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The Educational Programs Division of The Rotary Foundation exists to achieve understanding and world peace through the exchange of people internationally. It is the specific mission of the Educational Programs Division to provide quality programs and services to those individuals who apply for funding and logistical support to undertake a term of study or teaching abroad that is enhanced by becoming involved with Rotary before, during, and after their travel. The division, in conjunction with Rotarians, Rotary clubs, and Rotary districts, shall provide its assistance through scholarship, fellowship, and grant processes.

 

  Text Box: Rotary History                     The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago,                     Illinois, USA, was formed on  February 23 1905 by Paul P.                     Harris, an attorney who wished to recapture, in a professional                     club, the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of                     his youth. The name "Rotary" derived from the early practice                     of rotating meetings among members' offices.                     Rotary's popularity spread throughout the United States in the                     decade that followed; clubs were chartered from San Francisco                     to New York. By 1921, Rotary clubs had been formed on six                     continents, and the organization adopted the name Rotary                     International a year later.                     As Rotary grew, its mission expanded beyond serving the                     professional and social interests of club members. Rotarians                     began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to                     help serve communities in need. The organization's dedication                     to this ideal is best expressed in its principal motto: "Service                    above Self." Rotary also later embraced a code of ethics, called                    the 4-Way Test, that has been translated into hundreds                    of languages.                     During and after World War II, Rotarians became increasingly                     involved in promoting international understanding. In 1945, 49                     Rotary members served in 29 delegations to the United Nations                     Charter Conference. Rotary still actively participates in UN                     conferences by sending observers to major meetings and                     promoting the United Nations in Rotary publications. Rotary                     International's relationship with the United Nations Educational,                     Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) dates back to                     a 1943 London Rotary conference that promoted international                     cultural and educational exchanges. Attended by ministers of                     education and observers from around the world, and chaired                     by a past president of RI, the conference was an impetus to                     the establishment of UNESCO in 1946.                     An endowment fund, set up by Rotarians in 1917 "for doing                     good in the world," became a not-for-profit corporation known                     as The Rotary Foundation in 1928. Upon the death of Paul                     Harris in 1947, an outpouring of Rotarian donations made in his                     honor, totaling US $2 million, launched the Foundation's first                     program - graduate fellowships, now called Ambassadorial                     Scholarships. Today, contributions to The Rotary  Foundation                     total more than US $80 million annually and support a wide                     range of humanitarian grants and educational programs that                     enable Rotarians to bring hope and promote international                     understanding throughout the world.                     In 1985, Rotary made a historic commitment to immunize all                     of the world's children against polio. Working in partnership with                     nongovernmental organizations and national governments thorough                     its PolioPlus program, Rotary is the largest private-sector                     contributor to the global polio eradication campaign. Rotarians                     have mobilized hundreds of thousands of PolioPlus volunteers and                     have immunized more than one billion children worldwide. By the                     2005 target date for certification of a polio-free world,                     Rotary will have contributed half a billion dollars to the cause.                      As it approached the dawn of the 21st century, Rotary worked                     to meet the changing needs of society, expanding its service effort                     to address such pressing issues as environmental degradation,                     illiteracy, world hunger, and children at risk. The organization                     admitted women for the first time (worldwide) in 1989 and claims                     more than 145,000 women in its ranks today. Following the collapse                     of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Rotary                     clubs were formed or re-established throughout Central and                     Eastern Europe. Today, 1.2 million Rotarians belong to some                     32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical                     areas. PolioPlus                     Despite tremendous progress in reducing the incidence of polio,                     it still exists. Polio will continue to threaten children everywhere                     as long as it exists somewhere. In this age of global travel, a new                     outbreak of polio might only be a plane ride away.                     Did you know that . . Polio is a highly infectious disease that primarily affects children under the age of three and can cause paralysis within hours. Before eradication efforts began in 1985, polio paralyzed more than 1,000 children a day, which totaled about 350,000 children annually. The incidence of polio has since declined by more than 99 percent. Vaccinations easily can stave off polio. Vaccinations have prevented an estimated 500,000 children per year from contracting polio. A child can be protected against polio for as little as 60 cents (US) worth of vaccine. Only four countries are still polio endemic — an all-time low: Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Rotary International is the spearheading member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and is the largest private sector donor. It has contributed more than US $600 million to the polio eradication activities in 122 countries. In addition, tens of thousands of Rotarians have partnered with their national ministries of health, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and with health providers at the