Service Above Self
Become a visible community force to support organizations that demonstrate commitment to service above self, help young people and families in need, improve quality of life and foster a strong partnership with the greater Dayton region
Provide leadership to leverage the Foundation’s resources as an expression of service to the Dayton region and commitment for the Rotary Club of Dayton
The Dayton Rotary Club Foundation was formed by members of Dayton Rotary in 1954 by converting remaining funds ($16,517.00) from an old Dayton Rotary Student Loan Fund.
The Foundation is a separate entity from the Club, governed by a board of Trustees elected by the Club. As the philanthropic arm of the Rotary Club of Dayton, The Foundation awards grants quarterly to qualified nonprofits in the Miami Valley.
The Foundation is governed by nine Trustees who are elected by the general membership of the Rotary Club of Dayton. Trustees serve three year terms on a rotating basis, with one-third of the Trustees being elected annually. In addition, the President and President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Dayton are ex-officio Trustees. A Trustee is eligible for two consecutive elected full terms. Vacancies between elections may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining Trustees.
Contributions to the Foundation can be designated between the Current Fund or the Endowment Fund. All gifts are tax deductible.
UNDESIGNATED gifts go into the Current Fund and are used in their entirety for local community projects. Day Tens, Birthday and Holi-Day $50 proceeds go into the Current Fund.
DONOR DESIGNATED gifts can go into the Endowment Fund which was begun in 1976 with a bequest from James R. Woodhull. In this case, only the interest is used for community projects. This interest grows annually as more gifts are designated to the Endowment Fund.
The Endowment is managed by the Dayton Foundation, which invests the assets and sends annual income to the Dayton Rotary Club Foundation for use in community projects. The Endowment is presently in excess of $500,000.00.
The Dayton Rotary Foundation funding priority is to support proactive and meaningful programs and activities that meet the community needs in the Greater Dayton Region.
Basic Grant information:
Applications and accompanying documents should be submitted via email to contact@daytonrotary.com
East End Community Services & Omega CDC Each Receive $5,000 The Rotary Club of Dayton Foundation awarded two $5,000 special grants yesterday to two incredible
*Special grants
Contributions of $1,000 (or more) to the Rotary International Foundation result in the designation of Paul Harris Fellow. Rotary International uses these donations to fund all the humanitarian and educational programs around the world. The $1,000 amount does not need to be paid in full, but can be paid in “installments” of $100 (or more) per year. In that case the Rotarian will be designated as a sustaining member – Paul Harris Fellow. As a matter of fact Rotary International promotes annual giving to the RI foundation with the slogan “Every Rotarian Every Year.”
The William S. Anderson Fellowship was established in 2007 to support Club International Projects (most recently supported the Kenya Project with the Maji Mazuri Center with the end goal of getting orphans out of the slums of Nairobi and Borehole Projects in Nigeria). The International Committee continues to research new potential projects and is working on developing one in Ecuador at this time. The fellowship is completed with a gift of $1,000 can be given at one time or paid over a period of time.
In 1976, J. R. Woodhull made a generous bequest to the Dayton Rotary Foundation. Since then, the Dayton Rotary has established the J.R. Woodhull Fellowship. A contribution of $1,000 (either as a lump sum or in installments over time) earns Rotarians a J.R. Woodhull Fellowship. The monies donated towards the J.R. Woodhull Fellowship are deposited in the Dayton Rotary Foundation Endowment. The interest revenues from this Endowment are used to fund local service projects. Currently, the Dayton Rotary Foundation Endowment contains approximately $600,000.
The Thomas J. Lasley Education Fellowship was established in 2016 to support the Rotary Club of Dayton’s education initiatives. The initiatives must have significant and direct involvement by Rotary Club of Dayton members and be of a size and scope that exceeds the funding capabilities of the Club’s annual operating budget. Education initiatives and funding requests must be approved by the Rotary Club of Dayton’s Board of Trustees. The fellowship is completed with a gift of $1,000 that can be given at one time or paid over a period of time.
Cathy Ponitz, President
Sue Taylor, Vice President
Matt Jessup, Treasurer
Rick Thie, Secretary
Class of 2025 – 2026
Cindy Garner
John Lyman
Cathy Ponitz
Class of 2026 – 2027
Matt Jessup
Laura Roesch
Sue Taylor
Class of 2027 – 2028
Scott Kayser
Brian Martin
Rick Thie
EIN # 23-7075054
