It takes the donations it receives from Rotary members and the public in general and transforms these into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. Since it was founded in 1917, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.
Donations to The Rotary Foundation fuel service projects – projects that eradicate polio, promote peace, and improve developing communities. As the charitable arm of Rotary, The Rotary Foundation taps into a global network of Rotary members who invest their time, money, and expertise into the seven areas of focus, such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Foundation grants empower Rotary members to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition with sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact. Strong financial oversight, a stellar charity rating, and a unique funding model means that the very most is made of every contribution with 92% of funds spent on program awards and operations.
The Rotary Foundation partners with other organisations to increase its impact and make all donations work even harder. When a donation is made to PolioPlus, for example, every $1 Rotary commits to polio eradication is matched by $2 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Thanks to this partnership, all donations to end polio (up to $50 million per year) are tripled, providing critical funding toward creating a polio-free world.
Some quick facts to indicate scale (all amounts are USD):
- Since 1988, Rotary and its partners have immunised more than 2.5 billion children against polio. As of June 2019, Rotary had committed $2 billion to global polio eradication.
- In 2018-19, 94 fellows from 43 countries began their studies at the Rotary Peace Centres, and program awards for the fellows and centres totalled $5.0 million.
- District grants support small-scale, short-term projects related to the Foundation’s mission. In 2018-19, the Foundation approved 494 district grants, and program awards totalled $26.3 million.
- Global grants fund large-scale international activities with sustainable, measurable results that support Rotary’s seven areas of focus. Activities include humanitarian projects, scholarships, and vocational training teams. In 2018-19, the Foundation approved 1,403 global grants, and program awards totalled $86.6 million.
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