Guide For District Rotaract Representatives
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Guide For District
Rotaract Representatives
2800-EN—(313)
CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Overview
Your Role and Responsibilities
District Organization and Rotaract
Continuity of District Leadership
Working with Sponsor Rotary Clubs
District Inventory
Chapter 2: Communications
Developing a District Newsletter
Social Media
Public Relations
Chapter 3: Membership
Helping to Start New Rotaract Clubs
Growing Club Membership
Leading Rotaractors into Rotary
Chapter 4: Service
Helping Clubs Plan and Implement Service Projects
Leading a Districtwide Project
Chapter 5: Meetings, Training, and Events
District Meetings
Multidistrict Meetings, Activities, and Organizations
International Events
Chapter 6: Finance
District Finance Committee
District Rotaract Service Fund
The information in the 2013 edition of the Guide for District Rotaract Representatives is based on the
Rotary Code of Policies and the Standard Rotaract Club Constitution and Bylaws. Changes to those
documents by the RI Board of Directors override material referenced in this guide.
Submit questions or comments to:
New Generations Department
Rotary International
One Rotary Center
1560 Sherman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201-3698 USA
Email: rotaract@rotary.org
Phone: +1-847-866-3315
2800-EN—(313)
1 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW
YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Congratulations on becoming a district Rotaract representative. The Rotaractors
in your district have selected you to represent them because you are a proven
leader: You are able to plan, attain goals, build strong relationships, and inspire
others. It’s your role as a representative to demonstrate these leadership
qualities and use them to advance the Rotaract program in your district.
Role
As an experienced Rotaractor, you are familiar with the mission of Rotary. But
how does your new position support that mission? You serve as an ambassador
for the Rotaract program, a conduit of information between fellow members and
Rotarians, and a leader and resource for club ofcers in your district.
Responsibilities
As district Rotaract representative, you also:
• Represent all Rotaractors in the district
• Communicate with the Rotary district governor and district Rotaract
committee chair
• Co-chair the district Rotaract committee
• Bring clubs together for service and fellowship
• Promote Rotaract to Rotary clubs and to the community
In addition to these duties, RI policy outlines these tasks for district Rotaract
representatives:
1. Develop and distribute a district Rotaract newsletter
2. Plan, arrange, and hold a district Rotaract conference
3. Encourage Rotaractors to participate in the Rotary district conference
4. Conduct Rotaract promotion and extension activities
5. Provide guidance to Rotaract clubs to carry out successful projects
6. Coordinate joint Rotary-Rotaract activities in the district
7. Orchestrate public relations activities at the district level
8. Organize a training session for Rotaract club ofcers in the district
During your term, use this guide as a companion resource to the Rotaract
Handbook, the Standard Rotary Club Constitution and Bylaws, and the
Rotaract Statement of Policy. Find updated versions of these documents
at www.rotary.org.
2 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
DISTRICT ORGANIZATION AND ROTARACT
District Rotaract committee structure
District governor
Each Rotary district is led by a governor, an elected Rotarian who serves as
an ofcer of Rotary International, represents the RI Board of Directors, and is
responsible for all programs in the district. The governor appoints a district
Rotaract committee to provide guidance on the program.
District Rotaract representative
The district Rotaract representative is a Rotaractor elected by the Rotaract clubs
in the district. To be eligible, a Rotaractor must complete one year as a Rotaract
club president or member of the district Rotaract committee. If there is only
one Rotaract club in the district, the representative is the most recent and
available past Rotaract club president, or current president if the club is recently
organized. The representative co-chairs the district Rotaract committee and is
the liaison between the Rotaract clubs and the district.
District Rotaract chair
The district Rotaract chair, a Rotarian appointed by the district governor, is your
primary Rotarian counterpart in matters concerning the Rotaract program.
Together, you will provide guidance and leadership to committee members and
the district’s Rotaract clubs.
MEMBERS
EQUAL NUMBER OF ROTARIANS AND ROTARACTORS
DISTRICT GOVERNOR
DISTRICT ROTARACT COMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS
DISTRICT ROTARACT CHAIR (ROTARIAN)
DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVE (ROTARACTOR)
3 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
District Rotaract committee
This committee is composed of equal numbers of Rotarians and Rotaractors.