grassroots level in thousands of communities. A polio-free world is within our grasp. Join Rotary’s effort to end this crippling disease. Learn more about Rotary's ongoing effort to eradicate polio and how you can help through contributions to PolioPlus and PolioPlus Partners. The PolioPlus Division of The Rotary Foundation supports Rotarians' efforts to achieve Rotary International's and its Foundation's goal of the certification of the eradication of the wild poliovirus. This support includes the provision of quality education and information to promote the efforts of Rotarians directly involved in polio eradication activities, and the membership at large; facilitation of interaction, particularly between Rotarians in polio free and polio affected countries, collaboration with Rotary’s partners in the Polio Eradication Initiative, and grants to Rotarians and partner organizations. History of PolioPlus Rotary's involvement in polio eradication began in 1979 with a five-year commitment to provide and help deliver polio vaccine to six million children of the Philippines. It was the first project of the new Health, Hunger, and Humanity (3-H) program. In the next four years, similar five-year commitments were approved for Haiti, Bolivia, Morocco, Sierra Leone, and Cambodia. In the early 1980s, Rotary began planning for the most ambitious program in its history — to immunize all of the world's children against polio. The plan required collaboration with international, national, and local health agencies and took shape early in Carlos Canseco’s year as RI President in 1984-85 when he appointed the Polio 2005 Committee. Dr. Canseco invited Dr. Albert Sabin, developer of the oral polio vaccine, to serve as a special consultant to the committee. Rotary's pledge of US $120 million to fund its PolioPlus program was announced in October 1985 at the 40th anniversary of the United Nations. This ambitious commitment electrified the global public health community. Within three years, Rotarians had more than doubled their fundraising goal, donating US $247 million. By the time the world is certified polio-free, Rotary's contributions to the global polio eradication effort will exceed US $600 million. Rotary's role in polio eradication continues to evolve. Initially its role was that of a catalyst, providing money for vaccine and volunteer support to overcome problems associated with distribution. A Rotary Foundation grant funded a core group of polio experts at the World Health Organization (WHO), who have guided the global program. In more recent years, PolioPlus funds have funded transportation and other operational costs associated with vaccine delivery, surveillance efforts (including laboratory needs) to identify areas where the virus circulates, and training for healthcare workers and volunteers involved in the immunization process. In 1995, Rotary launched a task force to advocate political and financial support for polio eradication to donor governments. Working in conjunction with the other spearheading partner agencies, these public sector advocacy efforts have resulted in mobilizing more than $1.5 billion in polio-specific grants. In 2000, Rotary teamed up with the United Nations Foundation to carry a financial appeal to the private sector — foundations, corporations, and wealthy individuals. As the war on polio enters its final phases, adequate funding is the No. 1 obstacle to achieving a polio-free world. In February 2002, Rotary rose to the challenge once again, announcing a Polio Eradication Fundraising Campaign to raise US $80 million to contribute to ongoing global polio eradication budget needs. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is recognized worldwide as a model of public and private cooperation in pursuit of a humanitarian goal. In the words of United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan, "Rotary's PolioPlus program is a shining example of the achievements made possible by cooperation between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations."   Donor Profile for Received and Confirmed Contributions, 1988-2008 As of 1 February 2005 Contribution (US$ million) Public Sector Partners Development Banks Private Sector Partners > 500 USA   Rotary International 250 — 500 Japan, United Kingdom     100 — 249 European Commission, Canada, Netherlands World Bank   50 — 99 Germany   Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 25 — 49 Denmark, France, Norway, Sweden, UNICEF Regular Resources, WHO Regular Budget   United Nations Foundation 5 — 24 Australia, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Russian Federaion Inter-American Development Bank Aventis Pasteur, IFPMA, UNICEF National Committees 1 — 4 Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Advantage Trust (HK), De Beers, Pew Charitable Trust Wyeth                       About the Humanitarian Grants Program The Humanitarian Grants Division of The Rotary Foundation supports Rotarians with their efforts to implement humanitarian service projects by facilitating their participation in the grants program and ensuring the responsible use of grant funds according to The Rotary Foundation guidelines. The Humanitarian Grants Program provides grants to Rotary clubs and districts to implement humanitarian projects. There are several grant types that address different service needs and funding options. The following grants are available to support these endeavors. District Simplified Grants: A tool for Rotary districts to support short-term, humanitarian projects that benefit the community. Volunteer Service Grants (formerly Individual Grants): Subsidize travel of individual or small groups for qualified international humanitarian service in Rotary countries for periods up to 60 days. Matching Grants: Support international service projects involving Rotary clubs or districts in two or more countries. Health, Hunger, and Humanity Grants (3-H): Awarded to fund long-term, self-help, and grassroots development projects which are too large for one club or district to implement on their own. Blane Community Immunization Grants: Help clubs and districts in the United States address disease immunizations in their local community. Disaster Recovery: Are collected on a temporary, restricted basis to support RI's disaster recovery efforts, focusing on long-term reconstruction.  About Educational Programs The Educational Programs Division of The Rotary Foundation exists to achieve understanding and world peace through the exchange of people internationally. It is the specific mission of the Educational Programs Division to provide quality programs and services to those individuals who apply for funding and logistical support to undertake a term of study or teaching abroad that is enhanced by becoming involved with Rotary before, during, and after their travel. The division, in conjunction with Rotarians, Rotary clubs, and Rotary districts, shall provide its assistance through scholarship, fellowship, and grant processes.     Calender of Events

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