The Seattle Rotary Service Foundation has been formally awarded a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to work with Malaria Partners International, totaling up to $750,000, for the purpose of providing dollar-for-dollar matching for malaria-related projects financially supported by Rotary Clubs, Districts or Rotary membership organizations. “The Seattle Rotary Service Foundation welcomes the opportunity to assist the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in this landmark malaria-Rotary effort,” remarked Trish Bostrom, SRSF President.
The Rotary malaria matching initiative builds on comments by Philip Welkhoff, Director of the Gates Foundation’s malaria program during the Rotary Large Club Conference in Long Beach, CA earlier this year. “Rotary members can make a big difference in the quest to end malaria,” Welkhoff said. “That’s evident from your extraordinary work to end polio.
“Combined with support from The Rotary Foundation, the Gates Foundation matching turns each $1 Rotary Club malaria contribution into $6.50. That’s terrific leverage,” observed Jeff Pritchard, Malaria Partners International’ Board Chair.