You and the Rotarian committee chair serve as co-chairs, to ensure that the
committee supports both the Rotary and Rotaract clubs of the district. The
committee helps the governor publicize and administer the Rotaract program and
create new clubs. It also advances effective club practices and sustainable service
projects, develops relationships between Rotaract clubs and their sponsor Rotary
clubs, and plans districtwide projects, events, and training sessions for incoming
Rotaract club ofcers and the district Rotaract representative.
CONTINUITY OF DISTRICT LEADERSHIP
To maintain continuity in the district, you should work with
both your predecessor and your successor to ensure that
the Rotaract program achieves district goals. Begin laying
the groundwork for your term as soon as you are appointed.
District governors are encouraged to appoint one or more
members of the district Rotaract committee to a second
term to promote continuity on the committee.
ELECTION DISPUTES
All disputes about the election
of the district Rotaract
representative should be
resolved locally, in consultation
with the district governor and
district Rotaract chair. Rotary
International will not intervene.
District Rotaract chairs and
representatives can help
Rotaract clubs develop
strong relationships with
their sponsor Rotary clubs
and help them establish
personal contacts with
Rotary club members.
WORKING WITH SPONSOR
ROTARY CLUBS
As an ambassador for Rotaract, you create opportunities for Rotary clubs to
collaborate with Rotaractors on projects, events, and fundraising initiatives.
When working with sponsor clubs, highlight how the skills, energy, and talent of
Rotaractors can inspire Rotarians.
Some Rotarians may be unfamiliar with Rotaract. As
representative, you help communicate to Rotarians the
benets of working with Rotaractors. Explain how the
experiences and insights that young people gain from
participating in Rotaract help prepare them to become
successful Rotarians.
Rotaractors can energize Rotarians by
• Sharing successful Rotaractor-led fundraising and
service projects
• Offering communications and social networking
support to help Rotary clubs promote their service
projects and signature events
• Holding a workshop on club diversity, global citizenship, or innovative
service projects
4 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
Rotarians can mentor Rotaractors by
• Establishing one-on-one relationships in which experienced Rotarians
share job and career skills with Rotaractors in their elds
• Sharing Rotary club practices to recruit and retain members, plan service
and fundraising projects
• Planning events to recognize Rotaractors as they graduate from college or
receive professional recognition
By facilitating effective communication and encouraging active engagement
between Rotaract clubs and their sponsor clubs, you help your district achieve
Rotary’s vision of a diverse, dynamic, and global network of service.
DISTRICT INVENTORY
In order to begin setting goals for your Rotaract district, complete this worksheet
to assess what the clubs in your district are doing.
Use the previous year as a reference.
1. Total number of Rotaract clubs:
2. Total number of Rotaractors:
3. Total number of university-based clubs:
4. Total number of community-based clubs:
5. Net membership growth from previous year in existing Rotaract clubs:
6. Number of new clubs formed:
7. Number of Rotaractors who attended district meetings:
8. Names of clubs that did not participate in district meetings:
9. Number of clubs undertaking
a) Community service projects:
b) International service projects:
c) Professional development activities:
d) Leadership development activities:
10. Number of clubs participating in
a) World Rotaract Week:
b) RI Recognition of Outstanding Rotaract Project:
c) Rotaract Presidential Citation:
11. Number of multiclub projects in the district:
5 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
CHAPTER 2: COMMUNICATIONS
DEVELOPING A DISTRICT NEWSLETTER
A district Rotaract newsletter is an effective way to communicate with club
members and Rotarians. It enables you to call attention to important Rotaract
projects, share updates from RI with Rotaract club leaders, and inspire Rotarians.
Although you are ultimately responsible for producing the newsletter, the writing
and editing can be delegated to members of the district Rotaract committee.
Content
Beyond informing readers what’s happening locally and internationally, each
newsletter provides an opportunity to recognize Rotaractors’ accomplishments
in service, fundraising, and promoting international understanding. Try a few of
these ideas to inform, inspire, and recognize your readers:
• Provide links to local news stories that mention Rotaract activities or
members.
• Share relevant news and updates from the RI website, other RI media,
or club and district sources.
• Promote community and international service projects led or supported
by Rotaractors.
• Ask Rotaract clubs to share their stories by sending club bulletins,
forwarding emails, or sharing social networking sites.
• Recognize important club anniversaries like chartering dates. Maintain a
calendar of events.
• Provide a welcome message to newly organized clubs, and encourage
Rotaractors in the district to connect with new clubs.
Does your district already have a newsletter? Talk to your governor about adding a
Rotaract or New Generations column to help the newsletter reach a wider audience.
