PolioPlus Challenge
Bill Gates announced to attendees at the International Assembly
on January 21, 2009 that the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has
contributed an additional US$255 million to Rotary International to
help end polio worldwide. Rotary will raise another $100 million,
bringing the
total that the two organizations have pledged to the
polio eradication effort to $555 million.
Turn your computer's
speakers on and watch this special announcement! Then read the
details
of the Rotary Challenge below.
In response to the new $255 million Gates Foundation grant, Rotary will raise $100 million in matching funds. In November 2007, RI received a $100 million Gates Foundation grant, which Rotary committed to match by raising $100 million. The two Gates Foundation challenge grants now total $355 million. Rotary International’s matching effort in response is called Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge, which must be completed by 30 June 2012.