The Rotary Foundation is the charitable foundation of Rotary International: it takes gifts from Rotary members and supporters and turns them into grants for service projects, close to home and abroad. November is The Rotary Foundation Month in Rotary's calendar, which is why clubs talk about it now.
If you are new to Rotary or Rotaract, the Foundation can feel abstract. You hear about "giving to the Foundation" at meetings without knowing what happens to the money. This guide explains it plainly.
What the Foundation is for
Rotary describes the Foundation's mission as helping Rotary members "to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty".
Much of the Foundation's money reaches projects that Rotary members plan and run through grants.
Where it came from
At the 1917 Rotary convention, outgoing president Arch Klumph proposed an endowment "for the purpose of doing good in the world". It started with a contribution of US$26.50. Rotary says the Foundation has since spent more than US$4 billion on service projects.
The numbers, from Rotary's own fact card
All figures are as of 30 June 2025, in US dollars.
| Item | 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| Total outright contributions | US$406.5 million |
| Total expenditures (programmes, fund development and administration) | US$379.3 million |
| Of which programme awards and operations | US$331.6 million |
| Committed to polio eradication (all time, by June 2025) | more than US$2.8 billion |
Ending polio is one of Rotary's longest-running causes. Rotary says that since 1988 it and its partners have immunised nearly 3 billion children against polio.
How the money reaches a project
Clubs reach Foundation money through grants. Two kinds matter most to a club:
- District grants pay for smaller, local projects. A district may use up to 50% of its yearly Foundation allocation (its SHARE allocation) for one district grant, and shares it among clubs' projects.
- Global grants are for larger projects. They have a minimum budget of US$30,000, and the Foundation's World Fund matches District Designated Fund contributions at 80%.
The exact terms change from time to time, so a club should always read the current terms on My Rotary or ask its District Rotary Foundation Committee.
Why November
Rotary International's Board sets a calendar of special observances. In it, November is The Rotary Foundation Month. The Board also asks every club to hold at least two meeting programmes a year on the Foundation, one of them in November.
Where a Rotaract club fits
Rotaract clubs belong to Rotary International too, and most work closely with Rotary clubs and their district. A Rotaract club that wants to take part in a Foundation-funded project should ask its district or sponsor Rotary club how.
The Rotaract Club of Delhi Dynamic Leaders (RACDDL) is a community Rotaract club in Delhi NCR, under Rotaract District Organisation 3011. If you want to see how club service projects are planned and run, join the club or volunteer at a weekend project.
Sources
Checked on 4 November 2026.
- Rotary International, The Rotary Foundation: mission, 1917 origin, US$26.50, "more than $4 billion".
- The Rotary Foundation, Fact card, 2025: 2024-25 contributions and programme spending, PolioPlus figures.
- Rotary International, Code of Policies, January 2027: 8.020 special observances (November); 7.020.4 club programmes on the Foundation.
- The Rotary Foundation, Terms and conditions for district grants and global grants: the 50% district grant rule, US$30,000 minimum, 80% World Fund match.