Rotary Club of Portland

What Rotary Club of Portland does

The Rotary Club of Portland is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit civic organization and local chapter of Rotary International, founded in 1913 and recognized as the 15th oldest Rotary club in the world. It is headquartered at The Sentinel Hotel in downtown Portland (614 SW 11th Ave), where it convenes weekly Tuesday lunch meetings as the primary engagement venue for members and prospective members. The club serves business and professional leaders in the Portland metro area through community service, professional networking, leadership development, and humanitarian programs, operating under the ethical framework of Rotary's Four-Way Test.

The club's service portfolio spans several long-running programs: Wheels of Power (delivering over 650 power wheelchairs to individuals with mobility impairments since 1978 at cumulative cost above $2 million); the Rotary Youth Exchange (long-term and short-term high school exchanges with 22+ partner countries); the Enterprise Academy (a weekend business-simulation retreat for high school students); the Community Grants Program (capital grants up to $8,000 to 501(c)(3) youth-serving nonprofits); the Emerging Professionals Leadership Program (mentorship for members age 40 and under); and the Mental Health Committee's suicide prevention initiative (170 people trained since 2024, goal of 1,500 by 2029). Charitable giving is channeled through the Portland Rotary Charitable Trust, including Second Century gifts of $1,000 or more and planned giving.

The business model is funded through annual membership dues structured across four tiers ($456 Young Professional; $550 Senior Active for members 65+ with 5+ years tenure; $620 Regular for members 41+; and a Corporate tier with a 20% discount for 2+ members from the same company), each requiring a $150 initiation fee. Supplemental revenue comes from charitable contributions, fundraising events including an annual golf tournament at Langdon Farms, and event fees ($28 for lunch, $13 for meeting-only). The club has no proprietary technology stack and operates as a volunteer-driven service organization rather than a technology platform.

Name

Rotary Club of Portland

Legal name

Rotary Club of Portland

Website

https://rotarypdx.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Rotary Club of Portland is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit civic chapter of Rotary International, founded 1913, serving Portland-area business and professional leaders through weekly meetings and community service programs including Wheels of Power, Youth Exchange, and Community Grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic & Community Service Organization

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Membership Clubs (Category-Focused) (CRAEADAI)

Keywords

• Community service organization
• Humanitarian services
• Professional networking
• Community grants funding
• Youth exchange programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The club generates revenue through annual membership dues from Regular, Senior Active, Young Professional, and Corporate member categories. These dues fund club operations, charitable activities, and administrative costs.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Portland Rotary Charitable Trust accepts donations, annual gifts of $1,000 or more (Second Century gifts), and planned giving through wills and estates. Donations support community grants, Wheels of Power program, and other charitable initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Rotary Club of Portland is a nonprofit civic organization and member club of Rotary International that delivers community service through weekly Tuesday lunch meetings, charitable programs, community grants to local nonprofits, youth education initiatives (Enterprise Academy), mobility assistance (Wheels of Power), international student exchanges, and leadership development programs. It also operates the Portland Rotary Charitable Trust to manage planned giving, community grants, and long-term charitable activities.

Product overview

The Rotary Club of Portland operates as a community service organization offering a portfolio of programs and initiatives rather than a unified product platform. The core offerings include weekly Tuesday Lunch Programs featuring guest speakers, the Community Grants Program providing up to $8,000 to local nonprofits serving underserved youth, the Enterprise Academy youth entrepreneurship retreat, the Wheels of Power mobility assistance program, the Youth Exchange international student program, the Emerging Professionals Leadership Program for career development, and the Portland Rotary Charitable Trust managing planned giving and fundraising activities. These programs collectively support the club's mission of community service and fellowship in the Portland area and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Portland Rotary Charitable Trust: The charitable trust arm of the Rotary Club of Portland that provides grants to capital expenditures for local nonprofit organizations supporting underserved youth. Tax Identification Number 93-6031284.

