On April 20th, 2017, we were privileged to have a distinguished Rotarian, Oshawa Parkwood Rotary Club member Ted Morrison, join us to explain the workings of the Rotary Foundation. A Rotary member for more than 30 years, Ted has served on his club's Board of Directors (7 Years) and as President (2000), and has been the recipient of several awards including “Rotarian of the Year” (1998), “Paul Harris Fellowship” (2001), and “Outstanding Service to Rotary Award” (2006). Ted has also served at the district level (District 7070) as an Assistant Governor for 3 years and as a contributing member to the Grants Committee and the Visioning Team.
Early in his remarks, Ted noted that Rotary is a source of pride to many because of what we do. The projects we undertake change the world for the better in practical ways. These practicalities require resources, financial resources in particular, and this is where the Rotary Foundation becomes especially prominent. The Rotary Foundation provides project funding through its Annual Programs Fund or APF, as outlined in the flow chart below.
Donations made to the Annual Programs Fund are held for 3 years before disbursement. The interest earned on these funds is used to cover operational costs. When the disbursements occur, half go to District Designated Funds, and half (less 5% for administration) go to the World Fund. This practice of using interest income to cover administrative costs has helped to ensure the longevity of the Foundation.
The Canadian government has historically been a significant supporter of Rotary programs through matching grants under the SHARE and PolioPlus programs. With respect to polio eradication, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has also been a valued partner to Rotary, providing doubled matching donations. The Every Rotarian Every Year pledge asks that all Rotarians honour their core duty to support the Foundation through donations, with a goal of $100 US per member. Online donations can be made here; those preferring to donate by cheque can download the necessary form here.