The mission of The Rotary Foundation 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.

The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.

In 1917, RI President Arch C. Klumph proposed that an endowment be set up “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” In 1928, when the endowment fund had grown to more than US$5,000, it was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and it became a distinct entity within Rotary International.

Five Trustees, including Klumph, were appointed to “hold, invest, manage, and administer all of its property . . . as a single trust, for the furtherance of the purposes of RI.”

Two years later, the Foundation made its first grant of $500 to the International Society for Crippled Children. The organization, created by Rotarian Edgar F. “Daddy” Allen, later grew into the Easter Seals.

The Great Depression and World War II both impeded the Foundation’s growth, but the need for lasting world peace generated great postwar interest in its development. After Rotary’s founder, Paul P. Harris, died in 1947, contributions began pouring into Rotary International, and the Paul Harris Memorial Fund was created to build the Foundation.

That year, the first Foundation program – the forerunner of Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships – was established. In 1965-66, three new programs were launched: Group Study Exchange , Awards for Technical Training, and Grants for Activities in Keeping with the Objective of The Rotary Foundation, which was later called Matching Grants .

The Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grants program was launched in 1978, and Rotary Volunteers was created as a part of that program in 1980. PolioPlus was announced in 1984-85, and the next year brought Rotary Grants for University Teachers. The first peace forums were held in 1987-88, leading to the Foundation's peace and conflict studies programs.

Throughout this time, support of the Foundation grew tremendously. Since the first donation of $26.50 in 1917, it has received contributions totaling more than $1 billion. More than $70 million was donated in 2003-04 alone. To date, more than one million individuals have been recognized as Paul Harris Fellows – people who have given $1,000 to the Annual Programs Fund or have had that amount contributed in their name.

Such strong support, along with Rotarian involvement worldwide, ensures a secure future for The Rotary Foundation as it continues its vital work for international understanding and world peace

With the important contributions of these generous donors, The Rotary Foundation is fulfilling its promise of creating a polio-free world, helping children and families live healthier lives through Rotary’s Humanitarian Grants Program, and educating young people about cultures worldwide. Rotary World Peace Fellows are engaging in the study of peace building, which may allow them to participate in resolution efforts in some of the world’s most challenging situations. 

Rotarians have mobilized by the hundreds of thousands to ensure that children are immunized against this crippling disease and that surveillance is strong, despite the poor infrastructure, extreme poverty, and civil strife of many countries. Since the PolioPlus program’s inception in 1985, more than two billion children have received oral polio vaccine. To date, 210 countries, territories, and areas around the world are polio-free, and 134 of these have been certified.

As of June 2007, Rotary has committed more than $633 million to global polio eradication. 2006-07 expenditures: $23.7 million. (includes PolioPlus Partners grants) PolioPlus Partners is a program that allows Rotarians to participate in the polio eradication effort by contributing to specific social mobilization and surveillance activities in polioendemic countries. As of 30 June 2007, over 6,000 clubs in 502 districts have contributed to 470 PolioPlus Partners projects, supporting National Immunization Days and other polio eradication activities around the world.

Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grants fund large-scale, two- to four-year projects that enhance health, help alleviate hunger, or improve human development. Since 1978, 305 projects in 77 countries have been funded at a cost of $74 million. In 2006-07, 18 new projects were approved. Program awards were $4.2 million.

Matching Grants provide matching funds for international service projects of Rotary clubs and districts. Since 1965, almost 27,000 Matching Grant projects in 171 countries have been funded at a cost of more than $291 million. In 2006-07, 2,008 new grants were approved for projects in 124 countries. Program awards were $34.3 million.

District Simplified Grants support the short-term service activities or humanitarian endeavors of districts in communities locally or internationally. This program began in 2003-04, and over 1,500 grants have been awarded to 473 districts in 64 countries totaling more than $21 million. In 2006-07, 379 grants were approved. Program expenditures were $5.1 million.

Volunteer Service Grants support the international travel of qualified Rotarians and their spouses to provide a needed service to a community or to plan the implementation of a needed project. This program began in 2006-07, and 202 grants were awarded to support travel to 47 countries. Program awards were $1.0 million.

Shortly after the deadly tsunami struck south Asia on 26 December 2004, The Rotary Foundation established the Solidarity in South Asia fund to assist Rotarians in supporting long-term recovery efforts in affected communities. In 2006-07, program expenditures were $0.1 million.

Created in 2005-06, this program allows Rotarians to contribute funds in response to specific disasters. During 2006-07, the Foundation administered three Disaster Recovery sub-accounts: Hurricanes Stan and Wilma (Guatemala and Mexico), Hurricane Wilma (USA), and the Earthquake in India and Pakistan. In 2006-07, there were no program awards.

Each year, up to 60 fellows are sponsored to study at one of the six Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution for a master’s-level degree. Since the program’s inception in 2002-03, 283 fellows from over 50 different countries have participated at a cost of more than $18 million. In 2006-07, 50 peace fellows from 27 countries began studies at the six Rotary Centers totaling $4.3 million for the two-year program.

The Foundation sponsors one of the largest international scholarship programs in the world. Scholars study in a country other than their own where they serve as unofficial ambassadors of goodwill. Since 1947, more than 38,000 scholars from over 100 countries have received scholarships at a cost of more than $490 million. In 2006-07, 822 scholars from 50 countries studied in 80 countries. Program awards were $13.9 million.

Rotary Grants for University Teachers are awarded to faculty members to teach in a developing nation for 3 to 10 months. Since 1985, 460 university teachers have shared their expertise with a college or university in a developing country at a cost of $4.5 million. In 2006-07, 29 university teachers from 9 countries taught in 22 countries. Program awards were $0.4 million.

These annual awards are made to paired Rotary districts to provide travel expenses for a team of non-Rotarians from a variety of professions. Rotarian hosts organize a four- to six-week itinerary of vocational, educational, and cultural points of interest. Since 1965, about 60,000 individuals (about 12,500 teams) from 100 countries have participated at a cost of more than $96 million. In 2006-07, 558 teams traveled abroad. Program awards were $4.3 million.