DISTRICT ROTARY
FOUNDATION SEMINAR
LEADER’S GUIDE
The District Rotary Foundation Seminar Leader’s Guide (formerly the
District Rotary Foundation Seminar Manual) is an editable tool created
for the district training committee and the district Rotary Foundation
committee, which conduct the seminar. All session guides and PowerPoint
slide presentations are included in the compressed folder. You are not required to offer all of the sessions included in the compressed folder for the
seminar, as you will see on the sample agenda below. The slide presentations contain speaking points in the notes section of each slide. We encourage you to tailor the format of each session to meet your needs.
Purpose
This seminar outlines the Foundation’s programs and policies and
emphasizes the benefits of involvement in Rotary Foundation grants and
activities. Your attendees can get answers to their Foundation questions
and updates on any policy changes and goals for the year. The seminar also
offers an opportunity to recognize individuals and clubs for outstanding
Foundation contributions.
While all Rotarians should be encouraged to attend, your target audience
especially includes club presidents, club presidents-elect, club Rotary
Foundation committee chairs and members, new district leaders, and new
members.
The goals of the seminar include:




Increasing financial support for Rotary Foundation grants and activities
Encouraging clubs to establish Rotary Foundation committees
Giving club leaders the tools and training they need to motivate
members to support The Rotary Foundation
Exchanging ideas about district activities
Convening and planning the seminar
The district governor can convene the meeting or delegate that
responsibility to the district Rotary Foundation committee. The committee
develops the seminar’s content along with the district training committee,
which can also assist with planning, promotion, logistics, and the
preparation of training leaders. Consider asking a regional Rotary
Foundation coordinator to serve as an adviser or keynote speaker.
Scheduling
Your district Rotary Foundation seminar should be held between July and
November. This timing allows your participants to use what they’ve learned
so far during the Rotary year and helps you achieve your district’s goals
before the end of the Rotary year.
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Sessions
A needs assessment will help you determine which topics to include in your
training. Your district Rotary Foundation committee may also require that
you cover certain topics.
Each session guide suggests using the training format — for example, panel
discussion or workshop — that best suits the topic. Some session guides
provide multiple activities to choose from.
Be sure to include local examples, questions, and laws that are relevant to
your participants’ situation. Adapt any of the sessions’ worksheets using
local examples if that will enhance your participants’ learning experience.
This leader’s guide covers the following recommended topics:

PolioPlus (panel)

Rotary Peace Centers (self-led round tables)

District Grants (workshop)

Global Grants (idea exchange)

Areas of Focus (workshop)

Scholarships (self-led round tables)

Vocational Training Teams (idea exchange)

Foundation Funding and the SHARE System (workshop)

Fundraising (workshop)

Stewardship and Qualification (panel)

Alumni Relations (idea exchange)

Recognition (speedmeet)
We’ve included session guides and slide presentations for each of these
topics except PolioPlus, for which there is a session guide but no
presentation. For an up-to-date PolioPlus presentation, contact PolioPlus
program staff at +1-847-866-3305 or polioplus@rotary.org.
Training on grant management and qualification is covered in the district
grant management seminar. Consider holding it in conjunction with the
district Rotary Foundation seminar.
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Agenda
When planning your agenda, you can use the sample below as a starting
point. Review the list of sessions to decide which topics to cover during
your seminar. See the sample agenda below that shows topics for a
suggested event. You are not required to offer all of the sessions. Be sure to
consider the number of participants, number of trainers, and the venue
size.
You may also consider holding separate sessions for club Rotary
Foundation committee chairs or offering concurrent sessions on multiple
Foundation topics.
SAMPLE AGENDA
SUGGESTE
FINIS D MINIMUM
START H
DURATION DISTRICT ROTARY FOUNDATION SEMINAR
30 min.
Registration
60 min.
Opening Plenary Session
• Announcements
• District Foundation accomplishments
• General Rotary Foundation update
• Goals for the year

