Rotary Club of Dayton members established the Rotary Club of Dayton Foundation in 1954 by converting remaining funds ($16,517.00) from an old Student Loan Fund.
The Foundation is a separate entity from the Club, governed by a board of Trustees elected by the Club. As the philanthropic arm of the Rotary Club of Dayton, The Foundation awards grants quarterly to qualified nonprofits in the Miami Valley.
Cindy Garner*
Matthew Jessup
Sue Taylor
Scott Kayser
Brian Martin
Rick Thie
Jena Pado
Cathy Ponitz
Frank Scott
*filling the unexpired term of Laura Roesch
Trustees are elected to staggered three-year terms by the general Club membership. Trustees may serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms.
Trustees are trusted members of the Club and servant leaders in the community. With a wide range of experience in the nonprofit sector, Trustees strive to provide an open, transparent process that advances our goals while respecting the time and effort of our local nonprofits.
In addition to determining grant awards, Trustees are responsible for stewarding the Foundation’s assets, primarily an endowment of nearly one million dollars among other investments.
Dedicated to helping others find their dream job, Cindy is Executive Director of Clothes That Work.
A financial whiz, Matthew Jessup invests millions of dollars on behalf of some of Dayton’s most influential leaders.
Sue Taylor is the definition of a servant leader, always willing to step up – at the Foundation, in the Club, and in life.
A strategic communication professional, Scott spent twenty years in politics before pivoting to helping small and medium organizations stand out.
Brian is passionate about making the Miami Valley the best region to live, work, and raise a family.
An active and dedicated community leader, you can catch Rick supporting a variety of causes throughout the Miami Valley.
Jena is on the front lines of ensuring our children have the most vital basic resource: access to reliable, world-class healthcare.
Cathy Ponitz is a seasoned nonprofit leader and master of all trades. You can find her serving in a variety of volunteer roles throughout the region.
A master of numbers, Frank is also a humble leader – always answering the call to serve in whatever capacity needed.
Kelly is a committed peace activist and community leader who dedicates her time, talent, and treasure to serving others.
Sarah is passionate about water, and it shows in everything she does. Just get her started on the benefits of clean rivers and waterways.
Contributions of $1,000 (or more) to the Rotary International Foundation result in the designation of Paul Harris Fellow. Rotary International uses these donations to fund all the humanitarian and educational programs around the world. The $1,000 amount does not need to be paid in full, but can be paid in “installments” of $100 (or more) per year. In that case the Rotarian will be designated as a sustaining member – Paul Harris Fellow. As a matter of fact Rotary International promotes annual giving to the RI foundation with the slogan “Every Rotarian Every Year.”
In 1976, J. R. Woodhull made a generous bequest to the Dayton Rotary Foundation. Since then, the Dayton Rotary has established the J.R. Woodhull Fellowship. A contribution of $1,000 (either as a lump sum or in installments over time) earns Rotarians a J.R. Woodhull Fellowship. The monies donated towards the J.R. Woodhull Fellowship are deposited in the Dayton Rotary Foundation Endowment. The interest revenues from this Endowment are used to fund local service projects. Currently, the Dayton Rotary Foundation Endowment contains approximately $600,000.
The William S. Anderson Fellowship was established in 2007 to support Club International Projects (most recently supported the Kenya Project with the Maji Mazuri Center with the end goal of getting orphans out of the slums of Nairobi and Borehole Projects in Nigeria). The International Committee continues to research new potential projects and is working on developing one in Ecuador at this time. The fellowship is completed with a gift of $1,000 can be given at one time or paid over a period of time.
The Thomas J. Lasley Education Fellowship was established in 2016 to support the Rotary Club of Dayton’s education initiatives. The initiatives must have significant and direct involvement by Rotary Club of Dayton members and be of a size and scope that exceeds the funding capabilities of the Club’s annual operating budget. Education initiatives and funding requests must be approved by the Rotary Club of Dayton’s Board of Trustees. The fellowship is completed with a gift of $1,000 that can be given at one time or paid over a period of time.
Total: $18,000
*Special $5,000 grants made possible by a generous anonymous donor.
Total: $70,000
Grace Urban Development
Greater Edgemont Community Coalition & Solar Garden
JCOWA
Daybreak, Inc.*
Miami Valley Leadership Foundation
NPower Ohio
Spectrum New Beginnings
Wright Dunbar Medal of Honor Memorial
Children’s Historical Publishing
Miami Valley Meals
Elizabeth’s New Life Center
Dayton Pickleball Foundation
Crayons 2 Classrooms
United Rehabilitation Services
NCCJ
Levitt Pavilion Dayton
Dayton Public Radio
SICSA Pet Adoption and Wellness Center
Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley
*Special $50,000 Signature Grant awarded at Dayton Summerfest 2024.
Total: $104,000
Junior Achievement
Learning Tree Farm
K12 /TEJAS Gallery
Catholic Social Services Miami Valley
Homefull
Greater Dayton Public Television
Good Samaritan Foundation Dayton
The Kettering Backpack Program
Good Shepard Ministries
The Castle
St Vincent de Paul
Pink Ribbon Good
Emerge Recovery & Trade Initiative
Total: $39,000
