When you make a donation to The Rotary Foundation, you are helping Rotary members make a difference in the lives of millions of people around the world. Here are five reasons to make Rotary your charity of choice on Giving Tuesday, 3 December, or any time of the year.

1. Accountability

Our accountability and transparency have earned The Rotary Foundation 12 straight years of four-star ratings — the highest possible — from independent evaluator Charity Navigator. More than 90% of Foundation funds are spent directly on programs. No high administrative costs dilute your gift.

2. Impact

We partner with other organizations to increase our impact and make your donations work even harder. When you give to PolioPlus, for example, you have the satisfaction of knowing that every $1 Rotary commits to polio eradication is matched by $2 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Thanks to this partnership, all donations to end polio (up to $50 million per year) are tripled, providing critical funding toward creating a polio-free world.

3. A record of success

Rotary unites leaders who have the skills and resources to tackle some of the world’s most difficult problems and deliver sustainable, long-lasting results. For decades, Rotary has been a leader in the battle against polio and with the help of our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we have reduced cases by 99.9% since 1988. The infrastructure developed to facilitate both immunizations and eradication is being used to fight and protect against other diseases as well. For example, the method known as contact tracing was critical to containing an Ebola outbreak in Nigeria in 2014.

4. Global reach

Our 1.2 million members span the globe, uniting people who have a common desire to serve others. From teaching children to read in Ecuador to a microcredit program in Indonesia, Rotary members identify local problems and use Rotary’s vast network and the resources of The Rotary Foundation to take action in their communities.

5. Bringing about peace

Peace holds a unique status in Rotary.  We approach peace not as an abstract concept, but as a living, dynamic expression of human development. As a humanitarian service organization, it is both a cornerstone of our mission, and one of our seven areas of focus – one of the main ways in which our members make their mark on the world.

Each year, the Rotary Peace Centers train some of the world’s most dedicated professionals to resolve conflicts and promote national and international cooperation. Rotary Peace Fellows study in a two-year master’s degree program or a professional certificate program at Rotary’s partner universities. Rotary members themselves also address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, inequality, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources. Our collaboration with the Institute for Economics and Peace is providing free, self-guided training to individuals who want to be peacebuilders in their communities.