mrt-letter

Rotary/US Government Talking Points and FAQ

7 February 2025

BACKGROUND
Rotary, just as other similar organizations, is working through understanding the implications of the many executive orders and other directives coming out of the U.S. federal government, including:

· Withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization, which is a Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partner (we released a statement last month)

Suspending diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs
Limiting interaction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is another GPEI partner
Freezing funding for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which is one of Rotary’s partners and provides funding to GPEI partners for the polio program.

Given that some of these actions may have long term impact on Rotary programs, including our flagship program of polio eradication, Rotary senior leadership and staff have been working with decisionmakers to address and minimize these issues.

As the situation evolves on a daily basis, it has been a challenge to understand definitively if or how our work is impacted and what our next steps might be.

We remain committed to eradicating polio, to creating lasting change in our communities and in ourselves, and to supporting our members and our staff.

USAID AND OTHER PARTNERS

Are recent orders or funding announcements from the US Federal Government affecting Rotary programs or operations in any way?

· Rotary has restated our commitment to eradicating polio in light of the recent announcement that the United States intends to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), a partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Although this decision creates new challenges, we are confident that the GPEI will continue to adapt, to innovate, and to implement effective strategies to keep polio vaccines available for every child wherever they live.

· Rotary has collaborated with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) since 2009 on different types of programs. Our current programmatic efforts and communications with USAID personnel and leadership are on hold due to the stop-work order issued by USAID.

· We are navigating the implications of the recent stop-work order issued for Hearts of Europe projects that are part of a partnership with USAID. All projects that are currently in an implementation phase have been notified and given information about what actions need to be taken while the stop-work order is in effect. Rotary International has already notified members whose projects are directly impacted by this order and is working to continue to support them in their impactful work. We are working directly with those projects that are not yet being implemented to determine alternative funding for their important work.

· We remain in ongoing contact with our other NGO and not-for-profit partners whose work is also impacted by the recent announcements.

Does the government stop work order affect Global or District grants?

· The stop work order is only for projects that have received US government funding. Currently the government stop work order affects 21 Hearts of Europe aligned Global Grants implemented in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The host and international sponsors will already have received communication if they fall into this group.

Why do we partner with agencies like USAID, WHO, and CDC that rely on government funding?

· We partner with governments around the world to help us implement programs. Most especially around Polio eradication efforts. The US Government and USAID are no different. USAID is the largest international development organization by budget in the world, and where our Areas of Focus and their areas of work overlap, we can bring a wealth of experience and knowledge, sometimes funding, but also coordinating power to support Rotary members’ efforts to help their communities through project development, implementation, and learning opportunities.

POLIO ERADICATION

How will Rotary’s partnerships with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) be impacted given the potential restructure of CDC and previously stated U.S. withdrawal from WHO?

Rotary provides grant funding to WHO and UNICEF and will continue to do so.
Rotary remains fully committed to delivering on the promise of a polio-free world.
Rotary’s grant funding to these organizations supports the following activities:

· Operational support to ensure the vaccine reaches all children; including stipends for the millions of volunteers who administer the vaccine and perform house-to-house follow up visits.

· Research into new products and approaches to facilitate eradication.

· Social mobilization to raise awareness of the vaccination campaigns and the benefits of immunization.

· Surveillance for disease detection, including the polio laboratory network.

· Technical assistance including salaries for technical advisors.

· Transition planning to ensure the orderly transition of polio immunization activities to routine immunization following the eradication of polio.

· Vaccine for supplementary immunization activities.

Additional Points

Without the US, we would not have come 99.9% of the way to eradicating polio. US scientists developed the vaccines that we use, the US was one of the first countries that championed the goal of eradicating polio, and the US CDC is a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Of the approximately USD 900 million spent every year on finding the poliovirus and protecting children from it, 15% is from the US government. This allows us to detect poliovirus everywhere in the world, processing well over 100,000 samples every year to test for polio and enabling us to track where the virus might be spreading. It helps us immunize over 350 million children every year, ensuring that virus cannot spread further and bringing us closer to stopping it forever.
US experts are full members of our scientific, technical and operational work. They staff the labs, they support countries with polio to immunize their children, and they help make sure the virus is contained safely in facilities.
Through its Stop Transmission of Polio (STOP) program at the CDC, the US sends volunteers on stipends to 25 high-risk countries to both detect virus and immunize children, while building local and national capacities towards eventual self-sufficiency. This program is excellent value for money and is a model for cooperation between WHO and CDC to fight other diseases such as malaria and measles.
Polio eradicators are used to adapting to challenges and we remain hopeful.

What is Rotary’s position on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services?

Rotary does not take positions on the appointments of government officials to various posts.
Rotary is fully committed to delivering on its promise of a polio-free world. For several decades, we have led efforts to protect children from polio and have been pleased to work with several US administrations to dramatically reduce the global incidence of polio.
We appreciate the statements made by Senator Mitch McConnell and Representative Steve Cohen. They are polio survivors who understand personally the devastating effects of polio and who have been steadfast champions of polio eradication efforts.

· The United States must continue to immunize children against polio because polio virus continues to circulate elsewhere and as long as that’s the case, Americans remain at risk. We saw this in 2022 when a man in New York contracted polio and poliovirus was detected in several counties in New York.

President Trump has spoken positively about the polio vaccine. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has expressed his support for the polio vaccine.
Should he be confirmed, we will work on this historic project with Mr. Kennedy and the new administration.
We appreciate the long-time bipartisan support in Congress and in each successive presidential administration. We will work with the new administration and the US Congress to continue progress towards ending polio.

ROTARY AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Where does Rotary stand on DEI?

At Rotary, our commitment to fostering a culture of belonging and respect is deeply rooted in our values and mission to create a world where everyone feels welcome, included, and valued. These principles are essential to building strong relationships, promoting understanding, and making a lasting impact in the communities we serve.

It is important to emphasize that creating spaces where everyone feels they belong does not diminish opportunities for other — it ensures that all individuals, regardless of their background or life experiences, have an equal chance to thrive and contribute meaningfully.

Rotary encourages all members to:

Use respectful language
Be supportive
Foster a welcoming environment

We acknowledge that societal changes may shape how these topics are perceived. Yet, our dedication to fostering understanding remains steadfast. This work is about strengthening connections and advancing the well-being and dignity of all people.

Rotary has historically served as a platform for people to come together for a respectful exchange of ideas and perspectives. By engaging in conversations with empathy and respect, we can address misconceptions, deepen understanding, and reaffirm Rotary’s commitment to creating a world that values belonging, fairness, and human dignity. We celebrate our members’ dedication to our shared values and commitment to building a Rotary where everyone feels empowered to contribute and grow.