Peace Corps and Rotary International Sign Letter of Collaboration

We are pleased to announce that the Peace Corps and Rotary International have signed a letter of collaboration to promote our shared missions of service and sustainable community development. Founded in 1905, Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. Rotary also builds peace and international understanding through education, humanitarian service, and by connecting young leaders.

Much like Peace Corps Volunteers, Rotarians are attuned to their communities’ needs. Our organizations operate not only in many of the same countries, but also in many of the same communities. The Peace Corps and Rotary families often overlap. There are many Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in the Rotarian community and, likewise, many Rotarians become Peace Corps Volunteers. 

Under this new strategic partnership, our organizations will explore collaboration initially in three countries: Philippines, Thailand, and Togo. Among various activities, Peace Corps posts can encourage Volunteers to collaborate with local Rotary clubs, while Rotary clubs can work with Peace Corps posts to provide small grants to Volunteers and their communities through the Peace Corps Partnership Program. By exploring new ways of working together, our organizations hope to realize administrative efficiencies and achieve greater development impact.

Our partnership provides not only for collaboration overseas, but also in the United States. The Peace Corps looks forward to working with Rotary to recruit Americans into Peace Corps service, and to advance the Third Goal of sharing the world with our fellow Americans. Together, we can inspire volunteerism and service across the country and around the world.  

To learn more, please read the letter of collaboration or visit the Rotary International partnership page on the Intranet. We encourage posts outside of the three focus countries that are interested in working with Rotary to contact Dilana Martinez in the Office of Strategic Partnerships at dmartinez@peacecorps.gov.