By N. Bhaskaran Pillai, 2024-25 Foundation Chair, Rotary Club of Kalamassery, India
Recently, I shared my final message as Foundation chair with our members, expressing heartfelt thanks for their valuable contributions to The Rotary Foundation, and extending a final appeal.
I accepted the role gladly, determined to give it my best. I strongly feel every Rotary member should be familiar with our Foundation, and visit it regularly – not physically of course, but through their contributions and involvement.
There are so many reasons to support the Foundation. For starters, Rotary’s historic initiative to eradicate polio – a cause for which The Wall Street Journal once declared Rotary deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize. Contributions have increased to the Foundation even as membership has remained static. This sends a clear message that members believe in the mission, transparency, and unmatched value of their Foundation. Year after year, per capita giving has increased, showing growing trust and admiration.
As part of my preparation for my role, I revisited our club’s giving over the last decade. What stood out to me was that in two previous years we had achieved 100% member participation and earned the Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) recognition. I decided to aim for a third.
But there was a challenge: last year only six members contributed to the Foundation, down from 12 the previous year. I sensed it wasn’t due to apathy, but a lack of awareness about the Foundation’s true value. So, I began sharing short, informative messages in our club’s WhatsApp group. I created tailored mailers – always careful to emphasize that donations are voluntary, not mandatory.
That created some results, but I wanted more. I moved to Plan B: Ask, Seek, Knock.
This approach has always worked wonders in Rotary in both membership development and Foundation giving. There are many examples of people who, when asked why they hadn’t joined Rotary before, say it’s because they weren’t asked. The same logic applies to Foundation giving. Rotary asked the Gates Foundation for support of our efforts to eradicate polio. Impressed by our commitment, the Gates Foundation has increased its support over time, now matching every dollar Rotary raises with two dollars up to a combined total of $150 million a year.
So, I began asking people in my club one-by-one to give. And the response was heartening. Contributions began to trickle in. By June, we had crossed our target – over $7,000 from 35 active members. Every member gave at least $25, with an average of $100 in Annual Fund contributions fulfilling the criteria for EREY once again. I especially want to thank Dr. Anantha Narayanan, whose generous and consistent support gave a strong push to our efforts.
It’s worth noting that the Foundation ranked 51st in Forbes’ list of top 100 charities in the USA in 2024. Slightly above, at 39th, was Easter Seals, a charity founded by a Rotarian. Imagine the transformation if every Rotary club achieved EREY and the resulting ability to empower more life-changing projects and strengthen Rotary’s global humanitarian impact.
In closing, I encourage you, if you are a club leader seeking to increase giving: Ask, Seek, and Knock. In knocking, the doors of generosity and goodwill open wide. Let’s keep those doors open.
https://blog.rotary.org/2025/07/22/the-power-of-asking-seeking-and-knocking/