SOCIAL MEDIA
While a district newsletter can help you keep Rotaractors informed, social media
can help you keep in touch. Using social networks can spread information to a
larger audience — Rotaractors, Rotarians, local communities — quickly and easily.
With their knowledge of technology and social media, Rotaractors can
• Use Facebook and Twitter to promote meetings and events
• Tweet local or international news stories using #Rotaract
• Add “Share” or “Like” buttons to club and district websites to help readers
promote content to the public
• Post project and event photos on Flickr and other photo-sharing websites
• Blog about experiences while traveling on service trips
6 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
Successful newsletters,
websites, and social media
pages are great ways to
represent your district.
Choose a professional-looking
design, check your spelling
and grammar, and use the
Rotary Marks correctly.
Download the RI Visual
Identity Guide (547) for Rotary
Marks and usage guidelines.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Public relations efforts help raise awareness and
promote Rotaract among external audiences such as the
media, community leaders, and program beneciaries.
Using local media is an important component of public
relations. Your local newspapers, magazines, television
programs, and other media can bring your Rotaract
message directly to the public.
Encourage district Rotary leaders to include information
about the Rotaract program and links to sponsored
Rotaract club websites on the district website.
The district public relations
chair, a Rotarian appointed
by the district governor, can
be an excellent resource.
Work together to promote
Rotaract service.
Community relations
Building strong relationships with community
leaders helps strengthen connections and highlights
the activities carried out by Rotaract clubs. Your
community leaders may include government ofcials,
employers and business professionals, teachers, and
civic leaders, as well as people who benet from
Rotaract projects.
Here are additional ways to reach out to your
community:
• Organize special events, including fundraising dinners, to draw attention
to Rotaract service projects.
• Provide Rotaract promotional postcards for display in community spaces
such as libraries, hospitals, universities, yoga studios, and coffee shops.
• Create a traveling display for community events such as a health fair or a
networking night for young nonprot professionals.
• Build relationships with the marketing, communications, or public
relations staff of other organizations.
• Encourage members to wear their Rotaract lapel pins.
Serving as an ambassador for Rotaract means sharing your knowledge with
people who are unfamiliar with the program. Be prepared to respond to
misconceptions about Rotary and Rotaract. Your ability to communicate the
benets of Rotaract to potential members is essential to the future of the program.
7 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
CHAPTER 3: MEMBERSHIP
HELPING TO START NEW ROTARACT CLUBS
Work with the district Rotaract committee chair to identify Rotary clubs that
show interest in sponsoring a Rotaract club. Create a presentation to educate
Rotary clubs about the benets of Rotaract and the process of sponsoring a
club. Help clubs assess whether they have the resources and time to sponsor
a Rotaract club. Share examples of service projects from your district. Use the
Rotaract Handbook as a resource during the process of chartering new clubs.
A university-based Rotaract club may be limited as to location, but community-
based clubs are an excellent way to gather motivated young adults looking
to volunteer and make new friends who are not connected to an educational
institution. Recruit young professionals and recent college graduates at local
trivia nights, intramural sports games, or any locations where you and your
friends congregate.
GROWING CLUB MEMBERSHIP
Every Rotaract club needs new members to provide fresh ideas and interests,
heightened energy, and leadership potential. Encourage each club in your
district to actively recruit qualied new members. Clubs can
• Ask members to display the Rotaract postcard in their ofce or
workspace to spark conversation about Rotaract
• Encourage members to invite friends to meetings and events
• Hold quarterly informational meetings for prospective members
• Offer reduced club dues and discounts for ticketed events
8 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
ENSURING ACCURATE CLUB REPORTING
Rotaract club presidents are required to update club and Rotaractor contact information
using Member Access twice per year. Member Access is an online system that Rotarians
and Rotaractors use to update information with RI. If a Rotaract club president does
not update club data by 30 September and 31 March, the club will be suspended. If
Rotaract club data is not updated in a two-year period, the club will be terminated.
Terminated Rotaract clubs can be reinstated with new paperwork and a US$50
certification fee.
