The ultimate objectives of The Rotary Foun-
dation and RAWCS is to facilitate Rotarians
to do humanitarian work in the world.
TRF and RAWCS, the importance of working to-
gether to achieve the best outcome.
All the different facets of Rotary can get confusing.
What is the difference between The Rotary Foun-
dation (TRF) and Rotary Australia World Commu-
nity Service (RAWCS).
The ultimate objectives of The Rotary Foundation
and RAWCS are similar – to facilitate Rotarians to
do humanitarian work in the world – however,
they operate in very different ways and at differ-
ent levels. TRF receives donations primarily from
clubs and Rotarians, and then distributes the
funds to Rotarians for projects via global and dis-
trict grants. They also provide scholarships and
fund the polio program, Rotary’s major project,
which is changing the world forever.
5
RAWCS, by contrast, is a financial infrastruc-
ture system for Rotarians to use, allowing the
raising of funds for their projects via tax de-
ductible donations. RAWCS could be likened
to a trust account, where the funds are held
for many clubs and districts. These funds are
then directed to projects, which can be over-
seas or in Australia.
Clubs prefer to use the RAWCS infrastructure
as opposed to their bank account, for exam-
ple, because RAWCS reviews and assists with
project plans and handles all the regulatory
requirements – (there are a lot of them).
Rotary clubs and districts not acting in accord-
ance with the latest requirements can quickly
come unstuck. By using RAWCS’s infrastruc-
ture, clubs and districts very much minimise
their risk around fundraising and manage-
ment.
Many joint projects between TRF and RAWCS
have already been undertaken. However,
huge potential remains for Rotarians with skill
and application to design even more projects
using the financial attributes of each organisa-
tion to maximise benefits for beneficiaries.
The growth in RAWCS has not been at the
cost of the Foundation as RAWCS, to its cred-
it, has tapped into the corporate and private
ancillary fund sector for some of its funds.