There are 1.2 million Rotarians in 34,000 clubs doing good all over the world. This network of clubs makes up Rotary International.
As a club member you help elect your own leaders each year, and your president works with your president-elect, officers, board members, and committee chairs to manage the club. Your club pays dues to RI, and in return RI provides resources, training, and programs to help your club run effectively.
Your club and others in your geographic area are part of a district, led by your district governor. Districts help clubs connect to each other and access Rotary resources. There are around 530 districts, and these are organized into 34 zones. Each zone has about the same number of Rotarians.
Rotary clubs sponsor other service clubs and groups that broaden our reach:
- Interact, for young people ages 12-18
- Rotaract, for young people ages 18-30
- Rotary Community Corps, for non-Rotarians
Leadership
The president of Rotary International is elected by Rotarians and leads an elected board of directors. The president serves for one year, and directors serve for two years.
The general secretary manages staff at Rotary’s headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA, and additional offices around the world.
Our partners
Rotary collaborates with international, governmental, and university groups to tackle global humanitarian issues.
- Polio: Rotary is a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to end polio, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
- Peace and conflict resolution: The Rotary Peace Centers program develops leaders who are catalysts for peace and conflict resolution locally and globally. Rotary Peace Fellows receive a master’s degree or complete a certificate program at one of our six partner universities.
- Water and sanitation: Rotary and the U.S. Agency for International Development work together to support water and sanitation projects through the RI/USAID International H2O Collaboration.
Working with partners
Rotary’s relationship with the following partners opens the door for Rotarians to work with them directly:
- Dollywood Foundation's Imagination Library for literacy
- Global FoodBanking Network for hunger
- Peace Corps for promoting peace
- ShelterBox for disaster relief
- YSA (Youth Service America) for youth involvement
Our strategic partners
Rotary’s relationship with the following partners opens the door for Rotarians to work with them directly:
- UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
- World Vision
United Nations and Nongovernmental Organizations
Rotary appoints representatives each year to UN bodies and NGOs worldwide. Rotary’s representatives meet regularly with officers and staff from international agencies to:
- Discuss parallel concerns and potential areas for cooperation
- Inform organizations about Rotary’s programs
- Gather information about the developments and programs of other groups
Resources & Reference
- RI/USAID International H2O Collaboration
- Apply for a UNESCO-IHE scholarship (for water and sanitation professionals)
- Global Polio Eradication Initiative
- UN Rotary Outreach Programme