Untapped CSR resources and underutilised cadres

The magic of Rotary doesn’t just happen among senior leaders. It happens where you are — in your clubs, in your communities, every time you act on an idea and change someone’s life. Thank you for all you do to create a better world,” RI President Stephanie Urchick said at the TRF seminar, prior to the Kochi Institute. Urging Rotarians to continue donating to TRF, she shared a couple of her experiences highlighting TRF’s role in transforming lives and communities.

One of these moments occured at the Rotary School of Pennsylvania in Vietnam where a little girl proudly showed her the school’s toilet ­facilities, saying, “This is the best place in our school, because now we don’t have to go in the rice paddies.” The other cherished moment was at a meal distribution event supported by her club’s district grant. “As I placed potatoes, hot dogs, meat and lettuce into a woman’s box, she looked at me and said, ‘Thank you, honey. I don’t have to eat popcorn for dinner tonight.’ Over the years, I’ve had countless moments like these. What matters most to the Foundation is you and me. It’s the passion and ideas we bring when we ask what can we make better in our community,” she said.

At a panel discussion moderated by TRF Trustee Bharat Pandya, Institute convenor and RI Director Anirudha Roychowdhury, RI Director Raju Subramanian and TRF Trustee Martha Helman shared their thoughts on various Rotary aspects.

Highlighting India’s CSR landscape, Subramanian noted that corporate contributions exceed ₹30,000 crore annually. “We have not yet tapped the full potential of public sector companies and other industrial units, which are in fact looking for trusted avenues where their funds can make a meaningful impact. Rotary’s meticulous financial management and commitment to community projects make it an ideal partner,” he said, urging Rotarians to leverage their professional networks to engage with corporates.

He also stressed the importance of TRF’s technical cadres who remain underutilised. “Beyond ensuring compliance, these cadres can strengthen grant proposals, reducing application errors and rejections. They are experts in Rotary’s seven focus areas. Involve them early as subject matter experts,” he advised.

Appreciating the role of RRFCs, the RI Director remarked, “The giving is increasing, and 100 per cent giving clubs are now a reality. Over the years, we’ve moved from hiding our good work to proudly showcasing our impact. Let’s make giving a way of life.”

Addressing a question from Pandya on Rotary’s polio eradication efforts, RI Director ­Roychowdhury said that the fight against polio remains a significant challenge, especially in regions like Pakistan and ­Afghanistan, where political instability and access issues persist. To address these challenges, Rotary, through its International PolioPlus Committee and regional partners, has initiated strategic action and renewed focus on immunisation. “Rotary is confident in achieving a polio-free world. While recognition is gratifying, the real reward lies in the mission itself.” He added that recently TRF released $27.5 million to its partner, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, to intensify activities in polio-endemic countries and their neighbours. On stewardship, the RI Director said, “This is critical to ensuring impactful results. It sustains trust and accountability which are the bedrock of Rotary’s work.”

For TRF Trustee Martha ­Helman, on her third visit to India, “every visit is a chance to witness the magic of Rotary’s humanitarian work. Through your investments in education, ­environment, medical care and vocational training, you are creating that magic.” She recalled visiting a check dam project in ­Bengaluru in 2019. “I was struck by its simplicity and profound impact on the ­environment — ­revitalising arid land and creating sustainable agriculture. One-eighth of all Rotary GGs happen in India. While India is second in giving, it is first in utilising GGs effectively. The rest of the world has noticed what you are doing with CSR, and we hope to emulate that success across the world,” she said.

Responding to Pandya’s question on how TRF aligns with the Rotary Action Plan, Martha said, “TRF is our Action Plan. It has funded $17 million for Ukraine war relief, helping Rotary grow even amidst conflict. With just around 1,000 Rotarians, Rotary was nascent in Ukraine when the war started. The number has increased to 1,600 the last time I checked. Bombs are falling, and yet businessmen and women have time to join Rotary because they see its impact. Rotary is changing. The biggest adaption, of course, is the environment because we’re learning that there can be no peace, no happiness, unless our environment is healthy. The Action Plan is just really another way to talk about the Foundation and the work we do.”

Talking about Rotary’s peace centres, she noted: “Peace is not merely the absence of war. A ceasefire — such as the one in Lebanon — is not synonymous with peace. True peace is cultivated from the ground up and requires frameworks that address systemic issues. This is the challenging, long-term work undertaken by Rotary Peace Fellows across the globe.”

On Rotary’s future, she said, “We have learnt two things from our Polio projects — one, great initiatives start at the club level. Polio started as a club project. And two, if we do things bigger, better, bolder, we can change the world — like the concept of Programs of Scale, which remains a club project. Happy Schools are a club project, but by all the clubs in India working together. Happy Schools will change many schools throughout India.”

Summarising India’s contributions, Pandya noted significant growth in TRF giving over the years. Contributions rose from $7.1 million in 2019–20 to $8.9 million in 2022–23, with 12 districts achieving the ‘100 per cent Giving Clubs’ milestone in just five months this year.

“Our zones do 22–23 per cent of the total GGs. We have executed 279 grants worth $17.97 million in the last Rotary year, up from 219 grants worth $14.3 million in 2022–23.” The performance of the clubs in CSR grants is also commendable; 2021–22 was the first year of the CSR grants. From $2.8 million then, it grew to $8.1 million last year. Rotary clubs in India have partnered with over 390 corporates and raised $10.6 million.

“If Rotarians are the heart of Rotary, the Foundation is its backbone; much of the good work that happens in Rotary happens through and because of TRF. Your generosity helps in fulfilling the hopes and dreams of millions of people worldwide,” he added.