Products and services

• Tuesday Lunch Programs Weekly Tuesday lunch meetings held at The Sentinel Hotel in Downtown Portland featuring guest speakers on relevant community topics, serving as the primary engagement channel for members and prospects to experience Rotary in action. Meeting cost is $28 for lunch or $13 for meeting only.
• Community Grants Program Provides grants up to $8,000 for capital expenditures at 501(c)(3) organizations in the Portland Metro area supporting underserved youth with significant disparities in access to opportunities and resources.
• Enterprise Academy An innovative weekend retreat for high school students to explore challenges and opportunities of the free enterprise system, featuring business simulations and mentorship from Rotary members.
• Wheels of Power Program providing power wheelchairs to individuals with mobility impairments in the Portland area, having delivered more than 650 chairs since 1978 at a cost of over $2 million.
• Youth Exchange Exchange student program for high school students to spend ten months living with host families and attending school in a different country, with exchanges to countries including Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey.
• Emerging Professionals Leadership Program Leadership development program connecting young professionals (age 40 and under) with Rotary members for mentorship, committee involvement, community service opportunities, and design of service projects.
• Portland Rotary Charitable Trust Charitable trust (Tax ID 93-6031284) providing planned giving options, community grants, and long-term stability for charitable activities including Wheels of Power, Community Grants, and Domestic Violence Solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 650+ power wheelchairs provided since 1978 at cost of over $2 million
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rotary InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRotary International is the global parent organization. The Rotary Club of Portland operates under Rotary International's charter and guidelines, utilizing the Four-Way Test as its ethical framework, and benefits from the global Rotary network of 1.2 million Rotarians across 33,000 clubs in over 200 nations.
• District 5100coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistrict 5100 is the regional Rotary district that oversees and supports Rotary clubs in the area. The club coordinates with District 5100 for district-wide events, governance, and the District Governor Search process. District 5100 only exchanges Youth Exchange students with clubs meeting high North American Youth Exchange Network standards.
• Portland Rotary Charitable TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe charitable arm of the club that provides grants to local nonprofits (up to $8,000), manages the Wheels of Power wheelchair program, and handles planned giving. The Trust supports community grants, capital expenditures for youth-serving organizations, and various international service projects.
• Lake Oswego Rotary ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Portland club partners with the Lake Oswego club on international service projects, including an audio/visual tools project for students with learning challenges in Alexandria, Egypt, targeting 42 schools and about 2,500 students.
• Portland District HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortland District Health partnered with the Portland Rotary Club to address high suicide rates in the Portland, Victoria community. They jointly raised $32,000 to deliver suicide prevention workshops and reduced operating costs by appointing local volunteer instructors.
• Morrison Child and Family ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe club completed Project 2020 and the Rotary Youth Center at Morrison in partnership with Morrison Child and Family Services, which earned the club the Goldman Award in 2020 for helping children and families in Oregon.
• Langdon Farms Golf ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe club holds its annual golf tournament at Langdon Farms Golf Club as a fundraising event. The tournament draws teams of Rotarians and their guests, raising money for club charitable activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lake Oswego Rotary Club: Neighboring Rotary club in District 5100 with which Portland Rotary partners on international service projects. Most direct comparison as a fellow local Rotary chapter operating under the same district and global framework.
• Junior League of Portland: Membership-based civic organization for women in Portland that runs community service programs, leadership development, and fundraising. Directly comparable to Rotary Club of Portland as a tiered-membership civic-volunteer organization in the same city.
• Kiwanis International: Global service-club organization with similar membership-based civic structure, local chapters, weekly meetings, and emphasis on youth programs. Direct competitor for professional civic-engagement time.
• Optimist International: Service-club organization with local chapters focusing on youth development and community improvement. Comparable model of local civic membership clubs pooling resources for community grants and programs.
• Lions Club International: One of the largest global service-club organizations, with a similar model of local chapters, weekly meetings, community service, and a member-driven governance structure. Direct substitute for civic-minded professionals' time and donations.
• Soroptimist International of Portland: Portland-area service club for professional women structured around local chapters, community service, and grants. Comparable in membership-based civic-service operating model.

Regional players

• United Way of the Columbia-Willamette: Portland-area nonprofit that mobilizes corporate giving and volunteerism for community services. Comparable as a regional nonprofit aggregating civic capital and channeling it to underserved populations.
• 100 Black Men of Portland: Portland-based civic organization for Black professionals focused on youth mentorship, education, and community service. Comparable as a Portland civic-volunteer organization pooling member resources for community impact.

Emerging players

• Metro Portland Rotary eClub: Online Rotary club operating as a more flexible alternative to traditional in-person Rotary chapters. Comparable as a Rotary-branded club offering a different engagement model that competes for the same pool of civic-minded professionals.

Broad incumbents

• Rotary International: Parent organization of the Rotary Club of Portland. Operates the global charter, brand, and network of 1.2M Rotarians across 33,000+ clubs. Comparable as the governing body of which Portland is a member chapter.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rotarypdx
• Facebookfacebook.com/RotaryClubPDX
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rotary-club-of-portland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rotary Club of Portland