A significant increase in club support for The Rotary Foundation will not happen unless each club member understands Foundation programs and the tremendous return that results from investing in our Foundation.

Four ways to educate club Rotarians are:

1. Good, interesting club programs on the Foundation
2. Member participation in Foundation programs
3. Weekly Rotary Foundation Thought
4. Attendance at Foundation seminars and other events

Good, interesting club programs on the Foundation bring home the power and benefits of the Foundation’s programs by putting a human face on what TRF does to  save and change lives. The best club Foundation programs spotlight the experiences of Foundation alumni ; Group Study Exchange team members, former and current Ambassadorial Scholars or Rotary World Peace Fellows, University Teachers, and participants in the Humanitarian Grants Program.

Before the presentation, the introduction of the speaker or speakers should briefly explain their connection to the Foundation. During the presentation, the speaker should focus on how the activity saved and changed lives. After the presentation, the attendees should be briefly told how the Foundation supported the program.

Club members should then be asked to support the Foundation’s Annual Programs Fund to help make possible the kinds of programs just featured.

One club program each year should present a general Foundation overview and update club members on current Foundation activities. It should not be a lecture but follow a discussion leader format, presenting a mixture of new information in short vignettes and questions about the information covered. More interesting than a lecture, this ”tell a little, ask a little” format will keep club members actively engaged in the presentation and increase retention. Presentations on the Foundation often focus on the features and details of its programs. Instead, presentations should highlight the benefits to Rotarians and Rotary clubs as well as to those served that result from participating in or supporting the Foundation.

These presentations should demonstrate the tremendous return that results from investing in our Rotary Foundation because of the hands-on work of Rotarians who add their time and resources to the dollars provided by the Foundation. At the conclusion of each program, there should be a call for action. Videos and pamphlets are available through the online catalogue at www.rotary.org that can help supplement information provided during Foundation presentations.

Encouraging club member participation in Foundation programs is a principal responsibility of each club Foundation chair. There is no better way to demonstrate the effect of Foundation programs than to get members involved in them.

Each club Foundation chair must have a good understanding of the opportunities to serve though our Foundation’s programs and the benefits of such service to their club.               

Many Foundation programs available at the district level can directly benefit each Rotary club’s community without costing the club anything more than time and creativity. Each educational program available should be publicised and promoted in the community by every means possible. Here are programs that can bring significant grants to members of your community if they are available in your district:

	Ambassadorial Scholarships
	Group Study Exchange
	Rotary Grants for University Teachers
	Rotary World Peace Fellowships

It is important that the club Foundation chair know which Educational Programs are available in the district and how to recruit candidates from the community. This information is available from the district’s Foundation leadership, at the annual district assembly and district Foundation seminars, and frequently on district web sites. Additional information on these programs is available on the RI Web site at www.rotary.org. The club Foundation chair should be familiar with these Humanitarian Grants Programs:

	District Simplified Grants
	Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grants
	Matching Grants

A Rotary club may use these programs to assist its community, vocational, or international service efforts. When properly publicized, participation in Foundation programs often attracts new members to the club. The club Foundation chair should understand the concepts of these programs, which are available from the district, and when to apply.

The district Foundation Chair  and subcommittee chairs  can answer questions about program features and help with applications. They may even provide workshops to help the club Foundation chair. The district Foundation Chair has direct responsibility for certifying that grant applications  and  will help Rotary clubs prepare their applications. Regional Rotary Foundation coordinators also provide training on the Foundation and its programs.

Weekly Rotary Foundation Thought: Taking two to three minutes at the start of each Rotary club meeting to show how the Foundation saves and changes lives can be a powerful way to tell the Foundation’s story to club Rotarians.

It is important to make the Rotary Foundation Thought interesting and exciting. However, if only one Rotarian tells the Foundation’s story each week, club members may stop listening. Responsibility for it should rotate among a group of Rotarians so the membership hears Foundation stories told in different ways with varying emphasis.

This can be done either by choosing several Rotarians to share the responsibility or sharing it with the entire club. If the entire club shares responsibility for the Foundation Thought, those Rotarians unfamiliar with the Foundation must take time to learn a little about it to tell its story.

Over time, the club can reach a consensus about which Foundation programs most interest its membership. Sharing responsibility with the entire club can result in inconsistent, uninteresting presentations, unless the club Foundation chair actively coaches the Rotarians assigned each week’s Foundation Thought. A form can be used to be sure Rotarians understand what is intended and where to find information about the Foundation.

A few days before the club meeting, the club Foundation chair should remind the person assigned of his or her responsibility, be sure the person is on the right track, and encourage him or her to make the presentation interesting and to bring a written version for the club newsletter editor to include in the next issue. Promoted with enthusiasm, the Foundation Thought can be a powerful tool for spreading the exciting story of The Rotary Foundation.

Attending Foundation Seminars:    The club may wish to hold its own Foundation seminar. PowerPoint presentations are available from the Foundation that can be used.

Also, the club Foundation chair should call upon the District Foundation Chair for assistance. The District Foundation chair or his committee members may be able to attend, or can help design the program. 

A club Foundation seminar might include the following:
	Overview of the Foundation: This should be a broad overview of the Foundation’s programs focusing on their benefits instead of features, and include how program funds are raised and used.
	The role of The Rotary Foundation chair: This should be based on the Club Foundation Chair Job Description and Wish List,   It should include how our Foundation’s programs can help the club president, international service chair, and even community service chair. It should share actual experiences of successful club Foundation chairs.
	The Matching Grants, Simplified Grant, Educational  program: This segment should demonstrate how to use the Matching Grants program for an international service project, Simplified grants for community projects . It should explain the club’s role as a host or sponsor club participating in a Matching Grant and Simplified Grant how to find its counterpart. It should focus on the benefits of these programs to Rotarians and Rotary clubs, not just the programs’ rules and features. It should also explain who at the district level is available to help with program applications and rules. Promote Educational Programs in the club’s community and how to find candidates. It should emphasise the benefits of these programs to program grant recipients and how these programs help the Rotary club and Rotarians achieve our Foundation’s objectives and help candidates to participates in these programs and coach them to face required interviews

Foundation is our own Rotary Charity, educate our members to support our own charity to reach the benefits and make this world a better place to live..

“They will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel – Carl W Buchner”

If you require further information contact: District Foundation chair