As a district Rotaract representative, you are responsible for ensuring that clubs in
your district share this information and for supporting clubs that have not. It is your
responsibility to
• Inform Rotaract clubs of this policy
• Send reminders to Rotaract club presidents and ensure they are registered in
Member Access
• Request a report of active, suspended, and terminated clubs in your district by
emailing rotaract@rotary.org
• In early September and early March, verify that all of the Rotaract clubs in your
district have updated their club contact information
• In October and April, review the status of clubs and support clubs that are out
of compliance
Rotaract club presidents must update two types of data in Member Access
(for registration/log in instructions, contact rotaract@rotary.org):
• Membership data
− Add individual contact information for all Rotaract club members
− Edit individual contact information, as necessary
− Terminate club members, as necessary
• Club data
− Edit all necessary fields concerning club meetings
− Add club’s permanent mailing address
− Assign incoming Rotaract club president
9 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
LEADING ROTARACTORS INTO ROTARY
You are an important link between Rotaract and Rotary. As members turn 30 and
leave Rotaract, help them nd Rotary clubs. Here are some easy ways that you
can help connect Rotarians with Rotaract alumni:
• Host an annual networking event for Rotaractors turning 30 and local
Rotarians.
• Connect Rotaractors who are relocating to Rotary clubs in their new cities.
• Continue to include alumni in your communications and invite them to
participate in events.
• Invite Rotarians who participated in Rotaract to club meetings to speak
about joining Rotary.
• Encourage Rotary clubs to waive club dues and admission fees for former
Rotaractors under age 35.
• Direct Rotaractors to membership resources on www.rotary.org.
As district Rotaract representative, you play an important role in the fifth
Avenue of Service — New Generations Service — by encouraging Rotarians
and Rotaractors to get involved through Rotary programs, community events,
and service projects. To learn more, download or purchase An Introduction to
New Generations Service.
10 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
CHAPTER 4: SERVICE
HELPING CLUBS PLAN AND IMPLEMENT
SERVICE PROJECTS
Your advice and experience can be useful to club leaders planning a service
project. You can appoint one of your district Rotaract committee members to
work specically on supporting club projects. To ensure a successful service
project, clubs can
• Conduct a needs assessment before undertaking a service project
• Mobilize the community to support project goals and participate in their
implementation
• Use Rotary resources, including members’ skills and expertise, district
committees, and the many tools available through RI and The Rotary
Foundation
When assisting or leading clubs
in planning and implementing
projects, try to involve Interactors,
former RYLA participants, or Youth
Exchange students. For more tips
on how to involve participants in
Rotary’s New Generations programs,
see www.rotary.org/alumni.
Resources
• Communities in Action: A Guide to Effective
Projects (605A) offers step-by-step
instructions for developing, carrying out,
and evaluating a service project, including
how to conduct a community needs
assessment, work with other organizations,
and create a fundraising plan.
• Community Assessment Tools (download
only) describes eight tools to identify
effective service projects.
• Rotary’s Areas of Focus Guide (965) provides an introduction to Rotary’s
six areas of focus, which reect critical humanitarian issues and needs
that Rotarians are addressing worldwide. They align Rotary with other
international development efforts and strategically further The Rotary
Foundation’s mission.
• Rotary Showcase allows Rotaract club presidents and Rotarians to share
club service projects on rotary.org, and to share these projects by logging
in through their Facebook accounts. Visit the project gallery of club
projects online to explore the wide variety of activities that Rotary and
Rotaract clubs are undertaking worldwide, or log in through Member
Access to add your Rotaract club project.
• Worldwide Rotaract Directory connecting with Rotaract clubs outside your
district can help achieve your district’s goals. Contact rotaract@rotary.org
to request a copy of the directory.
11 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
LEADING A DISTRICTWIDE PROJECT
Increase the impact and reach of Rotaract by conducting an activity or project at
the district level. Activities that involve the whole district increase the visibility
of Rotaract and have a greater impact than purely local activities. They can
demonstrate how Rotarians and Rotaractors work as a team to accomplish RI’s
goals, and can highlight the skills and talents that Rotaractors bring to project
planning and implementation.
Districtwide project examples
• Rotaract District 3450 (Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia) hosted a drawing
competition to raise awareness of domestic violence among primary
and secondary school students. In addition, the district raised almost
US$26,000 for the Harmony Express, a traveling educational vehicle used
to teach primary school students about domestic violence.
• Working with the Rotaract Club of Gbagada, Lagos State, Nigeria,
Rotaractors in District 6710 (Kentucky, USA) raised funds to purchase
1,300 insecticide-treated bed nets to reduce the incidence of malaria in
high-risk areas.
• Since launching Splash for Cash
swim-a-thons in 1984, Rotaract
District 9680 (New South Wales,
Australia) has raised more
than US$550,000 to benet
children in the country’s remote
areas who have hearing or
visual impairments. Each year,
swimmers seek sponsorships for
the number of laps they complete
during the event.
