7
Areas of Focus
2
Grant Types
1,700+
Peace Fellows Trained
3x
PolioPlus Gates Match
8
Guided Steps
Your Role as Club Foundation Chair
Champion, educator and grant-maker — the Foundation Chair connects your club to Rotary's greatest lever for global impact
Core Responsibilities
What the Club Foundation Chair role involves throughout the year.
Start Here
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💡 The Foundation Chair who inspires a culture of giving — not just manages grant applications — will have the greatest long-term impact on both the Foundation and the club's membership culture.
How the Rotary Foundation Works
The virtuous cycle that turns club giving into global humanitarian impact.
Essential Understanding
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Clubs give
Member contributions to the Annual Fund pool into the Foundation's World Fund
Three years later
50% of each district's contributions return as District Designated Funds (DDF) for grants
Clubs apply
Clubs use DDF — matched with club cash — to fund District Grants and contribute to Global Grants
Impact multiplied
Global Grants receive additional World Fund matching, turning modest club contributions into major projects
💡 Every dollar your club contributes to the Annual Fund today comes back as DDF three years later — and can fund grants worth two to three times the original contribution. Giving is an investment.
District Foundation Resources & Support
Your first port of call for Foundation guidance in District 9815.
District Support
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Foundation Welcome — District 9815 ↗
Foundation Team — District 9815 ↗
Specialty Help for Global Grants ↗
All Foundation Grant Forms ↗
District Assembly Recordings ↗
💡 The District Foundation Chair and their team are there to support you — not audit you. Contact them early with grant ideas, giving questions or reporting queries. They want your club to succeed.
Foundation Giving & DDF
Building the giving culture that funds grants, programs and global impact
Understanding DDF — District Designated Funds
The single most important concept for every Foundation Chair to master.
Master This First
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What DDF is
District Designated Funds — the pool of Foundation money that returns to the District 3 years after clubs donate to the Annual Fund
How much returns
50 cents in every dollar contributed to the Annual Fund comes back as DDF. The other 50% funds the World Fund for Global Grants.
How it's used
The District allocates DDF to clubs for District Grants. Clubs can also use DDF as their contribution to Global Grants.
The multiplier effect
$1 given today → 50c DDF in year 3 → matched with club cash → project worth $1+ delivered. Giving creates leverage.
💡 Clubs that give consistently to the Annual Fund every year build a reliable pipeline of DDF that funds grants year after year. Inconsistent giving means unreliable access to grants.
Personal Giving — Recognition Levels
Recognising members for their personal contributions to the Foundation.
Member Recognition
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Friend of the Foundation
Up to USD $999
Cumulative giving — recognised as a Foundation supporter
Paul Harris Fellow
USD $1,000
Rotary's most recognisable giving recognition — awarded by clubs for service or contribution
Paul Harris Society
USD $1,000/year
Annual giving of $1,000 or more — a sustained commitment to the Foundation
Major Donor
USD $10,000
Cumulative giving of $10,000 — significant recognition and legacy
Bequest Society
Legacy Gift
Including the Rotary Foundation in your will — the ultimate lasting gift
💡 Paul Harris Fellowships are among the most meaningful recognitions a club can bestow. They can be awarded to non-Rotarians as a way to acknowledge exceptional community service.
Building a Giving Culture in Your Club
How to inspire members to give — not just comply with a request.
Culture Building
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💡 Members give when they understand the connection between their dollars and the difference being made. Stories are more powerful than statistics — lead with impact, not obligation.
Foundation Grants
Accessing District and Global Grants to fund your club's community and international projects
District Grants vs Global Grants
Understanding the two grant types and which is right for your project.
