Rotary International Strategic Plan for RYs 2007-10

My Fellow Rotarians:

Rotary is a unique organization, witha unique mission and structure. Our long history gives us a strong tradition, while our system of annual leadership changes requires us to take active steps to maintain continuity. With every Rotary year comes new opportunities — and it is our responsibility to rise to meet them.

Over the last 104 years, Rotary has grown from one club with four members to a worldwide organization of nearly 33,000 clubs. To maximize our effectiveness, strengthen our public image, and ensure a strong second century, it is essential that Rotary recognize and address its new and ongoing challenges. This is why we have asked Rotarians for their input in three essential questions: Where are we now? Where are we going? And how do we get there?

As a result of this process, your Board of Directors, chosen by Rotarians around the world, has approved our Strategic Plan. The plan establishes our mission, vision, priorities, and goals, and identifies the five corevalues that represent our identity as an organization. It is a road map for our future and a tool that will help us to achieve our long-term goals across many generations of Rotary leaders.

The RI Strategic Plan is based on the input and recommendations of Rotarians and the needs and goals of more than 1.2 million members. I ask you, as Rotary leaders, to educate the Rotarians in your clubs and districts about the plan. Encourage them to focus their efforts toward our common goals and use the plan as a tool to make their clubs more effective. A complete copy
of the RI Strategic Plan can be found at www.rotary.org.

With your help and the active involvement of all Rotarians, we will be able to maximize our effectiveness.

(Signed )John Kenney, RI President RY 2009-10

Priorities and Goals

The plan includes seven priorities, each supported by a set of goals. To determine these priorities, RI surveyed grassroots Rotarians and senior leaders from many parts of the world, asking them what issues would be most important to Rotary in the coming years. The priorities and goals are summarized here
(see the complete plan at www.rotary.org):

Eradicate polio

• Support the International PolioPlus Committee
• Promote participation in PolioPlus Partners
• Focus our collaborative partners on polio
Eradication

Advance the recognition and public image of RI

• Conduct public information campaigns to deepen awareness

• Tell the world about Rotary commitments and outcomes

Increase Rotary’s capacity to provide service

• Emphasize the four Avenues of Service
• Supporting the improvement of clubs that need assistance
• Refine current training
• Expand strategic cooperative relationships at all levels
• Improve RI’s efficiency and effectiveness

Expand membership globally in both numbers and quality

• Develop and implement a comprehensive plan to strengthen responsibility at the club level
• Extend Rotary to all qualified localities
• Increase the number of young members
and those in emerging occupations
• Enhance and emphasize the family of Rotary

Emphasize Rotary’s unique vocational service commitment

• Influence ethical decision-making by encouraging Rotarians to join and take leadership roles in business and vocational associations
• Find new ways to develop vocational skills of others, especially people without jobs
• Develop more vocational forums for learning and information exchange

Optimize leadership talents within RI

• Expand leadership development opportunities
• Cultivate leadership opportunities for young people
• Periodically assess governance procedures

Fully implement the strategic planning process to ensure continuity

• Evaluate and update the RI Strategic Plan every three years
• Ensure that the Future Vision Plan and the Secretariat’s operating plan align with the RI Strategic Plan
• Disseminate the plan throughout the organization, including districts and clubs
• Develop and implement a planning model for Rotary clubs and districts