Springfield Rotary - Rotary Club Service Fund

1. The purpose of the Rotary Service Fund (hereinafter called the Fund) is to receive contributions of Rotary members and to disburse said funds to educational and charitable projects suggested by the Committee and approved by the Board of Directors within the provisions of a letter of the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, to the Springfield Rotary Service Fund, Inc., dated January 30, 1959, and as provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as herein referred to may be, from time-to-time amended.

2. The Committee receives all requests for contributions whether directed to the Committee, the Fund, or to the Rotary Club and from such requests shall develop recommendations for the Board.

3. Recommendations must be projects in the Rotary Club area and be beneficial to the whole community.

4. Recommendations should be for special capital needs and not contributions to operating budgets. An occasional exception for a single preliminary budget for a new venture of important promise may be considered. Projects, including capital fund drives, for which Rotary Club members are also solicited, should be avoided. Capital expenditures are defined as having a reasonable useful (i.e. physical) life of 3 years or more.

5. While not a firm requirement, a project separately identified as a Rotary gift will be looked upon with favor.

6. A two-year period should elapse before considering repeat appeals from individual organizations. This requirement should be waived where extenuating circumstances exist.

7. All recipients must have established a tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service to preserve the tax exemption from sums contributed. A copy of the tax exemption letter from the Internal Revenue Service must accompany recommendations for the files of the Fund.

8. The Committee, to preserve the tax-exempt position of the Fund, shall not recommend gifts totaling more than the current year receipts and in general, except as herein specifically set forth, should disburse all monies currently received.

9. In the event the Committee should desire to make a contribution greater than one year's receipts:

(a) Such Committee vote shall be by an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of its members present and voting.

(b) Upon such affirmative vote the Committee shall prepare and present to the Board of Directors, the project in detail together with its total cost and estimated yearly contribution as well as the reasons for adoption of such request.

10. Emphasis on smaller agencies.

Click here to download the Rotary Club of Springfield Service Fund Application.