Know the Difference
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Foundation Grants Introduction — District 9815 ↗
Grant Forms & Reporting Templates ↗
Specialty Help for Global Grants ↗
| Feature | District Grant | Global Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited for | First grants, smaller projects, local impact | Large-scale international humanitarian projects |
| Minimum project size | No minimum | USD $30,000 total project value |
| Funding sources | Club cash + District DDF | Club cash + DDF + World Fund match |
| International partner | Not required | Mandatory — partner Rotary club in host country |
| Areas of Focus | Encouraged but flexible | Must align with one or more of the 7 Areas |
| Reporting | Simpler — District level | Comprehensive — submitted to Rotary International |
| MOU required | Yes — club must be qualified | Yes — both clubs must be qualified |
| Timeline | Applications open Q1 — check District calendar | Applications via My Rotary portal — allow 6+ months |
Grant Application — Step by Step
From project idea to funded approval: the full process.
Process Guide
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1
Confirm your club's MOU is current
Without a signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Foundation, no grant application can be submitted. Do this first.
2
Choose the right grant type
District Grant for smaller or first projects. Global Grant for large international projects with a partner club overseas.
3
Contact the District Foundation Chair
Before writing the application, have a conversation. They know the current DDF availability, deadlines and common mistakes to avoid.
4
Design a strong project
Community-identified need. Clear outcomes. Sustainability plan. Budget with matching club cash identified. International partner confirmed (Global Grants).
5
Submit and implement
Submit the application form. Once approved, implement with rigorous documentation — photos, receipts, beneficiary data. All required for final reporting.
Grant Readiness Checklist
Before submitting any Foundation grant application, confirm every item below.
Pre-Application
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💡 Clubs with outstanding grant reports are ineligible to apply for new grants. Reporting is not optional — stay current and protect your club's future access to Foundation funding.
Rotary's Seven Areas of Focus
All Foundation-funded grants and programs must align with one or more of these globally agreed humanitarian priorities
The Seven Areas of Focus
Rotary's framework for choosing where to invest humanitarian resources for greatest impact.
Essential Knowledge
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Peacebuilding & Conflict Prevention
Reducing conflict and building lasting peace through education, dialogue and reconciliation
Disease Prevention & Treatment
Combating preventable disease including malaria, polio, and maternal and child illness
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
Clean water and safe sanitation for communities that lack reliable, safe access
Maternal & Child Health
Reducing maternal and child mortality through health care access and improved nutrition
Basic Education & Literacy
Improving access to quality education, particularly for girls and marginalised communities
Economic & Community Development
Building sustainable livelihoods, economic opportunity and community resilience
Environment
Protecting natural resources and building environmental sustainability — added as the seventh focus in 2021
💡 Every Foundation grant project must clearly address one or more of these seven areas. Your grant application will be stronger if you can articulate specifically which area it addresses and why that is the right fit for your community.
Choosing the Right Area of Focus for Your Club
How to align your club's strengths and relationships with the right focus area.
Strategic Thinking
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Member vocations
Which areas of focus match the professional skills and networks your members bring? A medical club → Disease Prevention. Engineers → Water & Sanitation.
Existing partnerships
Do you have existing relationships with NGOs, partner clubs or community groups already working in a specific area?
Community need
What does your partner community in another country actually need? Start with their expressed priorities, not your assumptions.
Club history
Has your club previously funded projects in a particular area? Sustained focus in one area builds deeper expertise and impact.
💡 Clubs that become known for deep expertise in one area of focus — rather than one-off projects across many areas — tend to build the strongest international partnerships and achieve the most sustained impact.
Foundation Programs
Scholarships, exchanges and vocational programs that turn individuals into global change-makers
Rotary Peace Fellowships
Rotary's flagship investment in the world's future peacebuilders.
Flagship Scholarship
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What it funds
Full scholarships for graduate study in peace and conflict resolution at one of six Rotary Peace Centres worldwide
Who is eligible
Professionals with 3+ years of work experience in peace-related fields — nominated through a Rotary club
The club's role
Identify a candidate in your community or network, nominate them through the District, and support their application
Why it matters
Over 1,700 Peace Fellows trained — now working in governments, NGOs and conflict zones worldwide
💡 Identifying and nominating even one Peace Fellow is one of the most impactful contributions a club can make to the world. Peace Fellows become lifelong Rotary ambassadors.
Vocational Training Teams (VTT)
Sending volunteer professionals to train communities in developing countries.
