ROTARY CITATION

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why should clubs strive to earn the Rotary Citation?

The Rotary Citation is not just an honor for your club to receive, it is an important tool
to help monitor the health and growth of your club. Taking action toward achieving the
citation goals helps clubs engage their members, stay relevant in their communities, and
run more efficiently. A welcoming and engaging club also reflects the values of Rotary.
When clubs achieve citation goals, they contribute to the overall health and culture of
Rotary for generations to come.

How do I achieve the Rotary Citation for Rotary clubs?

1. Go to Rotary Club Central.
2. Review the available goals.
3. Select and set at least half of the goals available.
4. Achieve your goals.
5. Report your achievement in Rotary Club Central by 30 June.
Note: In addition to achieving and reporting achievement of goals by 30 June, Roary
International must receive each semiannual dues payment in full within 60 days after
the invoice is issued, or before receiving the 60-day reminder, to be eligible for the
Rotary Citation.

How do I access Rotary Club Central?

You can find Rotary Club Central in the Member Center on My Rotary, under Online
Tools. To learn how to use Rotary Club Central, you can take the online course in the
Learning Center called Rotary Club Central Resources.

How do I find the Rotary Citation goals in Rotary Club Central?

1. Go to the Goal Center on the left side of the page.
2. Select the Rotary year (in the middle of the screen).
3. Select the All tab.
If goals have already been selected, the club president, secretary, treasurer, membership
and foundation chairs, executive secretary/director can click on the edit button to
change your club’s selection.

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Where can I find a list of the Rotary Citation goals that I can print?
The goals can be found in this document.

Do clubs have to be in good standing to earn the Rotary citation?

Yes. To be eligible for the Rotary Citation, clubs need to begin the year as active clubs in
good standing and remain so throughout the year. For the purposes of the citation only,
good standing means a club has paid each semiannual dues invoice balance in full
within 60 days after the invoice is issued. If a club’s payment isn’t received by that date,
it will receive a 60-day reminder letter from Rotary International Accounts Receivable,
in which case the club will no longer be eligible.
New clubs that are chartered during the current Rotary year, that are in good financial
standing and have achieved at least half of the available goals before the end of the
Rotary year, are also eligible.

How can I verify that a club is in good standing?

To see whether your club is in good standing, you will need to check whether the club
balance has been paid in full within the 60-day time frame.
To check your daily club balance, check the report under the Manage tab, then Club
Administration, then Club Finances. You should have an outstanding balance of
$0.00. Invoices are due when they are posted, in mid-January and mid-July.
To check whether your July and January club dues were received on time, check the
Citation Recipients Report. This report can be found on My Rotary. Navigate to the
Manage tab, then Club and District Administration, and find Reports. In the
Awards section, you’ll see the Rotary Citation. This report also lives in Rotary Club
Central. Clubs are in good standing as long as they haven’t received a 60-day reminder
to pay their dues.
If you have questions about the club invoice or where to send your payment, including
whether your club has a zero balance or received a 60-day reminder letter, contact your
financial representative.

What if social distancing makes it hard to achieve some goals?

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The current process allows clubs to select goals that are achievable and relevant. There
are many goals to choose from that don’t require in-person gatherings. Even the Rotary
Youth Exchange goals can be attained by conducting virtual exchanges. For more
information on virtual youth exchanges, write to [email protected].
Who can see and set goals?
All Rotarians can see the goals set by their club presidents, secretaries, treasurers, and
club administration, membership, public image, service project, and Rotary Foundation
committee chairs, or executive secretary/director for any given year. If a member
doesn’t see a goal for the incoming year, it might be because one of these officers hasn’t
set it yet, or because the member hasn’t been reported as a member of the club.
Any incoming officer at the club or district level, including assistant governors, can set
goals for the upcoming year. If a club leader does not have the ability to set goals in
Rotary Club Central, it might be that their leadership role hasn’t been reported in My
Rotary.

Is our club still eligible for the citation if we achieve different goals than the
ones we set at the beginning of the year?
Yes. If club leaders find that a goal that is set at the beginning of the year is going to be
unattainable, but another will be attainable, they can edit the goals selected at any time
during the year. As long as more than half of the goals are reported as achieved by the
end of the Rotary year, the club is eligible for the citation.

Where should I report my club’s goal achievements?

Achievement of most goals are self-reported and can be reported in Rotary Club Central
by marking them “Achieved.” The achievements for data-driven goals like membership
numbers and Rotary Foundation giving are updated from our database, so you don’t
need to report achievement of those.

Why are clubs asked to choose at least half of the goals to achieve for the
citation?
Allowing clubs to choose their goals provides flexibility and recognizes that some goals
are more important or achievable than others, and this varies from club to club. Clubs
must achieve at least half of the goals available to be eligible.

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Can members who aren’t club leaders enter a club’s accomplishments?

No. However, a club officer (club presidents, secretaries, treasurers, and club
administration, membership, public image, service project, and Rotary Foundation
committee chairs, or executive secretary/director) can delegate online access
temporarily to a member to allow them to enter a club’s accomplishment in Rotary Club
Central.

