Rotary International supports and guides Rotarians and clubs in realizing Rotary’s goals. The highest decision-making body of Rotary International is the annual meeting, where every club has the right to send an official representative and where every Rotarian has the right to participate.

The leading figure of Rotary International is the annually changing president. In 2023-2024 as RI president is Gordon McInally (Rotary Club of South Queensferry, Lothian, Scotland).

Rotary International is headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, near Chicago. About 530 people work in the head office under the direction of the general secretary. In addition to the headquarters, Rotary International has seven regional offices around the world. The European and African Office (EAO) in Zurich serves Finnish Rotarians.

The Rotary Foundation is one of the world’s largest private philanthropic operators, which always ranks first in the transparency and reliability comparison of these operators.

The Rotary Foundation coordinates and finances the global service activities of Rotarians. The foundation’s work is based on voluntary donations and capital returns, which are channeled into educational projects and humanitarian aid work.

An important incentive is the award of a Paul Harris Fellow for every thousand dollars donated. More than one million PHF recognitions named after Rotary founder Paul Harris have been awarded worldwide.