The
Rotary Foundation is the Best Steward for Your Money
In 2016, The Rotary Foundation
received the highest possible score from Charity Navigator – 100
of 100 points – for its strong financial health and commitment to
accountability and transparency.
It was the ninth straight year the Foundation earned a four-star
rating from the independent evaluator of charities across the
U.S., a distinction only 1 percent of charities have attained.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals likewise named the
Foundation the World’s Outstanding Foundation for 2016, an award
previously given to other familiar names such as Kellogg and
MacArthur.
These organizations agree: When you donate to The Rotary
Foundation, you’re investing wisely. We followed your money from
start to finish to discover how the Foundation ensures that your
gift makes an impact for years to come.
Directing
your donation
There’s a reason Rotarians donate to The
Rotary Foundation: It’s a simple way to achieve your
philanthropic goals – whether it’s supporting clean water, the
eradication of polio, or a particular global grant.
Any gift can be donated to a
specific fund – End Polio Now, an individual global grant, or one
of Rotary’s areas of focus.
Illustrations by Gwen Kereval
“Even the smallest of gifts can be
donated to a specific fund – a global grant, polio, or an area of
focus within the World Fund,” says April Jensen, a member of the
Rotary Club of Evanston, Illinois, USA, who works in fund
development for the Foundation. You can also leave your gift
unrestricted so that the Foundation has the flexibility to use
the money where it is needed most.
Do you ever wish you could set up a
scholarship or your own family’s foundation but don’t want the
headache of administering it? Let The Rotary Foundation handle
it. When you make a gift over $25,000, you will receive
personalized reports detailing the projects you are supporting.
You can make your gift in the way that suits your financial
situation best – such as cash, stocks, or bequests.
Investing
your money
In 2015-16, 91 percent of the money the
Foundation spent went to programs and grants, with only 9 percent
of expenses going toward administration. How does the Foundation
make sure that the bulk of your donation supports the sustainable
programs you want it to?
“To ensure that the funds for the
project are there when needed,” says past Rotary International
President Ron D. Burton, chair of the Foundation’s Investment
Committee, “all contributions to the Foundation’s Annual Fund are
invested for three years.”
After three years, the investment
earnings on your gift go toward the operating expenses of the
Foundation.
The Investment Committee includes three
Foundation trustees and six Rotarians who are professionals in
the field, who make sure that your money is invested responsibly
during this period.
When the three years is up, the investment earnings on your gift
go toward the operating expenses of the Foundation.
“I don’t know of any other organization
like ours that has a system like this,” Jensen says. “It’s
brilliant.”
Your principal is split 50/50, with half going to your District
Designated Fund and half going into the World Fund, a pool that
the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation use to match grants where
they are most needed.
Awarding
grants
When the Foundation awards a grant
to fund a project, how does it ensure that your money will have
lasting impact?
“Sustainability begins with the
community assessment,” explains Philip J. Silvers, a past RI
director and chair of the Foundation’s Cadre of Technical Advisers.
Six
elements of sustainability must be addressed in the design of a
global grant project:
Start with the community
Encourage local ownership
Provide training
Buy
local
Find
local funding
Measure your success
Learn about 20 noteworthy
grants
Read tips for strong
projects
Before Rotarians design projects, they
talk to people in the community – fathers, mothers, children,
elders, political leaders – to understand the broader context
behind what the community needs.
“Then whatever project emerges, the
community can see their fingerprints on it,” he says. “It’s not
buy-in you want. We all know about buyer’s remorse. What we
really want is community ownership right from the
beginning.”
Six elements of sustainability must be
addressed in the design of a global grant project: start with the
community, encourage local ownership, provide training, buy
local, find local funding, and measure your success.
These ensure that the project provides
long-term solutions that the community itself can support after
the grant ends.
Project sponsors don’t have to figure
out all this on their own. The Rotary Foundation provides staff
to help with your project design – grant officers are
knowledgeable about regional and cultural issues, and area of
focus managers have significant field experience in their
specialties.
By connecting clubs with local and
regional experts for guidance on developing sustainable,
large-scale global grants early in the planning process, Rotary
is committed to funding projects with lasting impact in
communities.
Your district’s international service
chair, a Rotarian appointed by your district governor, can help
you connect with a network of local Rotarian experts – such as
members of Rotarian Action Groups, Rotaractors, and peace fellows
and other alumni – who have volunteered to help with projects and
global grant planning.
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