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The Rotary Foundation (TRF) is the primary funding source for Rotary’s humanitarian activities. Its mission is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through improving health, supporting education, and alleviating poverty. In 1917, the seeds of the Foundation were planted with a call to action to ‘do good in the world’ from Rotary President Arch Klumph called the Father of the Foundation. This led to the creation of an Endowment Fund, with the proceeds from that Rotary Convention amounting to US$26.50 being the first contribution. The 1928 Convention changed the name of the Endowment Fund to ‘The Rotary Foundation’, enlarged its scope and established a five-member Trustee Board with Arch Klumph as the first Trustee Chair. The Foundation’s early activities focused on promoting understanding, goodwill and peace. Essay contests for secondary school children on peace-related topics were organised. The first Foundation program was the Graduate Study Scholarships of 1947. In the 1960s, Rotary focused on reducing tensions of the Cold War by bringing peoples of different cultures and beliefs together. In 1964 the Trustees approved the Special Grants program (Matching Grants) to provide funds for districts and clubs for projects that furthered international understanding. In 1970s, they looked for ways to inspire large international projects to mark Rotary’s 75th Anniversary in 1980 and thus was created the Health, Hunger & Humanity (3-H) program and 1st grant was US$ 760,000 for the multi-year immunization project in Philippines. In the mid-1980s, a 3-year fundraising campaign, with a goal of raising US$ 120 million from Rotarians for eradicating polio, was launched. The campaign raised US$ 247 million and this was the beginning of the PolioPlus program. The Rotary Centers for International Studies was launched in 1999 and the inaugural peace fellows were enrolled in 2002. In 2010 to 2013 the Future Vision Plan was successfully piloted and was rolled out worldwide. The plan only provides Global and District grants. The ‘Every Rotarian Every Year’ initiative (currently our Centurion Club) asks every Rotarian to support The Rotary Foundation every year. In addition to contributing to the Annual Fund on a regular basis, members are encouraged to get involved in a Foundation project or program. Contributions are Tax deductible via Australian Rotary Foundation Trust. Recurrent direct debit bank arrangement is recommended but Rotarians may also opt to pay by cheque or Credit Card. Payment may be annual or in instalments. All donations from our district will be invested for 3 years, and then 50% will be returned to the district as District Designated Fund (DDF) for local and global project initiatives. Every Rotarian in the district is encouraged to be a regular donor through EREY (Centurion Club) to ensure sufficient DDF returns to the district to benefit all our clubs. Please contact PP Jack Kraan or Secretary Gus Dominguez to find out how to be part of this important program.
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Join our dinner meeting most Wednesdays at The Beaconsfield Club, Holm Park, Beaconsfield, Victoria, Australia 