Your role as a representative involves
mobilizing clubs to participate in
World Rotaract Week, RI’s
recognition of Outstanding Rotaract
Projects, the Presidential Citation
program, and other RI recognition
programs. These activities help clubs
set goals, focus efforts, and share
successes with the family of Rotary.
For forms and information on these
activities, see the RI website or email
rotaract@rotary.org.
Find information about funding
districtwide projects in chapter 6.
12 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
CHAPTER 5: MEETINGS,
TRAINING, AND EVENTS
DISTRICT MEETINGS
Rotaract district leadership training meeting
District governors play an important role in offering Rotaractors district training
opportunities. All district governors-elect are encouraged to provide adequate
training to their incoming Rotaract club presidents. Many districts include
this training as part of the Rotary district assembly program. Rotaract district
leadership training meetings educate and motivate incoming Rotaract club
ofcers about their responsibilities. These meetings can be held any time after
club elections, preferably before the next Rotary year begins. As district Rotaract
representative, you work with the district governor, the district governor-
elect, and other leaders to organize and develop this training session, and to
encourage Rotaractors and Rotarians to attend.
Rotaract district leadership trainings can involve a number of Rotarians and
Rotaractors, including:
• Incoming Rotaract club presidents, secretaries, directors, advisers,
or committee chairs
• Current district governor and district governor-elect (and assistant
governors, as appropriate)
• Current district Rotaract committee members
• Incoming district Rotaract committee members
• Club-level Rotaract committee members from sponsor Rotary clubs
• Rotaract club advisers
The Rotary district trainer supports the governor and governor-elect in training
club and district leaders, including committee members. You may want to ask
your district trainer for help as you plan the Rotaract district leadership training
meeting. Occasionally, Rotary districts combine the Rotaract district leadership
training meeting with the annual presidents-elect training seminar (PETS).
13 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
Expenses
Sponsoring Rotary clubs are asked to pay for district-level leadership training
of incoming Rotaract club ofcers, directors, and committee chairs. If travel
costs are an issue, the sponsoring Rotary clubs, Rotary district, and Rotaract
participants may reach a mutually agreed upon nancial arrangement to cover
expenses.
Rotaract district conference
At the Rotaract district conference, Rotaractors from around the district meet
to exchange information about local service projects, share best practices, and
provide an opportunity to Rotaractors to connect socially. A conference can be
held at the beginning of the Rotary year as a kickoff or at the end of the Rotary
year as a celebration.
As representative, you are the primary coordinator for this meeting. One
Rotaract club is usually asked to host the meeting, which involves obtaining the
meeting site, organizing logistics, and providing opportunities for socializing and
service projects. Consider holding the event at a central location in the district
that offers easy and economical access for Rotaractors. The district Rotaract
committee should identify a host Rotaract club near the meeting site. Involve
the entire committee in planning this training.
Program
The content of the district conference program should be based on the interests
of the district’s Rotaractors. Plan a program that motivates the participants,
celebrates service, and fosters professional development and friendship.
Plenary sessions can feature speakers from regional government agencies,
businesses, or community organizations whose insights would be inspirational
for Rotaractors. Training also includes service project workshops featuring
panels of specialists, professional development opportunities, and group
discussions on district concerns.
Expenses
In general, all district Rotaract activities are nanced by the Rotaract clubs. The
costs should be minimal and within the nancial means of those participating.
Rotaractors usually pay a registration fee to cover meeting expenses including
meals, entertainment, and accommodations.
14 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
Rotary district conference
At their annual district conference, Rotary club members attend presentations,
listen to speakers, celebrate the year’s successes, and have fun. The conference
aims to energize Rotarians for another year of service. District governors
are encouraged to invite Rotaractors and other New Generations program
participants to attend.
Rotary district team training seminar
District Rotaract representatives and other district Rotaract committee members
may be invited to attend this meeting, which prepares the incoming district
leadership team for their year in ofce.
Rotary district assembly
The district assembly prepares incoming
Rotary club leaders for their year in ofce while
providing the district governor-elect, incoming
assistant governors, and district committees
the opportunity to build their working
relationship with clubs. All district governors-
elect are encouraged to provide training to their
incoming Rotaract club presidents and, where
appropriate, include such training as part of the
program of the Rotary district assembly.
