Foundation Note - August 8, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Foundation Note: Summary of D7910 contributions to Rotary Foundation funds in '15-16
 
By Sanjay Deshpande
 
Our 51 Rotary clubs were quite generous in their contributions to The Rotary Foundation funds during Immediate Past District Governor Jim Fusco’s 2015-2016 term, having contributed a total of $293,705. That averages $196 per member for the 1,498 members in the district at the start of the last Rotary year, on July 1, 2015. Compared to the prior year, total contributions were up 7 percent and per capita contribution was up 12.5 percent.
 
The District Foundation Committee thanks all the contributing clubs for their generosity and will strive to encourage all of the clubs in the district to contribute to at least one Foundation fund in 2016-2017. The table below shows D7910 contributions in '15-'16 to the different Rotary Foundation funds.
 
 
 
Table 1. D7910 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ROTARY FOUNDATION FUNDS IN 2015-16
 
Fund
2015-16
2014-15
Change %
Annual Fund - SHARE
$195,195
$207,574
-6.0%
Annual Fund - All Other
$2,050
$2,459
-16.6%
Polio Plus
$34,280
$16,065
113.4%
Global Grants
$62,130
$26,818
131.7%
Endowment Fund
$50
$21,505
-99.8%
Total
$293,705
$274,421
7.0%
Members at the start of the year
1,498
1575
-4.9%
Per Capita Contribution
$196
$174
12.5%
 
The giving in '15-'16 had marked improvements in contributions to PolioPlus and Global Grants. The credit for the doubling (and more) of PolioPlus contributions goes to District PolioPlus Committee Chair Carl Good’s concerted efforts in persuading 39 clubs to contribute to the eradication of polio compared with 19 clubs in the prior year.
 
The 131.7 percent increase in contribution to Global Grants resulted from then-District Grant Subcommittee Chair Ralph Hammond’s ability to get clubs to have five Global Grants approved through the Rotary Foundation during the year.
 
Top 10 Foundation Giving Lists
 
The Rotary Foundation practices Banner Recognition of club contributions in four categories. The first category is Contribution to Annual Fund, with Banners awarded to the top three clubs. The District Foundation Committee recognizes these Top 10 clubs in Annual Fund Contributions.
 
Table 2. 2015-16 RANKINGS: ANNUAL FUND GIVING
 
 
 
Per Capita Giving
 
Club ID
Club Name
1-July Members
Annual Fund
Rank
 
6554
Bedford
32
$375.78
1
 
84343
Nashoba Valley
31
$372.42
2
 
6550
Acton-Boxborough
29
$305.17
3
 
6596
Wachusett Area
33
$299.70
4
 
6568
Gardner
18
$223.61
5
 
6594
Wellesley
35
$201.43
6
 
6565
Fitchburg East
23
$200.00
7
 
6553
Ayer
30
$195.50
8
 
56352
Neponset Valley Sunrise
22
$174.55
9
 
6572
Littleton
31
$170.97
10
 
 
It should be noted that 34 of the 51 clubs had per-capita Annual Fund contributions of $100 or more.
 
The second Banner Recognition is for contributions to all of the Rotary Foundation's funds on a per-capita basis. The following are Top 10 clubs in contribution to all TRF funds are shown in the table below.
 
Table 3. 2015-16 RANKINGS: GIVING TO ALL TRF FUNDS
 
 
 
Per Capita Giving
Club ID
Club Name
1-July Members
Annual Fund
Rank
6571
Leominster
15
$651.80
1
6597
Westford
34
$624.48
2
6553
Ayer
30
$557.73
3
21824
Montachusett Area
26
$538.58
4
84343
Nashoba Valley
31
$489.52
5
6554
Bedford
32
$397.66
6
6550
Acton-Boxborough
29
$356.94
7
6596
Wachusett Area
33
$334.79
8
6601
Worcester
91
$320.24
9
6568
Gardner
18
$223.61
10
 
It should be noted that per-capita giving of $400 or more is among the highest in the world - perhaps in the top 5 percent.
 
The third Banner Recognition is for clubs in which every Rotarian among current members has made a contribution to the Rotary Foundation's funds. The following are the Top 10 clubs that have achieved high "every Rotarian, every year" (EREY) standing.
 
Table 4. 2015-16 RANKINGS: EREY STANDINGS AND BANNERS
 
 
TRF Giving Percentage and EREY Banners
Club ID
Club Name
Current Members
TRF Giving Members
%
TRF Giving
TRF Giving Banner
6601
Worcester
80
80
100%
Y
6557
Brookline
36
36
100%
Y
6596
Wachusett Area
31
31
100%
Y
6572
Littleton
29
29
100%
Y
6579
Needham
29
29
100%
Y
6570
Hudson
27
27
100%
Y
84343
Nashoba Valley
27
27
100%
Y
6573
Lowell
26
26
100%
Y
6597
Westford
24
24
100%
Y
6550
Acton-Boxborough
23
23
100%
Y
 
It is pointed out that 21 of the 51 clubs in the district achieved 100-percent EREY standing in '14-'15.
 
The fourth Banner Recognition is for all members in a club achieving Sustaining Members status, which means that they gave at least $100 to the Rotary Foundation's funds during the year. The Top 10 Clubs that achieved a high standing in Rotary Foundation giving at the Sustaining Member level are shown in the table below. Note that seven clubs achieved 100-percent Sustaining Members status, which is really commendable. Three of the Top 10 clubs got close to the 100-percent level.
 
Table 5. 2015-16 SUSTAINING MEMBERS DATA
 
 
Sustaining Members (>$100 each)
Club ID
Club Name
Current Members
Sustaining Members
%
100% Banner
6557
Brookline
36
36
100%
Y
6572
Littleton
29
29
100%
Y
6579
Needham
29
29
100%
Y
6573
Lowell
26
26
100%
Y
6555
Billerica
17
17
100%
Y
22494
Charles River
13
13
100%
Y
23444
Merrimack Valley Area
9
9
100%
Y
6577
Milford
24
23
96%
 
6550
Acton-Boxborough
23
21
91%
 
6596
Wachusett Area
31
27
87%
 
 
A close look at the Top 10 lists shows that two clubs are on all four lists: Acton-Boxborough and Wachusett Area.  Two other clubs – Littleton and Nashoba Valley – are on three Top 10 lists.  Eight clubs on two Top 10 lists are Ayer, Bedford, Brookline, Gardner, Lowell, Needham, Westford and Worcester. Ten other clubs that made it to at least one Top 10 list are Billerica, Charles River, Fitchburg East, Hudson, Leominster, Merrimack Valley, Milford, Montachusett Area, Neponset Valley and Wellesley. In all, there are 22 clubs that made it to the four Top 10 lists.
 
Once again, thank you all for your generosity in '16-'17 in contributing to the Rotary Foundation and thus helping it carry out its mission of "doing good in the world."
 
If you have any questions, please contact District Grants Subcommittee Chair Jorge Yarzebski at yj.rotary@gmail.com, or me, District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair Sanjay Deshpande, at sanjdesh51@aol.com.
 
For the Foundation Notes archive, click here
 
 
 
 
Learn more about District 7910 Foundation Grants: