Giving to the Rotary Foundation
The “Every Rotarian Every Year” initiative encourages every individual Rotarian in the world to contribute something to the Rotary Foundation every year. Giving to the Foundation is completely voluntary, but there is a general expectation that members contribute to the best of their abilities.
One recommended way for members to be involved in the Foundation is to contribute funds to the Rotary Foundation’s “Annual Programs Fund”. Members who are able to contribute US $100 annually to this Programs Fund are designated as “Sustaining Members” of the Foundation, and Rotary strives towards a goal when the average per capita donation to the Foundation is at least equal to this amount.
By giving to the Fund, members are contributing directly to the Foundation’s efforts to advance world understanding and peace, and supporting hundreds of projects that improve health, support education and alleviate poverty around our planet. As an example, US$100.00 can buy tuition and books for one year of school for two children in Kenya, two months food supply for a child in Guatemala or clean drinking water for around 30 people in India.
Each year, the trustees of the Annual Fund invest all the year’s donations for a period of three years, and investment earnings essentially cover the Foundation’s administrative expenses. At the end of three years, half of the funds contributed by our Rotary District, for example, are passed to the Rotary World Fund to pay for the worldwide programs available to all Rotary districts, regardless of their specific contributions. The other half is made available to our District for projects promoted and identified by Rotarians, clubs and groups in this particular area. So, half of what our District gives this year will come back to us for project development in three years’ time. This process ensures that every dollar given to the Foundation is used for projects and initiatives.
Within every District, records are kept of Rotarians who give to the Rotary Foundation, and in some Districts like ours, when a member of that District contributes AU $100, they are designated as a “Centurion” and are entitled to receive a small badge as recognition of this milestone. As part of the Centurion program, an individual’s donations may be directed towards programs other than the Annual Programs fund such as Polio Plus, and they also accrue credits towards Paul Harris Fellow recognition. However, given the current parity of the Australian dollar with the US dollar, if funds are directed towards the RF Annual Programs Fund, a “Centurion” can also be a “Sustaining Member” of the Foundation.
In our particular club, over the past few years, members have agreed to pay an extra dollar with their meal costs, and that dollar has been forwarded to the Rotary Foundation Annual Programs fund. Some members have also made a lump sum donation to the Foundation near the time of their birthday. One current suggestion circulating around the District is that if members contributed $2 with each meal, regular attenders would get very close to achieving the status of a “Sustaining Member” of the Foundation.
As we approach “Rotary Foundation Month” (November), members are encouraged to think about the possibility of making the Rotary Foundation their charity of choice, and maybe becoming a “Sustaining Member”.