Our Mission

The mission of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International 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.

Our Causes

Ending Polio
Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.

As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.

Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.

Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.

More...
Saving Mothers and Children
An estimated 5.9 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation — all of which can be prevented.
Rotary provides education, immunizations, birth kits, and mobile health clinics. Women are taught how to prevent mother-to-infant HIV transmission, how to breast-feed, and how to protect themselves and their children from disease.
More...
Providing Clean Water
When people have access to clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.
Through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, Rotary’s people of action mobilize resources, form partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long-term change.
More...
Growing Local Economies

Our members and our Foundation work to strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.

We provide training and access to well-paying jobs and financial management institutions.

We create opportunities to help individuals and communities thrive financially and socially.

More...
Supporting Education
Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy. We support education for all children and literacy for children and adults.
 
We take action to empower educators to inspire learning at all ages.
More...
Protecting The Environment
Rotary members are tackling environmental issues the way they always do: coming up with projects, using their connections to change policy and planning for the future.
More...
Fighting Disease
We combat diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and polio. Prevention is important, which is why we also focus on health education and bringing people routine hearing, vision, and dental care.
Rotary members have hundreds of health projects underway around the world at any given time.
More...
Promoting Peace
We refuse to accept conflict as a way of life. Rotary projects provide training that fosters understanding and provides communities with the skills to resolve conflicts.
As a humanitarian organization, peace is a cornerstone of our mission. We believe when people work to create peace in their communities, that change can have a global effect.
More...
Disaster Response

Rotary members and The Rotary Foundation play a unique role in disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts. Working closely with our partner ShelterBox and other organizations that specialize in disaster relief, Rotary members lead projects to support every phase of a community's recovery.

More...

Make a difference

With your help, we can make lives better in your community and around the world. Donating to Rotary means clean water and sanitation. Health and hope in areas that were once ravaged by diseases like polio. Economic development and new opportunities. Your financial help makes all this happen, and more.

What impact can one donation have on the world?

It can save a life. A child can be protected from polio with as little as 60 cents. Our partners make your donation go even farther. For every $1 Rotary commits to polio eradication, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $2.

Where do our donations go?

When you give to The Rotary Foundation, you fuel our service projects - projects that eradicate polio, promote peace, and improve developing communities.
 
  • End Polio
  • Promoting peace
  • Saving mothers and children
  • Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
  • Dictionaries for schools