The Niles Rotary Club funds and manages a 501 (c) (3) charitable foundation fund to finance our charitable projects. In some cases we get matching funds from our Rotary District and Rotary International to augment this outreach.

Our members are both donors to the fund and dedicated fundraisers. One hundred percent of the funds we raise go into the Niles Rotary Foundation which are then used to support designated projects as determined by the Foundation Board. Note that the operational expense of the Foundation is carried by the Club budget.

A Brief History

Our roots. In October 30, 1987, the officers listed below established the Niles Rotary Foundation to further the ideals of Vocational Service, Community Service and International Service as embodied by the Rotary movement.

Original Mission Statement: The mission of Niles Rotary Foundation is to steward donations in support of Niles Rotary Club humanitarian and environmental projects locally and globally.

Original Vision Statement: To improve the human condition, locally and globally through Niles Rotary projects, we build goodwill, develop strong communities and promote peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and promoting community development.

Foundation Officers

International Projects Support

Each year, our incoming Club President works with the Niles Foundation Board to determine their area of focus for international projects. Recent projects include building clean and safe bathrooms for a school in Honduras (President Dana Jones), repainting a playground in San Felipe, Baja, Mexico while funding a cervical cancer clinic and outreach program (President Terri Landon), providing medical supplies and equipment to a war torn Ukraine (President Jeff Schinkel), sending wheel chairs to the Philippines (President John Dutra). In each of these cases, additional club members self-funded their own trips to these foreign destinations to personally work with local Rotarians on these projects. Learn more.

Community Projects Support

One of the most satisfying tasks of the Foundation Board is funding projects that impact us right in our own community. There are so many ways that Niles Rotarians step out and step up to help where help is needed. You’ll see us in our ‘Rotarians at Work’ shirts, pulling weeds, cleaning parks, beautifying schools, distributing food, collecting toys, whatever is needed. Learn more.

Community Grants Program

Niles Rotary Foundation’s grant program recognizes local organizations and their dedication to serving our community and making a positive impact. The members of the Niles (Fremont) Rotary Club commend the important work these organizations do, and are proud to offer monetary support. We look forward to future opportunities to collaborate in service.

We invite you to learn more about this program, you can also see our most recent list of grant recipients by visiting our Grants page. And, if you’re part of a local community organization, consider applying!

Endowment Fund

Forty years ago, our leadership had the vision to establish the Niles Rotary Foundation to administer funds used for our service projects and to help our community. In general, we raised what we needed each year, to pay for the projects of the next. However, this meant that in leaner times we could not be as active or as generous as we wanted. We realized we needed to focus on the long term as well as the immediate needs of our Foundation.

And so, the Foundation Board established a permanent Endowment Fund, to ensure we can continue to pay for important club projects and charitable initiatives for years to come.

Money donated to the Endowment Fund stays in an account that is carefully invested.  Earned interest, typically 4-5% will be withdrawn annually to support Board approved projects

Endowment funds can come from multiple sources.  Outright gifts can be either a one-time donation, gifts of stock, real estate or recurring donations.  There is also Legacy Giving, naming the endowment in estate plans or wills. If you are interested in supporting the Niles Rotary Foundation’s Endowment Fund, but have questions, please feel free to contact us.