Starting a new club

For Rotary to continue its vital humanitarian work and expand its service to communities at home and abroad, its membership base must grow. In recent years, charter members of new Rotary clubs have been the primary source of Rotary's membership growth.

Consider starting a new club if

• A local community that can support a club does not have one
• An existing Rotary club is facing meeting-space constraints
• Alternative meeting times would benefit different groups within the community

Rotary e-clubs, in which members meet online through a dedicated club website, offer a flexible alternative for those who are unable to attend a weekly meeting in person. The process for starting a Rotary e-club is essentially the same as for starting other Rotary clubs. 

Requirements

District governors are responsible for approving and overseeing the process of starting a club, including appointing a special representative to guide its organization.

Those interested in organizing a new Rotary club should contact their district governor and Club and District Support representative. New clubs should be mentored for two to three years after being chartered.

New clubs must

• Adopt the Standard Rotary Club Constitution
• Have a minimum of 25 charter members
• Elect officers
• Pay a charter fee
• Hold weekly meetings
• Choose a club name
• Be approved by the RI Board of Directors

District extension committees assist in organizing and establishing new clubs and in identifying communities for chartering new clubs.