Most of you probably know that anyone who gives at least $10,000 to The Rotary Foundation is recognized as a Major Donor. There are different levels of Major Donor recognition based on a person’s contributions.

I have had some questions about what donations count toward Major Donor status when you give money to The Rotary Foundation. Some people seem to think that only their donations to the Annual Fund count.

Here’s some clarification: Any donation to The Rotary Foundation by a Rotarian or any other individual counts toward his/her individual giving record and will be credited toward Major Donor status. This includes donations to The Annual Fund, PolioPlus, Peace Programs, or a specified donation to one of the seven areas of focus.

It is also true that a new cash donation you make to recognize another person can make someone a Paul Harris Fellow counts toward your personal Foundation Account, but does not count to the recognized person’s Foundation account. A person only receives credit toward Major Donor status for their own donation to their personal account. 

Hopefully this helps you understand how donations are recorded in your Rotary Foundation account and count toward Major Donor status. You can ask your club Foundation chair to check your balance or sign into My Rotary at www.rotary.org to see where you stand and make additional contributions.