The Rotary Foundation

It was all Arch Klumph’s idea.  As RI President in 1917, he told delegates to the Atlanta convention, “Carrying on as we are, a miscellaneous community service, it seems entirely proper that we should accept endowments for the purpose of doing good in the world.”  It was hardly a stirring call to action or a motivational moment for those present.  But it was the first pebble in what would later become a landslide of support that would improve millions of lives.

Although the idea was accepted and endorsed by Rotary, it wasn’t until the death of Paul Harris in 1947, when Rotary International asked individuals and Clubs wishing to honour the founder to make gifts in his name to the Rotary foundation, that Arch Klumph’s vision was finally realised.  Money poured in from all over the world and the foundation granted 18 Rotary Foundation Fellowships – later called Ambassadorial Scholarships – for one year’s university study abroad.

By 1948 contributions had exceeded US$1,775,000.  In 1954 contributions reached US$500,000 in a single year allowing the Foundation to award 494 Ambassadorial Scholarships to young men and women from 57 countries.  In 1957 the Foundation Trustees announced the creation of Paul Harris Fellowships for any one who contributed or had contributed on their behalf US$1,000 to the Foundation.