The Rotary Foundation

Past District Governor Jim Louttit and advisor on The Rotary Foundation/Endowment/Major Gifts for District 7070 was welcomed by Past President Darrell Smith.  As a way of introduction, Jim is the President of JVL Global Corp, a financial services consulting company specializing in community development and microfinance.  Prior to starting his own consulting company in 2012, he worked for the Bank of Nova Scotia with much of his work in their International Banking Division where he lived and worked in Central and South America for seven years serving in Executive roles.

 

Jim became a Rotarian in early 2005 as a founding member and Second Vice-President of the Rotary Club of Lima Sunrise in District 4450.  After leaving Peru in 2007 to return to Canada, he joined Toronto Sunrise in District 7070 serving as President in 2010-11.  He also served as District Governor in 2016-17 and remains active in the District's Foundation, Governance and Membership Committees. In 2021-22, Jim became an Adviser for the Community Economic Development Major Gifts Initiative (CED-MGI) Committee and will serve in this role until June 2024.   He is the Past Chair of the Rotary Action Group Chairs Council serving in this role for the Rotary years 2019-20 and 2020-21.  He is also a Past President of the Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development (RAGCED) and a past Chair of their Advisory Board.  Jim is also a member of the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG); the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Rotary Action Group (WASHRAG); and the Rotary Action Group for Peace (RAGFP) as well as a member of the International Fellowship of Motorcycling Rotarians (IFMR) and IT Professionals Forum Rotary Fellowship.  He is a member of the Paul Harris Society, Bequest Society, and is a Major Donor.

 

It was the 6th President of Rotary International in 1916, Arch C. Klumph who suggested Rotary start an endowment fund to do good in the world.  The Rotary Foundation became formalized in 1928 with an investment of $26.50 U.S. and today it is worth more than one billion dollars.  For the 15th consecutive year, the Rotary Foundation has been recognized by Charity Navigator as a Four Star Charity that encourages people to give with confidence based on the organization's financial health including measures of stability, efficiency and sustainability.  Also tracked is accountability and transparency policies to ensure the good governance and integrity of the organization.  Quite an achievement!

 

Through Rotary's "doing good in the world", the worldwide eradication of polio has been made possible, through Rotary's Peace Center Program Peace Building has been achieved, and both global and district grants have included humanitarian projects, scholarships and vocational training teams.  A Masters degree program and professional development certificate program has provided on-line and classroom education around the world through the Peace Centers and each year, 1600 program alumni are working on peace and development in more than 140 countries.

 

Global Grant Funding for Rotary Year 2014 through to 2023 has been broken down as follows:

Rotary's Disaster Response Fund has approved 375 grant applications since COVID, over $17 million dollars with 300 Districts involved.  Donating to the Rotary Foundation through annual giving ensures help and support today continues.  This giving is the life blood of the Foundation.  Long-term planning through an endowment fund is also available to provide support forever.  Directing your gift to what matters most to you was one of the top reasons the Rotary Foundation is flourishing.  A person can donate to one foundation with many option.  A major donor is one who gifts $10,000 or more U.S. and an Arch Klumph Society donor is one who gifts $250,000 or more U.S.

 

And to quote Arch C. Klumph we should not live for ourselves alone, but for the joy in doing good for others.