| In
1917, RI President Arch C. Klumph proposed that an
endowment be set up “for the purpose of doing good
in the world.” In 1928, when the endowment fund
had grown to more than US$5,000, it 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
$500 to the International Society for Crippled
Children. The organization, created by Rotarian
Edgar F. “Daddy” Allen, later grew into the
Easter Seals.
The
Great Depression and World War II both impeded the
Foundation’s growth, but the need for lasting
world peace generated great postwar interest in its
development. After Rotary’s founder, Paul P.
Harris, died in 1947, contributions began pouring
into Rotary International, and the Paul Harris
Memorial Fund was created to build the Foundation.
That
year, the first Foundation program – the
forerunner of Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial
Scholarships – was
established. 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) Grants program
was launched in 1978, and Rotary Volunteers was
created as a part of that program in 1980. PolioPlus was
announced in 1984-85, and the next year brought Rotary
Grants for University Teachers. The first peace
forums were held in 1987-88, leading to the Foundation's
peace and conflict studies programs.
Throughout
this time, support of the Foundation grew
tremendously. Since the first donation of $26.50 in
1917, it has received contributions totaling more
than $1 billion. More than $70 million was donated
in 2003-04 alone. To date, more than one million
individuals have been recognized as Paul
Harris Fellows – people
who have given $1,000 to the Annual Programs Fund or
have had that amount contributed in their name.
Such
strong support, along with Rotarian involvement
worldwide, ensures a secure future for The Rotary
Foundation as it continues its vital work for
international understanding and world peace.
|