How can I see my club’s progress?

Members who have My Rotary accounts can see their club’s accomplishments in the
Rotary Citation Recipients Report. You can find the report in Rotary Club Central in the
reports tab. The report is also available in My Rotary. Go to Manage, then Club and
District Administration, and then Reports. In the Awards section, you’ll see the
Rotary Citation. The report becomes available in October and remains active until 1
July.

I just achieved a goal for my club. Why isn’t the achievement showing?
For most of the goals in Rotary Club Central, achievement is self-reported. You can
enter the achievement at any time. It may take 24 hours to show as achieved on the
report.
Achievement of a few goals are data-generated, such as membership numbers or Rotary
Foundation giving, and the achievement may not appear in Rotary Club Central for 48
hours. Please check the Citation Recipients report (see previous question) a day or two
after reporting membership changes or submitting contributions.

What are Rotary Action Groups and Rotary Fellowships?

Rotary Action Groups are independent, international, Rotary-affiliated groups whose
members have expertise and experience in a particular area of specialization. Aligned
with Rotary’s priority to increase humanitarian impact, they use their knowledge and
passion to help clubs and districts plan and carry out impactful service projects.
• Membership is open to any individual. Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Peace
Fellows can serve in leadership roles.

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• By joining a Rotary Action Group, you can use your professional skills to
advise on meaningful service activities outside your own club, district, or
country.
• Rotary Action Groups provide networking opportunities with individuals from
around the world.
Rotary Fellowships are international groups that share a common passion. Being part of
a fellowship is a fun way to make friends around the world, explore a hobby or
profession, and enhance your Rotary experience.

How can I find out which members of my club are also members of a
Rotary Action Group/Fellowship?
RI currently does not track the membership information of Rotary Action
Groups/Rotary Fellowships. Each action group and fellowship maintain their own
membership data. You can find out about your club members’ engagement with action
groups/fellowships by surveying your club members.

What are examples of a leadership development program?

A leadership development program can be anything designed to give members
opportunities for developing their leadership skills. Clubs can offer leadership
development opportunities to their members, such as asking them to be on a committee
or lead a club initiative. They can also support members interested in professional
development by having a mentor program or giving them opportunities to develop new
skills through new experiences, such as taking the professional development courses in
Rotary’s Learning Center, and creating a supportive environment for them as they
complete the assignments involved. There are eight leadership and public speaking
courses available in Rotary’s Learning Center. These could be used to build a leadership
program in your club to achieve this goal.

What district training events count for the district training participation
goal?
The description of the goal in Rotary Club Central notes that this goal refers to club
committee attendance at the district training assembly. The district training assembly is
the RI-Board recommended training held by the district governors-elect for incoming
club officers, including club presidents, secretaries, treasurers, and club administration,
membership, public image, service project, and Rotary Foundation committee chairs.

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What social activities count for the goal in Rotary Club Central?
Any social activity held outside of the regular club meeting that is open to all club
members can count for this goal, including virtual events.

Are there additional resources available to guide my club on updating our

bylaws?
Beginning in Rotary year 2023-24, there will be an additional goal regarding updating
your club bylaws. If it has been a few years since your club last updated your bylaws or
you are unable to locate them, use the Recommended Rotary Club Bylaws as a starting
point. Your club can tailor these bylaws, as long as your changes align with Rotary’s
constitutional documents and Rotary Code of Policies. Take the Creating an Inclusive
Club Culture course in the Learning Center to see examples of how your club can ensure
your bylaws reflect the needs of your members.

Can clubs earn a presidential distinction?

No. The Rotary Citation no longer includes distinction levels.

Where can I find the presidential theme address?

You can find the RI President’s theme address on our Presidential Initiatives web page
on Rotary.org.

Why is my previous year’s membership growth not showing? I didn’t

remove members until 1 July.
Members who are added on 1 July count toward the next year’s membership growth.
Members who are removed on 1 July count toward the previous year’s loss since they
aren’t members at the start of the Rotary year. For example, members who are added on
1 July 2022 count toward the next year (2022-23)’s membership growth. Members who
are removed on 1 July 2022 count toward the previous year (2021-22).

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The membership trends graph in Rotary Club Central is updated based on 1 July
membership figures so it won’t update throughout the year. To find your club’s current
membership figures, go to My Rotary’s Manage tab, and navigate to Reports.

How can I report an ongoing or completed service project?

If you have a multi-year project and are concerned about it impacting your achievement
of the goal in Rotary Club Central, you can break your project into parts that will be
achieved each year and mark each part complete when the Rotary year ends.

How are new and existing members defined?

For the purposes of the citation, a new member is defined as those who were added on
or after 1 July of the Rotary year in question. Existing members are those who were
members prior to 1 July of the Rotary year in question.

Are clubs chartered during the current Rotary year eligible for this year’s
citation?
Yes. If a newly chartered club is in good financial standing and has achieved at least half
of the available goals before the end of the Rotary year, it is eligible. If it was chartered
after January, it will be considered “in good standing.” If it is chartered before January,
it is considered to be “in good standing” if it has satisfied the January invoice payment
on time. To confirm eligibility, presidents of newly chartered clubs should write to
[email protected].

