We can all be very proud of the Rotary Foundation’s response to the pandemic.  The Rotary Foundation has to date awarded $20 million to support Rotary clubs worldwide in their immediate response to COVID-19 in their communities, and to long term recovery efforts.
 

Rotary members throughout the world are working safely and diligently to assess and provide for urgent community needs as they strive to respond and recover from the effects of COVID-19 coronavirus.  Rotary continues to save lives. 
 

Rotary is also uniquely positioned to help distribute Covid-19 vaccine once it’s developed.  We have an incredible infrastructure built worldwide for distributing vaccine through our polio eradication effort.  Rotary will play a huge role in conquering this dreaded disease. 
 

That makes me proud to be a Rotarian.

 

 

Forty years ago Bob Rose became a member of the Spencer Rotary Club. It was only natural since he knew the entire community while directing the Spencer Main Street Organization and the Chamber of Commerce for 24 years.  He had a passion for helping the community grow.  It’s no wonder why he quickly developed a passion for the Rotary Foundation.  Bob became a Paul Harris Fellow in 1985 (as are all his family members), a Major Donor in 2016 and is currently a Paul Harris Society member.  In Bob’s words, “I believe in the Foundation and the great work it does worldwide.  I will support the Foundation as best I can for as long as I can.” 

 

Bob would love to visit all clubs in the District (mostly by zoom) and encourage all of you to continue your support of the PolioPlus fund, and perhaps do a little something extra for this worthy cause.  As Bob says, “with a little extra effort, we can make the world polio free.”  You’ll be hearing more from Bob in the coming months.  Please feel free to reach out to Bob at any time regarding the End Polio Now campaign.  His email is pearlu@smunet.net and his cell phone is 712-346-8992.

 

 

 

In 2013-14 when global grants were introduced, the Foundation awarded 868 grants worth $47.3 million.  Just five years later, the number of global grants had risen to 1,403, worth $86.6 million.  Demand for grants increased by 80 percent, but the corresponding Annual Fund contributions never kept pace, increasing by only 7 percent over those five years.  Last year, the Foundation fully expended the World Fund budget for global grants by mid-May 2020. 

 

Consequently, the Foundation is making changes to help address the shortfall in funding for global grants.  Cash contributions from clubs and individuals will no longer be matched as of July 1, 2020.  The World Fund will still match DDF (District Designated Funds) funding, but not club or individual contributions.  The Foundation hopes to restore the match as soon as contributions grow, and funds become available. 

 

Also, going forward, there is no minimum World Fund match for global grants, which was $15,000.  That means applicants for global grants will have to rely more on cash contributions to reach the minimum $30,000 needed to fund a global grant.  Watch for more updates. 

 

 

 

The final tally is in for our District giving to The Rotary Foundation for 2019-20. You gave $220,416 to the Annual Fund—88% of the goal—which matched the amount we gave in 2018-19.  Despite the effects of the pandemic, your giving to the Annual Fund did not let up.  Thank you! 

 

You gave $380,595 to the PolioPlus fund—99% of the goal.  A new record!  Thank you!

 

And our total giving to the Foundation, which includes earnings from endowment funds, gifts to global grants and other gifts, was $641,809.  Also a new record!  Thank you for your continuing support during this challenging year!  

 

I challenge you to find out what your club’s goal is for the Annual Fund and PolioPlus for this year.  There are still a few clubs who have yet to set their goals and enter them on the Rotary website.  Please make sure your club gets that done if it hasn’t done so already.

 

Yours in Rotary,

Don Meyer

District Foundation Chair