The district assembly offers a good opportunity for Rotaractors to learn about
Rotary, and for Rotarians to learn about Rotaract. If Rotaractors aren’t invited
to participate, contact your district governor and offer to organize Rotaract
volunteers for the meeting. Propose that Rotaractors work registration,
contribute to a projects display, or even lead a workshop on how Rotarians can
engage young people.
Rotary clubs hold meetings and
events throughout the year that
can benefit Rotaractors. Talk to
your district governor and district
Rotaract chair about promoting
these events to Rotaract leaders
in your district.
15 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
MULTIDISTRICT MEETINGS, ACTIVITIES,
AND ORGANIZATIONS
You may be asked to work with other districts on meetings and activities, and to
participate in multidistrict organizations.
Multidistrict meetings
These meetings are held under the guidance of the host governor and the
district Rotaract committee. Rotaract clubs from two or more districts come
together to discuss issues outside the district level. The host Rotaract club or
Rotary district must maintain liability insurance, and evidence of such coverage
must be provided to RI or the governor of any participating district upon request.
Multidistrict service projects
These service projects are sponsored by Rotaract clubs in two or more districts.
They must have the approval of two-thirds of the clubs in each district, agreement
from each district Rotaract representative concerned, and authorization of
the RI general secretary. Participation, including nancial participation, should
be voluntary.
Multidistrict information organization
Multidistrict information organizations (MDIOs) share information and facilitate
communication between participating districts and their clubs. In order to form
an MDIO, districts must have approval of the district governors concerned and
the RI Board, and must comply with RI policy. A list of MDIOs and their districts
is posted at www.rotary.org/rotaract and in the Worldwide Rotaract Directory.
16 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
As a part of a global network of inspired individuals, Rotaractors have many
opportunities to become involved with other parts of the world through service,
correspondence, and exchange. Rotaractors can also attend international events
where they can connect face-to-face with members from around the world.
Rotaract Preconvention Meeting
At the annual Rotaract Preconvention Meeting, Rotaractors from around the
world meet to share ideas for service projects, discuss club best practices,
listen to inspiring speakers, and reconnect with old friends while making new
ones. Each year’s event also includes a separate training session that focuses
on district Rotaract representatives’ roles and responsibilities. Governors are
encouraged to defray all or part of the attendance costs for district Rotaract
representatives-elect. RI organizes and sponsors this two-day event, and
Rotaractors are invited to attend the annual RI Convention immediately
following their meeting.
Interota
Interota, a worldwide Rotaract meeting held every three years, is organized and
sponsored by Rotaractors. Participants share ideas, concerns, and experiences
with each other, and are also treated to sightseeing and other cultural events
throughout the weeklong event.
17 GUIDE FOR DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVES
CHAPTER 6: FINANCE
Managing nances for district activities is an integral part of your role as district
Rotaract representative. Customs and practices in every district will vary, so
you’re encouraged to confer with your predecessor, work with district leaders,
and refer to RI policy when planning district nances. In most districts, you
are responsible for the Rotaract district-approved budget or any contributions
collected for a specic, district-approved activity. You are expected to conform
to good business practices when incurring expenses and provide district leaders
with regular updates on the status of district funds.
DISTRICT FINANCE COMMITTEE
Many districts establish an administrative budget for the district Rotaract
committee to nance district-sponsored activities and the management and
development of Rotaract. The committee or the district governor should place
collected funds in a bank account held in the name of the district Rotaract
organization. Fiscal control should be shared among district leaders and
should not be under the control of a single individual. The district governor
may appoint a committee or two or more signatories on the bank account.
The nance committee should develop a budget, which is distributed to all clubs
for their approval. A designated district nance committee member acts as
treasurer and maintains all records of revenues and expenses. Another district
nance committee member should audit the treasurer’s records, and nancial
reports should be provided to all clubs annually.
DISTRICT ROTARACT SERVICE FUND
If Rotaract clubs in your district will implement a service project (agreed to
by a three-fourths majority of clubs), a district Rotaract service fund can be
established. Any funds raised to support the project would be included in the
fund. Additionally, because the district governor must approve any district
projects and corresponding service funds, the governor must appoint a district
fund committee to oversee the fund’s administration. The committee should be
composed of Rotaractors from the district and at least one Rotarian from the
district Rotaract committee. The funds must be kept in a separate bank account
that clearly indicates that the fund is the property of the district Rotaract
organization and not the personal property of any one person or club.