Are satellite clubs eligible for the Rotary Citation?

No. Satellite club goals and achievements should be combined with their sponsor club’s
goals.

Why isn’t my Rotary club showing as having earned the citation on the
citation recipients report?
Sometimes clubs achieve their goals but forget to report their achievement in Rotary
Club Central. Citations are awarded to clubs that achieve their goals and report their

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achievement. If your club received an exception for one of the requirements, it will not
be reflected on the report.

What does my club get for earning the Citation?

If a club successfully completes all the goals necessary for the citation, they will receive a
digital Rotary Citation certificate signed by the RI President. Links to the certificates are
distributed the following Rotary year to immediate past club presidents and immediate
past district governors of those clubs who achieved the citation.

When are citation awards processed?

Clubs should report achievement of goals by 30 June, the last day of the Rotary year. On
1 July, the Citation Recipients Report is downloaded by RI staff to determine recipients.
Citation certificates will be generated and sent in the first quarter of the new Rotary
year. Requests for exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis through October,
and should come from the club’s president for the previous Rotary year.

How will Citation certificates be distributed to clubs?

Citation certificates will be emailed to immediate past district governors of clubs who
have earned the award. The email will include a link to a folder where certificates can be
found. This allows district leaders to award their clubs with the certificate if they choose.
A few weeks afterward, the link to the certificates will be emailed directly to immediate
past club presidents. The certificates will be organized and sorted by district number
and club name.

My club earned the Citation, but we didn’t get the certificate. Where can we
find them?
The 2021-2022 Rotary citation certificates for Rotary clubs can be found in this folder. A
link to the certificates for the 2022-2023 Rotary year will be shared with the appropriate
club and district leaders in the first quarter of the 2023-2024 Rotary year.

My club showed as having achieved the Citation when I checked the report
earlier in the Rotary year. Why did we not get the citation certificate?

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The Citation Recipient Report is dynamic and updates as membership or Foundation

giving figures change. If it shows a club as having earned the citation in May for
example, but not in June, it may be that members were terminated at the end of the year
which impacted their eligibility if that goal was selected. The report is pulled on 1 July to
determine recipients. Goals achieved according to the report as of that date determine
eligibility. Members terminated on 1 July will count as membership losses for the
previous Rotary year. Members added on 1 July will count as membership gain for the
current Rotary year.

ROTARY CITATION FOR ROTARACT AND INTERACT CLUBS

How does the Rotary Citation work for Rotaract and Interact clubs?
Rotaract and Interact clubs can be nominated online for the Rotary Citation for Rotaract
Clubs or the Rotary Citation for Interact Clubs. Rotaract and Interact clubs can’t be
nominated by email, mail, or phone. The links to the nomination forms can be found on
rotary.org/citation.

When does the nomination form for the Rotaract and Interact Citations
open?
The nomination forms for Rotaract and Interact club citations opens in late August or
September of the current Rotary year and are open until 15 August of the following
Rotary year.

Where can I find the Rotaract and Interact Citation Goals?

The goals for the Rotary Citation for Rotaract and Interact clubs can be found on
Rotary.org/citation. This page includes the goals and instructions document, along with
other helpful resources.

How do Rotaract clubs achieve the Rotary Citation for Rotaract Clubs?
Rotaract clubs need to achieve more than half of Rotaract Citation goals to earn the
Rotary Citation for Rotaract Clubs. The Rotaract Club President submits an online form
indicating which goals have been met. You can find a list of goals and a link to the
nomination form on Rotary.org/citation. If more than half of the goals were met, the

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nominator receives a link to the certificate that can be downloaded, printed, and
presented to the club.

How do Interact clubs achieve the Rotary Citation for Interact Clubs?
Interact clubs need to achieve more than half of Interact Citation goals to earn the
Rotary Citation for Interact Clubs. The club sponsor president or Interact club adviser
has to submit the online nomination form indicating which goals have been met. You
can find a list of goals and a link to the nomination form on Rotary.org/citation. If more
than half of the goals were met, the nominator receives a link to the certificate that can
be downloaded, printed, and presented to the Interact club.

Who can nominate an Interact club for the Rotary Citation for Interact
clubs?
Only sponsor club presidents and Interact club advisers may submit the nomination
form for Interact clubs. If the Interact club is sponsored by more than one club, sponsor
clubs should coordinate to submit the nomination.

Is there a list of Rotaract/Interact clubs who have achieved the citation?

Rotary International does not maintain or distribute a list.

What do I do if the Rotaract/Interact citation certificate doesn’t arrive?

Upon submitting the nomination form for a Rotaract or Interact club, the nominator
will receive an email that links to the certificate if the club qualifies. The nominator can
then download the certificate and distribute it to the club. If the nominator doesn’t have
that email with the certificate link, it may be in their junk mail. If it’s not there, they can
email [email protected] for help.

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