Our Strategic Initiative and Three-Year Plan – Kicking off with Awaken to the Extraordinary Opportunity of Rotary
Expanding our Brand
Operational Success Metrics: Expanded visibility (press, social media and other avenues) / Market recognition and awards
Goals for 2023-24: Omni-channel social media / Rotary Heroes and media outreach
Wins:
- Our top initiatives for this year included launching our website and newsletter to organize our communications and broadcast our brand, Awakening to the Extraordinary Opportunity of Rotary. New Website | New Newsletter Format (Opens: 50%↑)
- Increasing engagement on Linkedin Group and other social media platforms. Social media growth (Facebook, LinkedIn): Active members: 312%↑ New members: 3%↑ Post views: 228%↑ Reactions: 1033%↑ Comments: 80%↑
- Creating an omni-channel for amplifying our brand.
- Harvest Against Hunger – raising awareness for this district project and raising $47,000. Translates to over 8 million servings of food distributed.
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center and Rotary International hosted an event commemorating World Polio Day 2023, “Let’s Make Polio History.” Speakers included Ezra Teshome, a Rotarian who has been leading vaccination campaigns in Ethiopia for over 20 years, Tehniyat Khan, from the Gates Foundation’s polio team in Afghanistan, and moderation by Penny Legate, former TV anchor for KIRO TV.
- Lithium Recycling Initiative across Greater Seattle – ten locations setup and numerous media articles. The team collectively gathered 659.5 kg or 1,451 pounds! To break it down a bit: 14 laptops, 237 phones, 6 tablets, over 500 lbs. of loose lithium-ion batteries.
- Zones video project – focusing on engaging membership to drive impact.
- Rotary Magazine highlights work from 5030 – Harvest against Hunger, Duvall Pollinators Project, Big Taste by Seattle Sunrise.
Top Performers: Duvall (Heart), Renton (partnership with Doug Baldwin), and Edmonds (Oktoberfest – Best in Seattle), and honorable mentions: HAH (Rotary Magazine), Woodinville (Bees), and Seattle Sunrise (Big Taste)
Engaging our Community
Operational Success Metrics: District Innovation Studio launched / Hybrid model expanded to all district event
Goals for 2023-24: Launch new website and newsletter / Establish innovation model for district projects
Wins:
- District Conference in Victoria (October) – first in four years and with 315 participants across the district. Broad program, strong youth representation, corporate sponsors, local political/community support, and many opportunities for fellowship.
- Increasing participation from clubs in service projects locally as they emerge from the pandemic aftershocks. We now have 18 foundation supported projects in 5030 and very close to 100% compliance. Total amount 5030 has spent on local and global projects – $4.84M
- Kicked off our Foundation awareness programs with Seed, PHF match and Awaken Society. We had a solid response to the district match for PHF with over 25 taking up the opportunity (currently at 313 PHF this year). We have 1159 EREY and 897 are sustaining members. We had 23 Major Donors and 2 Benefactors this year, while some 10 members mad major gifts to RI. Our annual fund total is $482,490 (24 June) with a per Capita giving of $229.43!
- We will have 42 Rotarians attending the International Convention in Singapore and we held a well attended district gathering on the last day. Kim Lorenz from Bellevue Noon was recognized as an Arch Klumph Society member during the Foundation event in Singapore.
- This year’s RYLA Northwest program was a success! Upon arriving at YMCA Camp Colman on Thursday, June 6, 103 students from 43 sponsoring Rotary Clubs received their cabin and small group assignments. Small groups of 9-10 students, led by a near-peer staff member (Rotary youth program alums, aged 17-25), discussed and practiced leadership skills together throughout the week.
TRF Recognition: Annual Fund per Capita - Mill Creek (1)/$1,103, Bellevue Eastside (2)/$724, and Lake Forest Park (3)/$542
Community Recognition: Big Taste/Seattle Sunrise, Oktoberfest/Edmonds, Des Moines and Normandy/Blues and Brews, Bellevue Breakfast/All in for Autism 5K, and Bellevue Sunrise/Neighborhood Appliance Replacement Program
Wider Impact for the district: Harvest Against Hunger – recognized as Nutrient Nurturers ($10,000 to $24,999) under their lifetime giving society | Peace Fellowship District | ShelterBox
Hero Clubs: Seattle 4, Fremont, and Lake Forest Park!
