Rotary’s stock-in-trade are the projects we generate and complete. Collectively we strive to make the communities of the world better places to live by doing projects. Rotary projects exemplify the power of collective action in addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues. Not only addressing immediate needs, but contributing to long-term sustainable change. Thereby establishing Rotary as one of the world’s premier organizations.
In the 2022-23 Rotary year, The Rotary Foundation funded more than 1,100 global grants, 470 district grants, and 310 disaster response grants and in the process, invested $427 million. These statistics are not complete because they do not include projects funded and completed by thousands of Rotary Clubs outside the Rotary Foundation – vexingly, we have yet to develop a system to reliably keep track of the number and investment value of such Club efforts.
But it is not enough! The need and demand to improve our communities greatly exceeds Rotary’s efforts.
Every Rotary project started in a Rotary Club – including our quest to eradicate polio. Each was created by “Rotary Project Generators” that reside is almost every Club around the world. While originating, planning, and completing a Rotary project is multi-faceted, our Project Generators are the motivating force that leads to Club projects. They are the Rotarians who enjoy Rotary and life and always project that wonderful Rotary positivism that is so appealing. This does not mean they have an easy task, but it certainly means they are doing satisfying work.
At your next Club gathering tell those Project Generators how much they are appreciated and encourage them to train other Rotarians how to generate projects, perhaps including you. The key to more projects is more Rotary Project Generators. We need both!