Rotarians enjoy using their energy, vocational and other skills, time, networks of business associates & friends, and their feeling of “Service Above Self” to serve humanity.

There are so many projects that for convenience we group them into Community Service, International Service, Youth Service, and Vocational Service. There are no fixed boundaries – for example the International Youth Exchange Program has both youth and international aspects but is usually placed under Youth Service. Some Clubs group all four under a Director Service Projects.

Some members are involved in Club Service (looking after Club activities such as the weekly meeting arrangements, arranging guest speakers and Club social events). And in all cases having fun!

All projects need money, whether run by a single Club or collaboratively by several Clubs, or orchestrated by a District committee or run on a global basis (e.g. Polio Plus, Peace Centres).

Raising Funds

Donations from Club members, humorous fines sessions, film nights, quiz nights, sausage sizzles, markets, fairs, bike rides, concerts, radio auctions, special events for targeted invitees, individual philanthropy, corporate philanthropy, grants from non-Rotary sources, online crowdfunding – the list can be as long as members have the imagination, passion, energy, and skill to organize.

No matter how the initial money is raised there are ways to increase it. Some Clubs set up a fund or trust to which donors’ gifts are tax deductible. This attracts donations larger than would otherwise be the case. The fund or trust earns interest and once the capital in the fund or trust is large enough the interest can be used to support projects. Rotary International does this in the form of The Rotary Foundation, to which we are all encouraged to donate.