The membership process

The Membership Process

Often a person being considered for membership is invited by a member/sponsor to attend one or more club meetings to learn more about Rotary. The sponsor may then submit the name of the candidate to the club's membership committee.

Classifications: professional representation

Rotary uses a classification system to establish and maintain a vibrant cross-section or representation of the community's business, vocational, and professional interests among members and to develop a pool of resources and expertise to successfully implement service projects. This system is based on the founders' paradigm of choosing cross-representation of each business, profession, and institution within a community.

A classification describes either the principal business or the professional service of the organization that the Rotarian works for or the Rotarian's own activity within the organization. Some examples of classifications include: high schools, universities, eye surgery, banking, pharmaceutical retailing, petroleum-distribution, and insurance agency.

Welcome To Rotary - New Member Orientation

Avenues Of Service

Our motto, SERVICE ABOVE SELF, embodies our humanitarian spirit. Rotary's Avenues of Service guide our activities:

Through Club Service, we have fun, build lasting friendships, and make sure that our club runs well.
Through Vocational Service, we volunteer our professional skills to serve others and promote integrity in everything we do.
Through Community Service, we address local needs and work with our community to bring lasting improvements.
Through International Service,we meet humanitarian needs around the globe and promote world understanding and peace.
Through New Generations Service, we work with young people to help them become the next generation of leaders, visionaries, and peacemakers.

Getting Involved In Rotary

Welcome to Rotary!

You're now part of a global network of business, professional, and community volunteers. In Rotary clubs around the world, Rotarians like you are changing lives in their own communities and those abroad - and forming strong, lasting friendships in the process.

So, how do you want to get involved in Rotary?

Volunteer My Skills

Talk to club members about where your expertise is most needed.

Serve on a club committee.

Attend your club's next assembly and help plan club activities.

Improve My Community

Volunteer to help with your club's signature project - one your club is known for in the community.

Work with a youth program sponsored by your club, such as Venturing.

Identify a need in your community and suggest a hands-on project that addresses this need.

Build My Network

Attend as many club meetings as you can. Connect with different people each time.

Join a Rotary Fellowship and meet Rotarians in other countries who share your interests.

Go to your district conference and the RI Convention.

Check out another Rotary Club's meeting.

As a Rotarian, you are WELCOME to attend any Rotary Club meeting, anywhere in the world. Use the Club Locater tool at www.rotary.org or the free mobile Rotary Club Locater app to find clubs, meeting times, and locations.

HELP ROTARY GROW

Recommend a friend or collegue for membership in your club.
Tell friends & collegues about how your club is giving back to your community.

Rotary International Basics

We're a GRASSROOTS organization. We carry out our most meaningful service through our Rotary Clubs. Each club elects its own officers and enjoys considerable autonomy within the framework of Rotary's constitution and bylaws. Rotary Districts (groups of clubs) support these efforts and are led by District governors. Rotary clubs belong to the global association Rotary International, led by the RI President and RI Board Of Directors.

We direct our service in six AREAS OF FOCUS:

Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
Disease prevention and treatment
Water and sanitation
Maternal and child health
Basic education and literacy
Economic and community development

Each club strives to reflect the DIVERSITY of its community in its mix of professions, genders, ages, and ethnicities. This ensures that a wide variety of expertise is available for club projects.

Rotary Foundation

In 1917, Arch C. Klumph, Rotary's sixth president, proposed to the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the creation of an "endowment fund for Rotary . . . for the purpose of doing good in the world in charitable, educational and other avenues of community service." A few months later, the endowment received its first contribution of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

In 1928, when the endowment fund had grown to more than US$5,000, the fund was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and it became a distinct entity within Rotary International. Five Trustees, including Klumph, were appointed to "hold, invest, manage, and administer all of its property. . . as a single trust, for the furtherance of the purposes of RI."

Two years later, the Foundation made its first grant of US$500 to the International Society for Crippled Children. The ISCC -- created by Rotarian Edgar F. "Daddy" Allen - - since grew into the Easter Seals organization.

The Great Depression and World War II both impeded significant growth for the Foundation, but the need for promoting a lasting world peace generated great post-war interest in developing Foundation programs. After Rotary founder Paul P. Harris died in 1947, contributions began pouring into Rotary International, and the Paul Harris Memorial Fund was created for the purpose of building the Foundation.

That same year, the first Foundation program was established -- Fellowships for Advanced Study -- which was the forerunner of the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships program. Then in 1965-66, three new programs were launched -- Group Study Exchange, Awards for Technical Training, and Grants for Activities in Keeping with the Objective of The Rotary Foundation, which was later called Matching Grants.

The Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) program was launched in 1978, with the Rotary Volunteers program being created as a part of 3-H in 1980. The PolioPlus Program was announced in 1984-1985, and the following year saw the introduction of Rotary Grants for University Teachers. The first Peace Forums was held in 1987-88, leading to the establishment of Rotary Peace Programs. Then in 1989, 1963-64 RI President Carl P. Miller and his wife, Ruth, donated US$1 million to establish the Discovery Grants program.

Throughout this time, support of the Foundation grew tremendously. Since that first $26.50 donation in 1917, the Foundation has received contributions totaling almost US$825 million. More than US$61 million was donated in 1994-95 alone. To date, some 492,000 individuals have been recognized as Paul Harris Fellows -- that is, someone who has contributed US$1000 or has had that amount contributed in his or her name.

Such strong support and involvement of Rotarians worldwide ensures a secure future for The Rotary Foundation as it continues its vital work for international understanding and world peace.