15 min.
Break
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
60 min.
Session 1a:
District Grants
Session 1b:
Stewardship and
Qualification
10 min.
Transition to next session
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
60 min.
Session 2a:
Global Grants
60 min.
Lunch
Session 2b:
Fundraising
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Recognition of Rotary Foundation donors
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
60 min.
Session 3a:
Foundation Funding
and the SHARE
System
Session 3b:
Rotary Peace Centers
10 min.
Transition to Closing Plenary Session
30 min.
Closing Plenary Session
• Call to action
• Thanks for participation
• Evaluation
Sessions can be lengthened if necessary and if the agenda allows. Your
trainers should plan the sessions carefully, allotting enough time to cover
all of the content for each session. Since participants’ experience levels and
familiarity with the content differ, you might consider hosting two versions
of the Global Grants session, one for beginners and one for those with
advanced knowledge.
Session formats
Various session formats are suggested, depending on the topic. The table
below describes each format.
Idea exchange
Idea exchanges work best when participants have
experience with the topic. A training leader
facilitates discussion, ensuring that all
participants have a turn to speak and that no one
dominates the conversation. The trainer can
include an activity at the end of the session so
participants can apply the ideas discussed. Idea
exchanges work best when seating is arranged in
a U shape.
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Workshop
Workshops work best when the objective is to
teach participants a skill by having them practice
it, or to give them new understanding through an
engaging activity. Workshops should be led by
experts and require a room configuration that
allows for group collaboration and space for the
facilitator to circulate among participants.
Panels work best when the objective is to convey
information through personal stories, expert-led
demonstrations, or visual presentations. The
room should be arranged with a table at the front
for panelists, theater seating for the audience, and
any needed audiovisual equipment.
Panel
Speedmeet
Speedmeet sessions allow for a series of timed
one-on-one conversations in which participants
share ideas and network. The room can be
configured in a U shape or with a line of tables
with chairs on each side.
Self-led round
tables
Self-led round tables are directed by the
participants themselves, and they work best when
the objective is to offer participants time to
network, share successful approaches, discuss
topics they’ve chosen, and generate ideas for joint
projects.
Plenary
Plenary sessions work best when the objective is
ses to motivate and inspire participants or to provide
sio new information or updates on a topic relevant to
n
a large audience. Plenary sessions often feature
multimedia presentations for added impact. The
room is usually arranged with a stage and a large
screen for visual presentations and with theater
seating to accommodate
a large group.
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Slides
We’ve provided PowerPoint slides for each of the sessions. Use them as a
starting point for developing your training sessions. Using photos or other
visual aids can help participants relate to the content. Consider adding local
photos and examples to the slides to make them more relevant for your
participants.
Important note: Make sure to have trainers cover all slide content,
including the slide notes; they contain key messages, discussion questions,
and other important information.
Publications for participants
We recommend the following Foundation publications for use at your
district Rotary Foundation seminar. Most of them are free. Consider
displaying the materials at an information table. A general rule is to order
one publication for every four participants.
Items with catalog numbers can be ordered online (shop.rotary.org) or by
email (shop.rotary@rotary.org) from Publications Order Services at RI
World Headquarters (phone: +1-847-866-4600; fax: +1-847-866-3276), or
from the RI international office that serves your area. Allow at least six
weeks for processing and delivery. Many publications can be downloaded
from Rotary’s Document Center.
General information:
 Rotary Foundation Facts (159)
 Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation Annual Report (187)
 Rotary Foundation Goals (208)
 The Rotary Foundation Reference Guide (219)
Rotary Foundation programs:
 Rotary Peace Fellowships brochure (084)
 PolioPlus Advocacy Toolkit
Fund development:
 Life Income Gifts (109)
 Ways to Give (173)
 Donor Advised Fund brochure (382 — U.S. Only)
 Every Rotarian, Every Year brochure (957)
 Doing Good in the World DVD (978)
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 Every Rotarian, Every Year Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member
badge
stickers (956)
Evaluations
We’ve included sample evaluation forms for participants and trainers in
this guide; encourage both participants and trainers to complete
evaluations for the sessions they attend or lead.
Getting started
After reviewing this guide, determine who your training leaders will be.
Find experts to lead the sessions and provide them with the session guides
and slides in advance to allow sufficient time for planning.
Comments?
If you have questions or comments about this leader’s guide, contact:
Learning and Development Team
Rotary International
One Rotary Center
1560 Sherman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201-3698 USA
Email: learn@rotary.org
Phone: +1-847-866-3000
Fax: +1-847-866-9446
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