OUR FOUNDATION

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Dear Rotarians,
Dear Rotaractors  

What is the Rotary Foundation? Let us take a moment to reflect on it.

An expensive organization? Money being collected without clear purpose or visibility send to the United States without transparent purpose? Or: “We submitted a project ten years ago… it was rejected, and since then we stopped contributing.”

We have all heard these statements. They reflect experience, sometimes frustration, but also the need for better understanding and support.

Rotary is built on two complementary pillars.

  • Rotary International brings together clubs and members.

  • The Rotary Foundation provides the means to act.

The Foundation is not distant. It is a tool serving clubs directly.

Everything starts locally. A need. An idea. A willingness to act.

  • Supporting the elderly

  • Creating youth projects

  • Helping people with disabilities

District Grants quickly turn ideas into action.

For larger projects, the Foundation enables scale through structured international collaboration.

Not all projects are approved. The key is to understand and improve. The Foundation is a partner.

District coordinators support clubs in structuring and strengthening their projects.

Its impact is tangible, including the global fight against Polio.

Its impact is also felt close to home. In Switzerland, the Districts Fondation plays a key role.
I have seen this firsthand in Crans-Montana, where efficiency, responsiveness, and coordination come together to deliver concrete results.
It enables swift and effective action in emergency situations, such as the floods of summer 2025, Blatten, and, as mentioned, in Crans-Montana.

It also offers tax advantages for contributions.

Ultimately, this is what the Rotary Foundation represents:

• Bringing people together
• Providing a reliable framework
• Amplifying impact

It strengthens club engagement. The future depends on us. Continue building projects, leveraging resources, and working together.

I trust these reflections have sharpened our understanding of the Foundation’s role, and that we will continue to stand behind this powerful instrument in creating tangible impact.

Best regards. 

Jouni K. Heinonen
Governor 2025-2026

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From left: Pascale Kuntzer, Deputy Governor Jouni Heinonen, Governor Loïs Auberson, President of RC Neuchâtel - Vieille-Thielle.