Growing our Membership
Operational Success Metrics: Grow district to 3000 members / Expand to 55 clubs
Goals for 2023-24: Reverse membership loss in top clubs / Focus on new clubs to drive growth
Wins:
- Launched big club task force and collaborating on addressing their challenges. The goal is to address the 85% of membership loss over 2018 to 2022. Exciting developments and changes are taking place as the large clubs look to engagement strategies with their members, which are already bearing fruit for the future.
- Two clubs were launched: Eastside Action and Mercer Island Action. We still have South King County club in the pipeline. We have a total of 55 clubs in 5030.
- Built a new approach to responding to RI membership referrals from RI with improved engagement and response.
- Message at club visits focused on membership engagement by delivering value to our existing and future members. As a result, our club member retention rate has increased from 85.66% to 89.42%
- Steady tracking with membership growth, although challenges remain. We are currently at 2,246 members – a growth of 48 from 7/1/2023 and we will see increase with new clubs being chartered (20-40 members). The uptrend is encouraging.
- Actively focused on our youth in the district and continuing to engage them through themes of leadership, service and professional growth. Secured our Rotaractor clubs for the new Rotary year with 84 members in total. We have 15 Interactor clubs across the district.
Net Change - Duvall (1)/11, Lynwood (2)/9, and Kirkland (3)/8. The exciting news is that our retention rate has increased from 85.66% to 89.42% with emphasis on engagement.
Embrace vocational legacy
Operational Success Metrics: Secure 10 corporate sponsors / Quarterly business network events / 30 enrolled in Leadership program
Goals for 2023-24: Launch new website and newsletter / Establish innovation studio model for district projects
Wins:
- Launched RISE leadership program and had our two cohort of graduates (27 in total). Program covers its own costs. Engaged with Zones leadership to expand it to other districts. Working on an approach for youth. Meeting our goal for engagement in leadership programs.
- We have had some success engaging business partners and will continue to work on this effort. We secured strong corporate sponsors for district conference, Philanthropy in a Box events, and our website/newsletter development. Working on sponsors for the EOY Celebration event. We have been able to secure more than $50,000 in sponsorship and goods-in-kind through our vocational engagement.
- Kicked off our Philanthropy in a Box initiative with Copperworks event. Celebrating local business and RISE graduates. The second was held in February at Good Roots in Enumclaw. The third was held in April in North Creek at the Brooklyn Pizza restaurant.
- Launched a new business network across the district to replace our current service – more engaging and useful for business support/networking. We already secured over 200 Rotarian businesses on the Community Based Business Network, and we have six club foundations signed up to receive donations from businesses in their community. We are going to launch a promotional campaign across 5030 to drive awareness that includes a $5,000 match!
Philanthropy in a Box, CBBN, and RISE
Transform by innovating
Operational Success Metrics: District Innovation Studio launched / Hybrid model expanded to all district events
Goals for 2023-24: Leadership Development Program / Expand value in PNW business network
Wins:
- Launched new capabilities in our web services to make it easier to submit articles and events for the clubs. Newsletter is more contemporary to capture a wider audience outside of Rotary.
- Successfully relaunched our in-person district Learning Symposium with 165 Rotarians joining the program supporting club development and engagement.
- We have integrated our disparate websites into one presence, and we will be working on improving them to better serve our members: Foundation, youth, and DEI.
- We have submitted a district legislative change to the Council of Legislation for 2025 in support of the Club Builder concept. It has been accepted by RI.
- We are changing the way we undertake district projects to have them driven by the clubs in support of service innovation. Approved at last district business meeting in October 2023. We completed the the bylaw changes to support framework in preparation for submission as a proposal at the next district 5030 business meeting.
- We expanded the hybrid concept to the district conference. Clubs are using unique ways to leverage this approach into their programs, while remaining flexible to speaking opportunities and member engagement.
Hunger Strike, Service Innovation, Club Builder (COL-25), and Website/Newsletter, Community Benefit Business Network
