Rotary achieves ‘2025 by 2025’ dream
Rotary’s ambitious goal, officially set at the 2017 Atlanta Convention, when TRF celebrated its 100th anniversary, to take its Endowment Fund to $2.025 billion by 2025, has been achieved. “Today we are proud to announce that, with only six days left to reach the 2025 by 2025 goal, thanks to the response of dedicated Rotarians, Rotaractors, and members of the family of Rotary, we have indeed doubled the size of the Endowment (from $1 to over $2 billion). So let’s celebrate!”
This announcement by Trustee Chair Mark Maloney at the Calgary RI Convention was greeted with thunderous applause as all the TRF trustees stood on the podium, and the assembled Rotarians were on their feet, cheering this huge milestone that RI had set.
He added: “The Endowment we have built together will ensure we continue to spread the magic of Rotary for generations. A larger Endowment means larger global grants to make a bigger impact, and increasing numbers of Rotary Peace Fellows working to reduce conflict around the world. You might think that a global pandemic would have reduced or eliminated our progress towards the goal, but no, dedicated Rotarians and Rotaractors persevered, and we reached the halfway mark in 2021.”
In 2015, when the trustees saw that “dedicated Rotarians met an important benchmark by reaching $1 billion in investments and commitments, they thought $1 billion is rather good, but they knew the power of dedicated Rotary members. So, the 2.025 goal was set to double the Endowment in less than 10 years!”
And in the next 10 years, this goal has been achieved as the Rotary family knew that “every contribution to the Endowment was a contribution to the Rotary communities in which we live — from Ghana to Mexico, from Taiwan to India, from Canada to Japan, Brazil to Ukraine. Every contribution can save mothers and children, provide a life-changing education, develop entrepreneurs, protect our planet, prevent and treat disease, ensure clean water and sanitation, and build peace.”
Next Programs of Scale for Colombia
Maloney announced that the 2025 Programs of Scale grant has been awarded by TRF to Pathways to Peace and Prosperity in Colombia, which partners with the United Nations World Food Programme to strengthen conflict resolution capacity, expand access to economic opportunities and social service programmes in conflict-affected areas.
The long-term goal of this programme is to break the cycle of violence, poverty, and food insecurity for conflict victims to achieve sustained peace. This organisation in Colombia showcases the joint efforts of Rotary Peace Fellows, peace activators, Cadre members, RIDs 4271 and 4281, and the sponsoring Rotary Club of San José de Cúcuta (in Norte de Santander).
He added that last year’s Programs of Scale recipient, Partners for Water Access and Better Harvests in India, “promises to assist sustainable farming and demonstrates how Rotary can help the world adapt to the growing impacts of climate change. I had the privilege of meeting with the Rotarians in India spearheading this project,” he added.
India sets $50 million goal for 2025–26
For our zones 4, 5, 6 and 7, RI Director K P Nagesh and I have set an ambitious goal of raising $50 million for TRF during the coming Rotary year 2025–26, and I am confident that we will hit this mark for the first time ever. Towards this end we are planning to induct 250 new AKS members, and get 25 Endowments, and 250 Major Donors,” said RI Director M Muruganandam.
Last year our zones had raised $32 million for TRF, and while this year’s figures are still being collated, the amount has already crossed $30 million.
