Rotary is a global network of local clubs where people meet (often weekly) to build friendships, support local community projects, and collaborate on bigger humanitarian work through Rotary International - rotary.org 
A Rotary Club is the local unit: a group in a town, city, workplace, or online community, usually with a regular meeting rhythm, a set of officers, and a portfolio of service activities the club chooses and runs.
# A quick origin story
Rotary began in Chicago in 1905 as a club for professional friendship and mutual support, and it grew into an international service movement with a strong tradition of practical volunteering and cross-border cooperation - rotary.org
# What Rotarians do
Most Rotary clubs combine “hands-on” local volunteering with fundraising, partnerships, and sometimes international projects.
Rotary frames its work around a set of cause areas (peace, disease prevention, water and sanitation, education, maternal and child health, local economies, and the environment), but individual clubs tend to specialise based on local need and member energy - rotary.org
Rotary is also strongly associated with the long-running global effort to eradicate polio, working as a partner in the broader eradication initiative and mobilising funding and volunteers over decades - rotary.org
# How Rotary is organised
Rotary’s structure is local-first: clubs are where the real activity happens, while districts coordinate across regions, and Rotary International provides shared programs, standards, and global infrastructure.
If you’re in the UK or Ireland, you’ll often see Rotary presented via Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I), which supports clubs with national coordination and a localised public-facing portal - rotarygbi.org
# Funding and grants
Many clubs raise money through events, local sponsorship, and member contributions, then spend it on local charitable projects or partner initiatives.
Rotary’s grantmaking is largely channelled via the Rotary Foundation, including smaller district grants and larger global grants that are designed to support sustained projects with measurable outcomes - rotary.org
# Youth and next-generation leadership
Rotary has youth programs that create “on-ramps” for service and leadership, including Interact (typically school-age) and Rotaract (young adults), plus exchanges and leadership awards in many districts - rotary.org
# Ethics and culture
Rotary culture leans heavily on “service plus fellowship”: doing practical good, while also creating a social container where members can rely on each other.
A famous Rotary-linked ethical prompt is the Four-Way Test (often recited in clubs and used as a decision-making lens), which is one reason Rotary can feel like a values-led network rather than just a volunteer rota - wikipedia
# How to get involved
The easiest way to understand Rotary is to visit a meeting, because clubs vary a lot in vibe, age mix, formality, and project style.
You can find nearby clubs through Rotary’s official club search, or via GB&I’s club finder if you’re in the UK and Ireland - rotary.org - rotarygbi.org
# Why Rotary matters for community builders
Rotary is one of the world’s most “deployable” civic networks: it already has local chapters, regular meeting cadence, fundraising muscle, and a habit of partnering with schools, councils, charities, and universities.
If you’re building a community project, Rotary can be a useful ally for pilots, small grants, introductions, venues, volunteer teams, and credibility—especially when you can offer a clear project plan and measurable local impact.