Rotary Foundation Information

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 Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.

Two major programs of the Rotary Foundation are educational and humanitarian.

Educational Programs

· Ambassadorial Scholarships – The Foundation sponsors one of the largest international scholarship programs in the world. Scholars study in a different country, where they serve as unofficial ambassadors of goodwill. Since 1947, more than 47,000 scholars from 110 countries have received scholarships of more than $476 million through The Rotary Foundation.

· Group Study Exchange (GSE) – Annual awards are made to paired Rotary districts to cover travel expenses for a team of non-Rotarians from a variety of professions. Rotarian hosts organize a four- to six-week itinerary of vocational, educational, and cultural points of interest. Since 1965, more than 57,000 individuals (almost 12,000 teams) from 100 countries have participated at a cost of more than $92 million.

· Rotary Grants for University Teachers – These grants are awarded to university faculty members to teach in a developing nation for 3 to 10 months. Since 1985, more than $4 million in grants has allowed over 430 teachers to share their expertise with a college or university in a developing country.

· The Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program – This program, which began July 2006, provides professionals from around the world the opportunity to be trained in conflict resolution and mediation strategies. The intensive three-month course is housed at the Rotary Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

· Rotary World Peace Fellowships – Each year, up to 60 scholars are sponsored to study at one of the six Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution for a master’s-level degree. Since the program’s inception in 2002-03, 233 fellows from 60 countries have participated, funded by awards of almost $14 million through the Foundation.

Humanitarian Programs

· PolioPlus Grants – Primarily applied for by National PolioPlus Committee chairs or a major partner agency, such as the World Health Organization or UNICEF. Support is available for eradication efforts in polio-endemic, recently endemic, and high-risk countries, including National Immunization Days, poliovirus transmission monitoring, and other activities.

· Disaster Recovery – Allows Rotarians to donate money in response to specific disasters. Funds are distributed to local committees to support recovery efforts. The program was created in 2005-06, and the Foundation currently administers four Disaster Recovery accounts: Hurricanes Stan and Wilma (Guatemala and Mexico), Hurricane Wilma (United States), the Earthquake in India and Pakistan, and Solidarity in South Asia. Total contributions to the accounts were $6.4 million.

· District Simplified Grants – Support the service activities of districts locally and abroad. Since this program began in 2003-04, more than 1,160 grants totaling over US$17 million have been awarded to districts in almost 60 countries.

· Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grants – Fund large-scale, two- to four-year projects that improve health, alleviate hunger, or promote human development. Since 1978, more than 280 projects in 75 countries have been funded through The Rotary Foundation at a cost of $74 million.

· Volunteer Service Grants – Support the international travel of qualified Rotarians and their spouses to provide a needed service or plan a necessary project in a community. This program began in 2006-07, and more than 200 projects in over 40 countries have been funded at about $1 million.

· Matching Grants – Provide matching funds for the international service projects of Rotary clubs and districts. Since 1965, more than 24,000 Matching Grant projects in 167 countries have been funded at a cost of more than $257 million.

Member Access Guide, Rich Kaye, Annual Giving Chair

Member Access Powerpoint

This is an excellent guide to those unfamiliar with Member Access on the Rotary International website.

Foundation Recognition Points, Rich Kaye, Annual Giving Chair

Do You Know How Foundation Recognition Points Work

DG Jim and Brenda are proud to announce the total from the “I” Bucket. DG Jim earned The Rotary Foundation $945 by saying “I’ or “me” a total of 3780 times at 63 clubs for an average per club of 60. DG Jim and Brenda will round that figure to $1,000 for a Paul Harris Fellow. We hope everyone had fun with this.

New Sustaining Member Recognition

Jim Warden and Brenda Osbon (spouses of DG and PDG) are members of the Rotary Club of Austin-Oak Hill. They have ordered a new Sustaining Member Recognition pin that is available to all of the clubs for a nominal fee. Many Rotarians have not yet reached PHF status but are supporting The Rotary Foundation yearly. This pin can be worn at occasions where the wearing of the PHF medallion/ribbon are appropriate, such as The Foundation Dinner. If your club or an individual would like to order one, please contact Jim Warden at sales@syn-elec.com or Brenda Osbon at brendaosbon1@aol.com.