How to Join the Rotary Club

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 15, 2022 References

Want to be part of Rotary International? Join the Rotary Club! Rotary Clubs have been bringing together world and local leaders for humanitarian projects since 1905. In order to be eligible to join the Rotary Club, you have to be invited first. If you want to be one of the 1.2 million worldwide professionals who call themselves Rotarians, first, express both formal and informal interest. Then, make a good impression on your local Rotary Club members.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Expressing Interest in Joining

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Research the Rotary Club history and mission. Make sure that you want to join the Rotary Club for the right reasons by finding out more about its values and goals. Look up your city’s Rotary Club to get a sense for its standards and to check out its specific application requirements, which may differ slightly from other branches’ requirements.^{[1]
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- Spend some time on the Rotary Club website https://www.rotary.org/en, just like you would if it were a college you were applying to. Educate yourself by clicking through each tab on their website, gathering knowledge you may be able to use later in the application process.
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Ask around about the Rotary Club. Rotary Clubs are invitation-only, so while you definitely want to show formal interest by filling out their online questionnaire, check with your friends, family, and co-workers to find out if they or anyone they know is already a member. It helps to have connections within your local chapter, as eventually you will need a sponsor who’s already in the Club to vouch for your membership.^{[2]
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Fill out Rotary’s online interest questionnaire. Rotary International’s website asks potential new members to answer a few brief questions online about their age, location, occupation, and interest in joining. From there, they match you with a club in your area based off your responses. You can access the questionnaire at https://www.rotary.org/en/get-involved/join.
- See if your city’s Rotary Club has its own website. Some branches have their own questionnaires for applicants, which you should fill out in addition to the one on Rotary’s main page.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Matching with a Club

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Articulate your interest to a representative from your local club. Once you’ve filled out the questionnaire(s), Rotary Club International reaches out to your local branches to let them know you’re interested; if you seem like a match for a club in your area, a representative from that club will reach out to you by e-mail or phone. Have a spiel prepared for when they call:
- This first contact with a Rotary Club rep will be similar to when a job interviewer says, “So tell me a little about yourself.” Your response should be formatted around Present/Past/Future: first, tell the interviewer about your current profession including its scope and your accomplishments; second, tell the interviewer what past experience has led you to the Rotary Club; and lastly, tell the interviewer how the Rotary Club is part of your future plans of action.^{[3]
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- Correspond with your local club representative in a timely, professional manner. Once they’ve reached out to you, don’t take longer than 2 days max to respond to an e-mail or phone call at any point in the process; the quicker you get back to them, the better.
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Put your best foot forward when you meet the club. If you’ve connected with a member over e-mail or the phone and it went well, they will invite you to attend a club meeting, social event, or volunteer project. Pick appropriate clothes for the occasion, get plenty of sleep the night before, and stave off nervousness by taking deep, cleansing breaths.^{[4]
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- Though networking can be intimidating, it’s one of the most important parts of a successful professional career, and it’s certainly something you should do when you meet the club for the first time. It is perfectly normal to walk up to strangers, extend your hand for a shake, and introduce yourself—in fact, they’re expecting it. Make lots of eye contact and ask people questions about their careers and what brought them to the Rotary Club.
- Don’t be afraid to talk about your own accomplishments when asked, and don’t downplay them. E.g.: instead of, “I’m building a tech start-up right now, but it’s still really very small,” try, “I’ve founded my own tech company and right now we’re looking to expand.”
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Wait a few weeks to see if you receive an invitation to join. If meeting the club goes well and you’re the right fit, you’ll receive an invitation to join within a few weeks. Don’t bombard club members with inquiries, but if a week has gone by with still no word, it’s okay to reach out to check on the status of your membership. This shows initiative and drive.^{[5]
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- Remember that if you don’t get an invitation this time, it doesn’t bar you from joining sometime in the future. Try again at a later point in your career or in a different city!^{[6]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Becoming a Rotary Club Member

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Attend weekly meetings right off the bat. Once an invitation has been extended to you and you’ve accepted it, start attending the club’s weekly meetings right away. As a new member, it’s good to show your commitment from the start, and nothing shows commitment like punctual, weekly attendance.
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Form new connections through the Rotary Club. One of the Rotary Club’s biggest perks is its capacity for networking. Since you’re new, you have an excuse to introduce yourself to as many people as you want. Find out what your fellow Rotarians are up to in your area and show genuine curiosity in their plans by asking them questions about their lives and careers.
- One of the world’s best networking hacks is to have an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a 30-second spiel you give to pique other people’s interest in you and your current project. It’s all about brevity, so only include information that’s both interesting and relevant.
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Explore possible projects you can do through the Rotary Club. The Club’s mission is primarily built around service, so as you get more and more involved, come up with ways you can use club resources to help other people. Identify problems in your community that the Rotary Club could tackle, and talk to fellow members about how to get started on a service project.
- Rotary Clubs also have scholarships and grants https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/grants for young entrepreneurs or humanitarians. Check out their website for more information on how to apply for funding for your project.