The Rotary Foundation

The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to humanitarian service, peace building and solving global issues. It is supported by a worldwide network of 46,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries, made up of 1.4 million committed professionals and volunteers.

Since its creation over a hundred years agoThe Rotary Foundation has invested more than $4 billion in transformative, sustainable projects.

The image shows the logo of The Rotary Foundation, comprised of the words "The Rotary Foundation" in blue text next to a yellow gear symbol on a white background. - Rotary Club Paris Agora

Thanks to its actions and funding, The Rotary Foundation works for a better world promoting sustainable human development and international understanding.

The Rotary Foundation is also known for its flagship program, PolioPlus, which aims to eradicating polio worldwide.

The Rotary Foundation operates on the principle of voluntary financial contributions from members, as well as grants from partners and external donors. The funds raised are then used to finance a range of projects and initiatives in areas such as health, education, drinking water, literacy and the fight against disease.

Thanks to this collaborative and sustainability-focused approach, the Rotary Foundation has been able to make significant progress in Rotary's areas of focus such as maternal and child health, access to clean water, basic education, and disease prevention.

Grants: a powerful lever for international action

The Rotary Foundation operates on a grant-allotting model that allows clubs to request funding for local and international projects.

Allocated funds are carefully managed to maximize their impact, and projects are evaluated according to their relevance, their viability and their potential to create lasting positive change, and Rotarians play an active role in the selection, implementation, and supervision of funded projects.

Summary of Grants Allocated for the 2024-2025 Rotary Year

Each year, The Rotary Foundation publishes its figures for the past year. on its website.

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Outstanding efficiency and reliability

The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International has some of the lowest operating costs of all foundations and NGOs.

This is made possible by the fact that most of the administrative work involved in allocating grants and monitoring the use of funds is carried out on a voluntary basis by Rotarians.

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As a result, 88% of the funds raised are used directly for Rotary programs and club activities, with the remaining 12% going toward banking and administrative costs, which is much less than most NGOs.

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Charity Navigator is a independent rating agency which evaluates charities, foundations and NGOs.

It uses information published by non-profits and their tax information to evaluate them according to two criteria: financial strength and operating transparency.

An overall score, from zero to four stars, is awarded.

The Rotary Foundation has achieved a top score of 4 for several years in a row.

Read more about The Rotary Foundation

The origins

In 1917, Europe was ravaged by a war on an unprecedented scale. At the same time, 2,500 people gathered in Atlanta, USA, to take part in the 8th annual Rotary Convention, a worldwide event held in a different country each year.

arch klumph president rotary international

In the middle of his speech, President Arch Klumph launches a simple idea: "It seems only fitting that we accept endowments in order to do good in the world."

Within a month, Rotary received $26.50, its first donation to what was to become The Rotary Foundation. assets now exceed one billion dollars. It gives Rotary members a vehicle for working around the world on behalf of the poor. Rotary causes.