Rotary Foundation International Conference

At this summer’s Rotary International Conference, John Hewko, Rotary International General Secretary and CEO, reported the following accomplishments by The Rotary Foundation. 

 

We extended our fundraising partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation toward ending polio and committed to raising US$50 million per year over the next three years, with each Rotary dollar matched by two additional dollars from the Gates Foundation. Global support for polio eradication reached new heights at the World Health Summit in October, when Rotary, international partners, and donors pledged a combined US$2.6 billion towards polio eradication.

On World Polio Day (24 October), Rotary clubs in 118 countries hosted an event in their community and members donated US$750,000 to PolioPlus. Members also helped raise awareness about polio eradication on social media, with our content on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter reaching more than 31 million people.

During World Immunization Week, 24-30 April, we used our global platforms to highlight the importance of vaccines. Vaccinations have made it possible for polio cases to decline by 99.9% worldwide and to save an estimated 20 million children from becoming paralyzed by polio.

To learn more, visit www.endpolio.org.

 

The Rotary Foundation continually demonstrates our members' commitment to making a difference in local and global communities. We've raised US$262.2 million as of 1 February and are well on our way to meeting this year's goal of US$430 million.

Among our successes in fundraising: Donors gave more than US$1.1 million to The Rotary Foundation on Giving Tuesday (29 November).

Gifts to Rotary's Endowment continue to ensure that future members will have the resources they need to design and implement sustainable projects year after year. The fund has currently raised US$1.544 billion, and we're on target to reach our goal of raising US$2.025 billion by 2025.

 

Due to the unprecedented flooding in Pakistan and the ongoing war in Ukraine, we established the Pakistan Flood Response Fund and the Ukraine Response Fund. Donors can give directly to relief efforts led by Rotary members through 31 December.

When Turkey and Syria were struck by devastating earthquakes earlier this year, all donations to the Disaster Response Fund between 6 February and 31 March were used to aid earthquake relief projects.

As of 1 March, US$2.4 million had been donated this year to The Rotary Foundation's Disaster Response Fund. The fund has distributed more than US$11.4 million in 2023, supporting over 230 disaster response grants that provided humanitarian aid and helped communities around the world.

When we work together, our ability to make long-lasting, positive change has no limits. As we approach a new Rotary year, we look forward to continuing to increase our impact, enhance the participant experience, increase our ability to adapt, and expand our reach.