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The Evolution of the Rotary Foundation
Back in 1917, Rotary President Arch C. Klumph had proposed that an endowment be set up "for doing good in the world." In 1928, this endowment became a not-for-profit corporation known as The Rotary Foundation. 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 The Rotary Foundation improves the lives of people in every corner of the world by promoting world understanding and peace through local, national, and international humanitarian, educational, and cultural programs. |
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Since
1947, the Foundation has awarded more than
US$1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational
grants, which are initiated and administered
by local Rotary clubs and districts. Started
in 1965, Matching Grants for International
Humanitarian Projects is a Rotary Foundation
program that matches contributions raised
by Rotary clubs and districts for international
service projects involving clubs in two
or more countries.
The Group Study Exchange program, also begun
in 1965, has provided grants for more than
11,000 teams of men and women in the early
stages of their business and professional
careers to travel abroad and share vocational
information with the representatives of
their respective professions in another
country. Team members spend four to six
weeks studying the host country's institutions,
economy, and culture while observing how
their own professions are practiced abroad.
More than 500 exchanges between paired Rotary
districts occur each year, advancing the
program's ultimate goal of promoting international
understanding and goodwill.
The Foundation initiated Health, Hunger
and Humanity (3-H) Grants in 1978. 3-H Grants
are awarded to fund long-term, self-help
grassroots development projects that are
too large for one club or district to implement
on its own. Projects must be self-sustaining
after the 3-H grant funds have been expended.
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