In January 2023 The Rotary Foundation Trustees established two temporary funds to assist Pakistan and Ukraine, two areas that are facing extreme need.
The Pakistan Flood Response Fund and the Ukraine Response Fund address the humanitarian crises caused by devastating flooding in Pakistan and the war in Ukraine. Donors can give directly to relief efforts led by Rotary members.
Contributions will be accepted until 31 December 2023. Districts can apply for grants from the funds until 30 June 2024 or until the funds have all been allocated. Any contributions that haven't been spent by 30 June 2024 will be transferred to the general Disaster Response Fund, to be made available for disasters worldwide.
How to contribute
You can give online, by check, or by transferring District Designated Funds:
- To contribute online, use my.rotary.org/donate.
- To give by check, make it payable to The Rotary Foundation or to an associate foundation and include a completed contribution form. In the DESIGNATION/PURPOSE section, choose Other and write the fund name (Pakistan Flood Response Fund or Ukraine Response Fund).
- To allocate District Designated Funds, district leaders can use the DDF contribution form.
How to raise money to support these funds
Anyone can start a fundraiser for the Pakistan Flood Response Fund or the Ukraine Response Fund on Raise for Rotary. Remember that:
- Raise for Rotary currently accepts Australian, Canadian, and U.S. dollars and is available only in English.
- Donations made through fundraisers for the Pakistan Flood Response Fund or the Ukraine Response Fund on Raise for Rotary will be credited and recognized as described below.
- Any fundraisers on a third-party platform such as Facebook or GoFundMe won't offer these specific fund options and aren't eligible for Foundation credit and recognition.
How contributions are credited and recognized
Gifts to the Pakistan Flood Response Fund and the Ukraine Response Fund:
- Count toward a donor's total cumulative giving
- Factor into Paul Harris Fellow, Paul Harris Society, Major Donor, and Arch Klumph Society recognition
- Help the donor's club achieve the 100% Foundation Giving Club banner
- Are not credited toward a club's Annual Fund giving, toward per capita or SHARE calculations, or toward generating DDF
How to apply for disaster response grants
For grants to support Ukraine, the district governor and district Rotary Foundation chair will need to complete the Rotary Disaster Response Grant Application for Ukraine and send it to grants@rotary.org.
Also note that for disaster response grants related to Ukraine:
- District 2232 (Belarus and Ukraine) can have up to three open grants at a time of up to US$100,000 each.
- Districts that border Ukraine can have one open grant of up to US$100,000 at any time.
- Districts beyond Ukraine and its bordering districts that want to support refugees or others affected by the war can have one open US$25,000 grant.
- Districts can either use these grants in their own areas or work with clubs in Ukraine and the bordering countries to support relief efforts that will be implemented in those locations.
For grants to support Pakistan, the district governor and district Rotary Foundation chair will need to complete the Rotary Disaster Response Grant Application and send it to grants@rotary.org.
Also note that for disaster response grants related to Pakistan:
- Districts 3271 and 3272 (Pakistan) can have up to two open disaster response grants simultaneously of up to US$50,000 each.