Awards for Rotarians
Four Avenues of Service Citation
Nominators: Club presidents
Deadline: Ongoing
This citation program provides a way for Rotary clubs to personally recognize one club member for his or her outstanding efforts in the Four Avenues of Service. A club member must have demonstrated support of the Object of Rotary through active participation in each of the Four Avenues of Service: Club, Vocational, Community, and International. You must be an active Rotarian and can only receive the award once.
RI Service Above Self Award
Nominators: District governors, immediate past district governors, RI directors, past RI directors
Deadline: 1 September
As Rotary’s highest honor for individual Rotarians, this award recognizes up to 150 Rotarians annually who have demonstrated exemplary humanitarian service, with an emphasis on personal volunteer efforts and active involvement in helping others through Rotary. Current district governors, directors, and past directors may nominate up to three candidates by 1 September each year.
RI Vocational Service Leadership Award (for district governors)
Nominators: District governors
Deadline: Ongoing
This award recognizes district governors who have conducted a forum to promote, celebrate, and advance the district's dedication to the Avenue of Vocational Service during his or her year in office.
The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service
Nominators: District governors and directors
Deadline: Nominations received on a rolling basis from 1 July to 15 May
This award recognizes Rotarians who have demonstrated active service to The Rotary Foundation for more than one year.
The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award
Nominators: Any Rotarian
Deadline: 15 November
Four complete Rotary years after receiving the Citation for Meritorious Service, a Rotarian becomes eligible for the Distinguished Service Award. Because this is the Foundation’s highest service recognition, a recipient’s exemplary service to the Foundation must extend beyond the district level and occur over an extended period of time.
The Rotary Foundation District Service Award
Nominators: District governors
Deadline: Ongoing
Because so many Rotarians serve humanity through Foundation programs, The Rotary Foundation created the District Service Award to recognize their efforts. Each recipient is given a certificate, awarded at the district level.
District governors may obtain up to 20 blank certificates at no cost to their district. After the awards have been presented, districts are to record the names of the recipients in their own database. District officers should contact RI staff for historical records of District Service Award recipients.
Service Award for a Polio-Free World
Nominators: Any Rotarian
Deadline: 1 November
This award was established by the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation in order to recognize outstanding contributions to the effort by Rotarians and thereby to encourage final efforts. In geographic areas coinciding with WHO regions, up to ten regional service awards per region are given annually. These awards recognize outstanding service in polio eradication. International Awards, for broad service to the cause of polio eradication, are also made annually, not to exceed ten individuals.