The Rotary Foundation
“The mission of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty.”
In short form, this means that the Rotary Foundation is committed to those programs which support the premise that there cannot be world understanding and peace when people are hungry, sick, uneducated and living in squalor.
The Foundation is funded through the following:
ANNUAL FUND-SHARE
Annual Fund-SHARE is the primary source of funding for a broad range of local and International Rotary Foundation actvities, including funding local and international humanitarian projects t ambassadorial scholarships, vocational training teams, and more.
The Every Rotarian, Every Year initiative asks all members to donate to the Annual Fund each year and take part in at least one Foundation project or program each year. Contributions to Annual Fund-SHARE from Rotary members and other donors are directed into two subfunds: the World Fund and District Designated Funds. Through the SHARE system, contributions to The Rotary Foundation are transformed into grants. We'll share more about the Annual Fund in the coming months!
THE WORLD FUND
The World Fund provides the necessary funding for our highest-priority activities around the globe. A percentage of SHARE-designated contributions is applied to the World Fund. The Foundation uses the World Fund to pay for grant and program opportunities available to all Rotary districts, including PolioPlus, Rotary Peace Centers, Programs of Scale grants, global grants, and more.
THE POLIO PLUS FUND
Supports the ongoing efforts of R.I. to eradicate polio.
THE ENDOWMENT FUND
Financed by cash gifts and bequests left by Rotary members and their families, ensures the long-term viability of the Foundation and its grants and programs. Spendable earnings from the Endowment enable the Foundation to expand existing activities and underwrite new ones. Contributions are invested in perpetuity: A percentage of the total value of the fund is directed annually to Foundation grants and programs.
