The Membership Society for New Member Sponsors honors members who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication and commitment in sharing the gift of Rotary by sponsoring 25 or more prospective members.

Process: When a new member is reported to Rotary, a sponsor can be listed.
Members can achieve the following recognition levels:
• Bronze level: Sponsored 25-29 members
• Silver level: Sponsored 30-49 members
• Gold level: Sponsored 50-74 members
• Platinum level: Sponsored 75 or more members

Eligibility criteria: Any active Rotarian in good standing who has sponsored 25 or more new members into their own club, and whose sponsorship is reported to Rotary is eligible for recognition. Only new member sponsorships between active members of the same Rotary club are counted.

Award type: The names of these sponsors are listed in our virtual gallery on My Rotary.

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Resource:

• Membership Society virtual gallery

The Avenues of Service Award (district-level) recognizes the efforts of individual Rotarians and Rotaractors in each of Rotary’s five Avenues of Service: Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, International Service, and Youth Service.

Nomination process: Current club presidents can nominate a member for one or more Avenues of Service Awards by completing the online nomination form. The governor is notified of the nomination and will determine if the achievement is worthy of recognition by certificate. The governor then presents the certificate to the recipient.

Eligibility criteria: Any active Rotarian or Rotaractor in good standing except current club presidents; incoming, current, or immediate past governors; general secretaries, RI directors, RI presidents, Foundation Trustees, and RIBI presidents, vice presidents, or honorary treasurers. A person can receive each award only once.

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Who can nominate: club presidents
Nomination period: all year
Award type: electronic certificate

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Resources:

• Online nomination form for club presidents

• Examples of eligible service activities (PDF)

• How to write a compelling nomination (PDF)

The Avenues of Service Award (RI-level) recognizes individual Rotarians and Rotaractors who have received recognition in all five Avenues of Service: Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, International Service, and Youth Service.

Nomination process: A governor can nominate a Rotarian or Rotaractor who has achieved recognition in all five Avenues of Service for recognition by RI by submitting the online nomination form. Nominations are processed and reviewed for eligibility on the 1st of October, April, and July. Governors are limited to 10 nominations per processing period, or 30 per year. RI then notifies nominators of the results and ships the Avenues of Service engraved crystal and pin to nominators of eligible candidates.

Eligibility criteria: Any active Rotarian or Rotaractor in good standing who has earned recognition in all Avenues of Service and who has not previously received this award is eligible.

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Who can nominate: district governors
Nomination period: all year
Award type: pin and crystal award

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Resources:

• Online nomination form

• How to write a compelling nomination (PDF)

The Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service honors one Rotarian or Rotaractor per district who has been actively involved in service related to The Rotary Foundation.

Nomination process: District Rotary Foundation committee chairs can nominate one candidate from their district by completing the online nomination form. Nominations must be endorsed by the current governor of the nominee’s district, and governors can endorse only one nomination from their district per year. The general secretary reviews nominations to confirm that they have the required signatures and endorsements and that nominees haven’t already received the award. Upon confirmation, RI notifies nominators of the results in January or February.

Eligibility criteria: Nominees must be active Rotarians or Rotaractors in good standing, and may not be current, incoming, or immediate past district governors, RI directors, or Rotary Foundation trustees. You cannot nominate yourself for the award, and a person can receive this award only once. Service to The Rotary Foundation must have been for more than one year. Financial contributions to the Foundation, however notable, are not relevant considerations for this award.
Examples of eligible service include, but are not limited to:

• Service on Foundation committees at the club, district, or international level

• Participation in Foundation grants or programs

• Support of Rotary Peace Fellows

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Who can nominate: District Rotary Foundation chair (with endorsement by the governor)
Nomination period: November-December
Award type: electronic certificate

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Resources:

• Online nomination form

• Sample presentation remarks

The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award honors up to 50 Rotarians and Rotaractors who have demonstrated exemplary service to the Foundation and who have received the Citation for Meritorious Service at least four years earlier.

Nomination process: Nominations can be made by any Rotarian or Rotaractor and must be endorsed by the current governor of the nominee’s district. The nominee must also be endorsed by a Rotarian or Rotaractor outside the nominee’s district. District governors can endorse only one nomination for their district. Current and incoming trustees are not eligible to nominate or endorse candidates for this award. Nominations can be made by completing the online nomination form and including detailed information about the specific Foundation activities and responsibilities of the nominee since they received the Citation for Meritorious Service. Eligible nominations are reviewed by a review committee and the recommended recipients are presented to the Board of Trustees at their April or June meeting for approval. Once approved, the nominators are notified of the results.

