Through Rotaract clubs, young people ages 18 and older develop leadership and professional skills, exchange ideas with community leaders, and have fun through service.
Here is everything you need to know about creating a strong Rotaract club.
Download the Rotaract Handbook to learn how to:
Interested in joining a Rotaract club?
Connect with a local Rotary club to find out how you can get involved.
- Start a Rotaract club, recruit members, and elect officers
- Support Rotaract clubs as a sponsoring Rotary club
- Get involved in the community
- Find networking or mentorship opportunities
- Build successful clubs
- Plan effective service projects
Make it official
When you’ve reviewed the basics, organized your members, and elected officers, you can apply for a charter from Rotary International. Here’s what to do:
- Complete the Rotaract Club Certification Form (PDF).
- Contact your district’s financial representative for fee payment options and instructions.
- Send the completed form to rotaract@rotary.org or your region's international office.
How to develop dynamic clubs
Become partners in service
Rotaract clubs thrive when they work with committed Rotary clubs. Download our handbook to learn more.
Update club and member information
Clubs must update their contact information annually in My Rotary to maintain their active status so they can continue receiving updates from Rotary International. Clubs that keep their contact information updated will appear in Club Finder.
How to develop sustainable service projects
Before you start a service project, review the basics in the Rotaract Handbook (PDF). Then organize your fellow members, partner with other clubs or districts, and form a plan. Here are some resources to help you:
- Download the Six Steps to Sustainability to make sure that your project will lead to lasting, positive change.
- Be part of something bigger by supporting Rotary’s causes.
- Watch webinars or take a variety of courses through Rotary’s Learning Center.
- Learn how you can plan, organize, and promote your service projects using the Project Lifecycle Kit.
- Show the world how Rotaract is making a difference during our World Rotaract Week celebration each March. Use the World Rotaract Week Certificate of Recognition to recognize accomplishments.
- Get recognized and inspire other clubs by nominating your project for a Rotaract Outstanding Project Award.
Rotaractors in action
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Chile
Membership in both Rotaract and Rotary allows members to build more dynamic clubs with a wider perspective, more diverse ideas, and greater service in more communities, says dual member Fernando Pinto Nercelles.
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Sri Lanka
The Rotaract Club of Edulink International Campus, Western Province, Sri Lanka, created the Dream Store online platform, where women with HIV can sell products they've made and see their earnings go straight to their bank accounts.
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Uganda
After fleeing conflict in their own countries, Rotaractors are healing wounds and bringing cultures together in a Ugandan refugee settlement through service projects.
How to promote Rotaract
- Customize promotional cards and posters with details about your Rotaract club or download a Rotaract banner from Rotary's Brand Center.
- Work with Rotary’s licensed vendors to design your own materials or buy supplies.
A world of opportunity for Rotaract members
Rotary has so many ways to get involved. Connect Rotaractors to Rotary Action Groups, Rotary Fellowships, and Rotary Friendship Exchange.
How Rotary’s district leaders support Rotaract
District Rotaract committee
The district Rotaract chair and district Rotaract representative serve as co-chairs of the district Rotaract committee. District Rotaract chairs are Rotary members appointed by district governors. A district Rotaract representative is a Rotaract member elected by clubs in their district.
They work with committee members to support Rotaract clubs, ensure that club information is up to date, plan leadership training events, and coordinate district service projects. Here are some resources for district leaders:
- Take the Get Ready: District Rotaract Committee course in the Learning Center.
- As district Rotaract leaders, you have access to the list of Rotaract clubs in your district. The report is available to all Rotarians in Rotary Club Central. Once on the Rotary Club Central homepage, select Reports from the menu on the left. District Rotaract Representatives can access the list through My Rotary. Under District Administration, click on Reports.
- How to Update Rotaract Club Information (PDF)
Rotaract multidistrict information organizations
Rotaract multidistrict information organizations (MDIOs) connect Rotaract clubs across several Rotary districts. Working within a country or region, these groups bring Rotaractors together to exchange ideas and network with other young leaders.
- List of MDIOs (PDF)
- Rotaract MDIO Start Guide (PDF)
Connect online
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
- Join our discussion group.
- Subscribe to the Young Leaders in Action newsletter.
How to engage with The Rotary Foundation
- Give today and earn a certificate from the Foundation when at least five members of your club contribute $50 or more during the Rotary year.
- Watch our webinar, Rotaractors, Everything You Need to Know About The Rotary Foundation, for more ways to engage.
- Work with Rotary club on global grants.
- Apply to be a Rotary Peace Fellow.
- Apply for a scholarship from the Foundation.
Important dates
Check the Rotary calendar for a list of observances and due dates. Here are just a few important dates for Rotaract clubs:
- August — Membership and New Club Development Month
- 5-11 October 2020 — Rotary Alumni Reconnect Week
- 1 February — Rotaract Outstanding Project Award nominations due
- 8-14 March 2021 — World Rotaract Week
- 23-25 April 2021 — Global Youth Service Days
- May — Youth Service Month
- 11-12 June 2021 — Rotaract Preconvention, Taipei, Taiwan
- 5-9 June 2021 — Interota 2021, Hong Kong
- 15 August — Rotary Citation for Rotaract Clubs nominations due
Do you have a district, multidistrict, or international event coming up? We’ll include your event details in our Young Leaders in Action newsletter. Contact us at rotaract@rotary.org.
Questions?
We’re here to help. Email us.
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