About the Rotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation directs its efforts in six areas to enhance the local and global impact. The most successful and sustainable projects and activities tend to fall within the following areas:
• Promoting peace
• Fighting disease
• Providing clean water
• Saving mothers and children
• Supporting education
• Growing local economies
The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into projects that change lives both close to
home and around the world. As the charitable arm of Rotary, it taps into a global
network of Rotarians who invest their time, money, and expertise into our priorities,
such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Foundation grants empower Rotarians
to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition with sustainable
solutions that leave a lasting impact.
How You Can Donate
• Recurring Giving (Rotary Direct) – you choose how much and how often
• Check, Draft, or Wire Payments
• Securities
• Planned Giving – structure your charitable gift to provide tax and other financial benefits
• Named Gift – you can designate a specific name for your contribution
• Donor-Advised Funds – you make contributions and recommend grants to the Foundation and other preferred charities
• Personal Property – gifts of tangible property, such as jewelry or artwork, with the approval of the Gift Acceptance Committee
• Real Estate – gifts of real estate with a minimum appraised value of $25,000 (undeveloped property) and $100,000
• Employee Matching Gift – double the impact of your gift by asking your employer to match your contribution to The Rotary Foundation
• Rotary Credit Card – support the Rotary Foundation with the Rotary International credit card
• Airline Miles
Where to Donate
The Annual Fund
Annual Fund contributions help support our humanitarian activities, from local service projects to global initiatives. Contributions to the Annual Fund will continue to be divided, with 50 percent allotted to District Designated Funds (DDF) and 50 percent to the World Fund. DDF allocations will not be changed in any way. Portland Rotary or our district can apply for grants from the Foundation to invest in projects and provide scholarships, all made possible through the ongoing financial support of Every Rotarian, Every Year.
PolioPlus Fund
Rotarians have helped immunize more than 2 billion children against polio in 122 countries. For as little as $0.60, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life. Your gift to the PolioPlus Fund is eligible for Paul Harris Society recognition. You can maximize support for polio eradication within your club and your community by organizing a fundraiser. Get some ideas.
Term Gifts
Rotarians and friends can choose to make a gift that is expended, generally the following year, on a global grant or for the Rotary Peace Centers. Term gift naming opportunities include:
The Endowment Fund
Rotary’s Endowment Fund ensures a strong future for the Foundation. Spendable earnings from the fund supplement the Annual Fund and support Rotary’s highest priorities in perpetuity. The Foundation has set a goal of $1 billion for the Endowment Fund by 2017, ensuring its ability to meet current and future needs.
Share
You can designate the spendable earnings from your endowed gift to SHARE, which makes a portion available to support, club, and district projects.
World Fund
The World Fund provides the necessary funding for our highest priority activities around the globe. Fifty percent of SHARE-designated contributions are applied to the World Fund. You can also designate the spendable earnings from your endowed gift entirely to the World Fund, to be used for critical activities.
Rotarian Giving
$1000 / year – Paul Harris Fellow – A Rotarian donates to either the Annual Fund or PolioPlus
$100 / year – Sustaining Member – A Rotarian donates each year to either the Annual Fund or PolioPlus
EREY – Every Rotarian Every Year – Each Rotarian agrees to contribute any amount, but agrees to do it each year.
$200 / year – Circle of Five – A group of five Rotarians each agree to donate $200/year. By lottery, one of the five receives a Paul Harris Fellow each year. At the end of five years, all have received a Paul Harris Fellow. This is a NE US tradition. We adopted it from another club in our district.
Recognition
Paul Harris Fellow Fund or PolioPlus
Multiple Paul Harris Fellows – Designated by multiple gemstones in the pin
Major Donor
Level 1 – $10,000
Level 2 – $25,000
Level 3 – $50,000
Level 4 – $100,000
Arch Klumph Society
Trustees Circle – $250,000
Chair’s Circle – $500,000
Foundation Circle – $1,000,000
Benefactor - A Benefactor is an individual who informs The Rotary Foundation in writing that he or she has provided for the Foundation in his or her estate plan, or who makes an outright gift of $1,000 or more to the Endowment Fund.
Bequest Society
Made commitments in their estate plans totaling $10,000 or more.
Level 1 – $10,000
Level 2 – $25,000
Level 3 – $50,000
Level 4 – $100,000
Level 5 – $250,000
Level 6 – $500,000
Level 7 – $1,000,000