People-to-People
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What it is
Groups of 5–10 professionals travel to a developing country to train local practitioners in their vocational field
Who can participate
Any professional — doctors, teachers, engineers, farmers, accountants — with skills a community needs
Funding
Can be funded through Global Grants — coordinate with your District Foundation Chair
Impact
Skills transferred to local practitioners continue creating value long after the team returns home
💡 VTTs are an excellent way to engage professionals in your club who want a hands-on international experience — not just writing cheques.
Other Foundation Programs
Rotary's full suite of educational and exchange programs.
Full Suite
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All Foundation Programs — District 9815 ↗
Youth Exchange — Rotary International ↗
Rotary Fellowships ↗
Youth Exchange
Hosting or sending exchange students — building cross-cultural understanding that lasts a lifetime
Rotary Fellowships
100+ global groups of Rotarians connected by shared vocation or interest — aviation, medicine, music and more
Alumni Programs
Program alumni are valuable community connectors and often become Rotarians or long-term supporters
Polio Plus — End Polio Now
Rotary's 40-year commitment to eradicating one of humanity's most devastating diseases
The Polio Plus Campaign
Where we've come from, where we are, and why we cannot stop now.
Global Campaign
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The achievement
Polio cases reduced by over 99.9% since Rotary launched PolioPlus in 1985 — from 350,000 cases annually to fewer than 10
The challenge
Polio remains endemic in a small number of countries. Until every child everywhere is immunised, the risk of global resurgence remains real
The Gates match
Every dollar donated to PolioPlus is matched 2-for-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — making $1 worth $3 in vaccine funding
Rotary's commitment
Rotary has contributed over USD $2.1 billion to the global polio eradication effort — the largest private contribution to any disease campaign
💡 A club that raises $1,000 for PolioPlus effectively delivers $3,000 worth of vaccine protection to children in vulnerable communities. Few things Rotary does have this level of humanitarian leverage.
Running a PolioPlus Fundraising Campaign
How your club can contribute meaningfully to the global campaign.
Action Guide
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💡 World Polio Day on 24 October is your annual moment to maximise awareness, fundraising and community engagement. Plan your campaign around this date every year.
Communicating Polio Progress to Your Club
Keeping the story alive — why members should keep caring and keep giving.
Storytelling
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💡 "Our club has protected X,000 children from polio" is a far more powerful statement than "we raised $X." Always translate money into human impact.
Foundation Chair Year Planner
Key actions, grant deadlines and giving milestones for every quarter of the Rotary year
Q1 — July / Aug / Sep
✅ Set club Annual Fund giving goal — present to Board
✅ Confirm Foundation MOU is current and signed
✅ Connect with District Foundation Chair
✅ Check DDF availability for grants this year
✅ Review any outstanding grant report obligations
✅ Identify this year's grant project or focus
✅ Attend District Assembly — Foundation stream
✅ Tell a Foundation story at the first club meeting
Q2 — Oct / Nov / Dec
💰 World Polio Day — 24 October campaign & event
💰 District Grant application — submit if open
💰 Personal giving campaign — encourage member contributions
💰 Paul Harris Fellowship nominations — who deserves recognition?
💰 Update Board on giving progress vs annual goal
💰 Connect with international partner club if planning Global Grant
Q3 — Jan / Feb / Mar
🌍 Grant project implementation phase
🌍 Global Grant application for next year (plan ahead)
🌍 Peace Fellowship nomination — check RI deadline
🌍 Rotary World Peace Day — 23 February awareness
🌍 Half-year Foundation giving update to club
🌍 Document grant project outcomes, photos, data
Q4 — Apr / May / Jun
🏆 Complete all grant final reports — mandatory
🏆 Annual giving total — celebrate vs goal
🏆 Acknowledge Paul Harris Fellows at year-end event
🏆 Document contacts and processes for incoming Chair
🏆 Submit District Foundation report
🏆 Brief incoming Foundation Chair thoroughly
All Resources — Quick Reference
Every Foundation link in one place
The Rotary Foundation — District 9815
All Foundation pages for Club Foundation Chairs
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Rotary International & Related Hubs
RI Foundation pages and District 9815 leader hubs
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