The Board of Trustees of The Rotary Foundation meets in person 4 times a year. The most recent meeting was held in conjunction with the International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, USA on 6–7 January 2024 where Trustees reviewed seven committee reports and recorded 28 decisions.

Article by Dennis Shore, Trustee The Rotary Foundation 2023-27

Among the decisions taken by the Trustees, it was agreed to establish national PolioPlus Committees in Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The Trustees also approved the creation of a new region, with a new regional leader team, to serve districts in Korea.

The Trustees considered a number of matters related to programs and awards.

• approved US$50 million in PolioPlus grants to the World Health Organisation and UNICEF for technical assistance, operational support, social mobilisation support, and vaccine procurement;
• approved 62 recipients for the Regional Service Award for a Polio-free world and nine nominations for the International Service Award for a Polio-Free World;
• amended the eligibility requirements for Rotary Peace Centre certificate candidates to provide that candidates “either be from the region where the centre is located, have relevant work experience in the region where the centre is located, work elsewhere around the world with communities or initiatives related to the region, or demonstrate a compelling interest in learning about peacebuilding approaches used in the region”. This provides an opportunity for potential fellows endorsed from Zone 8 during the period until a replacement for the Chulalongkorn Peace Centre is established. 

That is a nice segue into highlighting that February is Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month in the Rotary Calendar. Thank you to Debbie Vance for the image.

The Trustees also approved 2024-25 budget assumptions for net investment earnings as follows:

• Annual Fund and Operating Reserve: 4.0%
• Endowment and other long-term investments: 5.0%
• PolioPlus Fund: 3.0%

You can learn more about how the Rotary Foundation and Rotary International manages funds with a commitment to stewardship and excellence: https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-investments.

Based on policies set by The Rotary Foundation’s Trustees and Rotary International’s Board of Directors, the Office of Investment seeks to establish a legacy that distinguishes Rotary as a prudent investor, supports Rotary's objectives, and promotes sustainability.

This is all part of how The Rotary Foundation maintains its 4 Star rating - year after year.