundation by
providing an extra stream of income to meet the increasing demand by
Rotary clubs and districts to expand Foundation programs and its
ability to meet human needs in the world.
The Permanent Fund ensures The Rotary Foundation's ability to meet the
urgent needs of the future through an endowment. An endowed
contribution is a gift that the Foundation holds in perpetuity. The
gift is invested, and only a portion of its investment return is used
for purposes specified by the donor. To guard against inflation, the
remaining investment return is added to the principal. The goal is to
ensure that the principal maintains its real value over time. Thus,
gifts to the Permanent Fund will grow and continue to support The
Rotary Foundation for years to come.
Rotary Centers for International Studies in Peace & Conflict Resolution World Peace Scholarships Rotary World Peace Fellows are graduates of the Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution program. They will be a part of tomorrow’s solution in promoting greater tolerance and cooperation among people worldwide. Rotary World Peace Fellows, who are chosen from a wide variety of countries, can help future leaders advance knowledge and understanding.
Located in seven leading universities around the world, Rotary Centers provide Fellows the chance to study in a master’s level program in conflict resolution, peace studies, international relations, and other related disciplines.
Rotary World Peace Fellows work toward mediation, conflict resolution, and peace where there is war. Understanding where there is disharmony. Food security where there is hunger. Health care where there is disease. Education where there is illiteracy. Conservation where there is environmental degradation, and sustainable economic development where there is poverty.
Read more information about the world-transforming program, and apply now for a chance to make a difference.
The Rotary Foundation's oldest and best-known program is Ambassadorial Scholarships. Since 1947 nearly 37,000 men and women from 100 nations have studied abroad under its auspices. Today it is the world's largest privately funded international scholarships program. Nearly 800 scholarships were awarded for study in 2005-06. Through grants totaling approximately US$500 million, recipients from some 70 countries studied in more than 70 nations.
Outright Contributions to The Rotary Foundation Rotary District 5030 The Rotary Foundation recognizes those couples or individuals whose combined personal outright or cumulative giving has reached US$10,000. All outright contributions made to The Rotary Foundation are included in this total, regardless of the gift designation.