Eligibility criteria: Any active Rotarian or Rotaractor in good standing who received the Citation for Meritorious Service at least four full calendar years earlier may be nominated except for current, incoming, or immediate past district governors, RI directors, or Rotary Foundation trustees. You can’t nominate yourself for the award, and a person can receive the award only once. Financial contributions to the Foundation, however notable, are not relevant considerations for this award.
The nominee’s eligible service must be on a broad basis, over an extended period, including at least six of the following activities, with a substantial level of activity in the past two years:

• Serving on a district Rotary Foundation committee for a total of at least five years

• Providing significant leadership at district or multidistrict Foundation training events

• Presenting about The Rotary Foundation at district or regional events

• Presenting about The Rotary Foundation at more than 20 club meetings within a two-year period

• Serving as a scholar counselor or host at least three times

• Organizing and carrying out successful fundraising efforts at the district or multidistrict level

• Providing significant leadership in district or multidistrict scholar or vocational training team orientation

• Serving as the designated project contact person on a successful grant project for which a final report has been received

• Providing substantial leadership in PolioPlus projects and activities

• Maintaining contact with alumni and involving them in district activities

• Other special projects or activities, which the nominator clearly defines and describes in detail, in support of The Rotary Foundation

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Who can nominate: Any Rotarian or Rotaractor
Nomination period: 1 January-28/29 February

Award type: pin and crystal award

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Resources:

• Online nomination form

• How to write a compelling nomination (PDF)

• Sample presentation remarks

The Rotary Foundation District Service Award honors Rotarians and Rotaractors who are making a difference through the Foundation’s programs, promoting the Rotary Foundation and its goals of world understanding and peace.

Nomination process: Members are nominated by their clubs to the district Rotary Foundation committee, which forwards these recommendations to the district governor. Governors can approve those recommended and award one or more members with this certificate at the district conference. The selection is made by the district governor with the input of the district Rotary Foundation committee.

Eligibility criteria: Any active Rotarian or Rotaractor in good standing who has demonstrated laudable service in promoting The Rotary Foundation and its goal of world understanding and peace and who is recommended to the district Rotary Foundation committee and selected by the governor. The requisite service does not depend on, but does not preclude, any financial support for The Rotary Foundation.

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Who can nominate: district governors who receive recommendations from their district foundation committee
Nomination period: all year (ideally before district conference)
Award type: electronic certificate

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Resources:

• Rotary Foundation District Service Award template (PDF)

The Service Above Self Award is considered the highest honor that RI can bestow on a member. It recognizes up to 150 outstanding Rotarians and Rotaractors each year whose service activities make an impact on humanity. No more than one recipient is selected from a given district each year, and a person can receive the award only once.

Nomination process: Current governors and RI directors can nominate one candidate from their district using the online nomination form. RI’s current special representatives to non-districted Rotary clubs may also nominate one member per year from the group of non-districted clubs they serve. All eligible nominations will be reviewed by a review committee for recommendation to the RI Board for selection. Their recommended recipients are presnted to the RI Board for approval at their January meeting, after which, nominators will be notified.

Eligibility criteria: Nominees must be Rotarians or Rotaractors in good standing, and may not be current, incoming, or immediate past governors, RI directors, RI presidents, or Rotary Foundation trustees. Nominees must have demonstrated exemplary continuing humanitarian service, in any form and at any level. Emphasis is placed on personal volunteer efforts and active involvement in helping others through Rotary, rather than one’s performance in an elected or appointed Rotary assignment. Personal financial contributions to Rotary, its Foundation, or any individual project are not relevant considerations for this award.

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Who can nominate: district governors
Nomination period: 1-31 October
Award type: pin and crystal award

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Resources:

• Online nomination form

• How to write a compelling nomination (PDF)

• Sample presentation remarks

The Service Award for a Polio-Free World honors Rotarians who have made outstanding contributions to our polio eradication efforts. Individuals can be nominated for regional or international service.

Nomination process: Any active Rotarian can nominate a member by submitting the online nomination form. The general secretary reviews nominations to confirm that nominees haven’t already received the award. The International PolioPlus Committee then reviews candidates for eligibility and upon confirmation, forwards their names to The Rotary Foundation trustee chair for approval of regional awards, and to The Rotary Foundation trustees for approval of international awards. Printable certificates suitable for framing are emailed to district governors to present to recipients of the regional award. Bronze plaques are sent to the relevant Rotary International director to present to the international recipient.

Eligibility criteria: Any active Rotarian is eligible except current and incoming trustees of the Foundation, current and incoming directors of Rotary International, members of the International PolioPlus Committee, and current and incoming district governors. Any Rotarian who has previously received either the regional or international award is ineligible for the regional awards; previous international award recipients are ineligible for future international awards in PolioPlus. Find more information on criteria and guidelines for the Service Award for a Polio-Free World.

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Who can nominate: Rotarians
Nomination period: Annually: July-1 October
Nomination deadline: 1 October
Award type: framed certificate, plaque

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Resources:

• Online nomination form

The Sylvia Whitlock Leadership Award honors one member per year who has actively worked to advance women in Rotary. The award is named for the first female Rotary club president, Dr. Sylvia Whitlock, who went on to become governor and led change for women and girls around the world, through Rotary.

Nomination process: Rotarians and Rotaractors can submit one nomination by completing the online nomination form. Eligible nominees are reviewed by a review committee that includes past Sylvia Whitlock Award recipients. Only one recipient shall be selected each year.

Eligibility criteria: Any active Rotarian or Rotaractor in good standing who has demonstrated extraordinary success in the advancement of women in Rotary, regardless of gender or tenure of membership, may be nominated. Members cannot nominate themselves and may only receive the award once.

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Who can nominate: Any Rotary member
Nomination period: 1 August-30 September

Award type: Engraved crystal

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Resources:

• Online nomination form