The Rotary Foundation Trustees and Rotary International Board of Directors were unanimous at their June meetings in adding a new area of focus: Supporting the Environment.
 
More than $18 million in Foundation global grant funding has been allocated to environment-related projects over the past five years. Creating a distinct Area of Focus to support the environment will give Rotary members even more ways to bring about positive change in the world and increase our impact.
 
Supporting the Environment becomes Rotary's seventh Area of Focus, which are categories of service activities supported by Global Grants. It joins Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention; Disease Prevention and Treatment; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Maternal and Child Health; Basic Education and Literacy; and Community Economic Development.
 
The revised Rotary Foundation’s mission statement now reads:
 
Our Mission: The Rotary Foundation helps Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.