November is Rotary Foundation Month and the importance of strengthening the Rotary Foundation is undeniable now more than ever. Funds raised support grants that allow Rotary members to take action to solve complex issues in their communities and around the world.
Rotary is excited to share about a new online tool that will give individuals another powerful means to raise the funds necessary to support the Foundation. Rotary's new peer-to-peer fundraising platform, Raise for Rotary, is now live!
Some of the first persons to use Raise for Rotary raised US$590 for PolioPlus in just a month using their online fundraising page. This may not seem like a large amount, but every contribution to the Polio Fund gets us closer to our goal to raise $50 million per year to end polio, with every dollar matched 2:1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Raise for Rotary is easy to use – even on your mobile device – and a fun way to create a personalized virtual fundraiser to share with your friends and family, and gain support for your favorite Rotary cause. You can set up a fundraiser for any occasion, such as a birthday, anniversary, or to mark an important event like World Polio Day. Or you can take on an individual challenge to raise funds, such as a bike ride, or fundraise as part of a team of people raising money for the same cause.
Stephanie Adomaitis, manager of donor engagement for The Rotary Foundation, used Raise for Rotary to create a fundraiser with her 4-year-old son, Danny. Their fundraiser was Learning to Ride so we can help end polio, and with the support of their family members, friends and Rotarians – all giving what they could – they surpassed their goal. Danny and Stephanie took daily rides and posted photos of his progress as incentive for family and friends to contribute and to give Danny extra incentive to keep going. Stephanie was able to help teach her son about the importance of contributing and making a difference, and he also learned to ride his bike!
Rotary is excited to see first-hand how Raise for Rotary can empower us all to keep doing good in the world. If 200 people raised $500 each, that’s $100,000 that will support Rotary Foundation causes, including the World Fund, Polio Fund, Disaster Response Fund, and Rotary’s areas of focus.
Rotarians are passionate about expanding our fundraising efforts. With the introduction of Rotary’s very own peer-to-peer fundraising tool - Raise for Rotary - individuals can create fundraising pages that are easy to share through social media and email so your own network of family, friends, colleagues and neighbors can contribute.
With Raise for Rotary, you can tie your fundraiser to an event such as a birthday or athletic endeavor, or you can create a custom occasion. Have you given up haircuts because of COVID-19 and are willing to shave your head? Do you have a skill like juggling or quilting? Turn these things into fundraisers — the options are endless.
No matter how you choose to fundraise, the donations you generate help us make an even bigger impact around the world.
As an added incentive and benefit, members of Rotary and Rotaract who give are eligible to receive credit and recognition.
Making it easy to use and share
Setting up a fundraiser with Raise for Rotary is simple and fast. You can support specific Rotary causes, such as the areas of focus, fighting polio, or disaster response. And your fundraiser is easy to share with your friends and family — especially on social media.
Giving donors recognition credit
Anyone who gives through Raise for Rotary using the email address they use for other Rotary functions, such as their My Rotary account, will receive Rotary giving credit and recognition.
Anyone who gives through Raise for Rotary using the email address they use for other Rotary functions, such as their My Rotary account, will receive Rotary giving credit and recognition.
Minimizing fees to do more good
External fundraising platforms have their own fee structures, rules, and guidelines. By creating our own platform, more of the funds you’re raising go directly toward Doing Good in the World.
External fundraising platforms have their own fee structures, rules, and guidelines. By creating our own platform, more of the funds you’re raising go directly toward Doing Good in the World.
This great new tool is currently only available in English with U.S. currency. But Rotary is already planning to expand it to support multiple languages and currencies in 2021.
When you start a Raise for Rotary fundraiser, a Rotary fundraising coach will contact you to offer support and guidance. For questions, refer to the FAQs or contact raise@rotary.org.
To start your fundraiser, click here.
For more information, check out the Raise For Rotary FAQs and/or the downloadable guidelines.