The Rotary Club of Minneapolis

What The Rotary Club of Minneapolis does

The Rotary Club of Minneapolis ("Club #9") is a nonprofit civic service organization founded in 1910, designated as the ninth oldest Rotary club in the world among more than 46,000 clubs across 200+ countries. It operates as the Minneapolis-area chapter of Rotary International, serving downtown Minneapolis business professionals through a weekly Friday lunch meeting program featuring distinguished speakers from institutions such as the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the Minnesota Supreme Court, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Members join for professional enrichment, structured fellowship, and access to local and global service opportunities. Membership acquisition is community-led, requiring two current-member sponsors, which produces deep social ties and a slow-cycle acquisition process anchored in personal referrals.

The club's "product surface" centers on recurring meetings at the Minneapolis Club (729 2nd Avenue South) with Zoom access for remote participants, a two-tier membership structure (Full Lunch Membership and Online Membership), and a portfolio of service and grant programs administered through the Minneapolis Rotary Foundation — a wholly-owned Minnesota 501c3 nonprofit founded in the early 1950s, holding assets exceeding $4 million and disbursing roughly $180,000 annually to literacy, economic education, food access, housing, scholarship, and international matching-grant projects. The core technology stack is administrative rather than differentiated, comprising Square (donations/payments), Bill.com (dues billing), ClubRunner (member portal), Zoom (hybrid meetings), and Google Calendar (events). There is no proprietary technology; the club's defensibility rests on heritage (Club #9 status, "Service Above Self" motto origin) and Rotary International's global network effects, including The Rotary Foundation's four-star Charity Navigator rating.

Commercially, the club operates a subscription-style dues model (~$75–$130/month per member) supplemented by per-meal lunch fees ($25), foundation donations, and matching-grant amplification through Rotary District 5950 and Rotary International. With only five paid employees and no external investors, the business is run as a member-governed nonprofit rather than a venture-scale enterprise; strategic influence flows through volunteer leadership, currently under President Kim Krohn, and the affiliated Minneapolis Rotary Foundation board.

Name

The Rotary Club of Minneapolis

Legal name

The Rotary Club of Minneapolis

Website

https://rotarympls.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rotary Club of Minneapolis is a 501c3 civic service organization (Club #9, founded 1910) serving downtown Minneapolis business professionals through weekly Friday lunch meetings, fellowship, and community service grants administered via the Minneapolis Rotary Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Monthly membership dues ranging from approximately $75 to $130 per month for full access including lunch meetings. Dues support Rotary clubs and districts worldwide, plus lunch fees for in-person attendance.
2. Lunch Fees: Lunch meetings cost $25 per meal for visiting Rotarians and guests. The club covers first two lunches for prospective members.
3. Minneapolis Rotary Foundation Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the Minneapolis Rotary Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit that funds local and global service projects, scholarships, and club initiatives. The foundation has assets exceeding $4 million.
4. Service Project Grants: The club approves grants for local community service focused on literacy, economic education, food access, and housing. Near $100K in grants approved for 2025-2026 Rotary year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Rotary Club of Minneapolis is a nonprofit civic service membership organization that convenes members at weekly Friday lunch meetings, coordinates local community service projects in the Minneapolis area, and supports international service initiatives through the Minneapolis Rotary Foundation. It operates two membership tiers (Full Lunch Membership and Online Membership) and distributes grants, scholarships, and Legacy Funds to support community and humanitarian causes.

Product overview

The Rotary Club of Minneapolis operates as a civic membership organization offering two membership tiers: Full Lunch Membership for in-person attendees and Online Membership for remote participation. The core product is the weekly Friday lunch meeting featuring networking and distinguished speakers. The club administers comprehensive service programs through the Minneapolis Rotary Foundation including Local Community Service grants (~$100K annually), World Community Service with matching grants, and named scholarship programs. Legacy giving options support long-term endowment growth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Lunch Membership A traditional membership tier that includes attendance at the weekly Friday lunch meetings in Minneapolis, access to the member network, and eligibility to participate in service projects, scholarships, and foundation programs. Targeted at downtown Minneapolis area professionals and civic-minded individuals.
• Online Membership A remote membership tier for individuals who want to support the Rotary Club of Minneapolis's mission and participate in service programs without attending the weekly Friday lunch meetings in person. Designed for supporters outside the Minneapolis metro area or those with scheduling constraints.
• Minneapolis Rotary Foundation The companion charitable foundation of the Rotary Club of Minneapolis, responsible for managing over $4 million in assets to fund community service grants, scholarships, and humanitarian projects. The foundation is the primary vehicle for the club's philanthropic giving.
• Community Service Grants Grant funding made available through the Minneapolis Rotary Foundation to support local community service projects in the Minneapolis metro area. Awarded to nonprofit organizations and community initiatives aligned with the Rotary mission.
• Scholarships Educational scholarships funded through the Minneapolis Rotary Foundation to support students in the Minneapolis community. Awarded to individuals pursuing post-secondary education.
• Legacy Funds A planned giving program that allows members and supporters to contribute to the Minneapolis Rotary Foundation through estate gifts, bequests, and other long-term commitments, ensuring the foundation's continued capacity to fund community service.
• World Community Service Projects International humanitarian service projects coordinated through the Rotary Club of Minneapolis's affiliation with Rotary International, supporting global initiatives such as clean water, education, and disease prevention in communities around the world.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly $100K in community grants approved annually for local service priorities (literacy, economic education, food, housing)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Rotary InternationalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRotary International is the global coordinating body for Rotary clubs worldwide. The organization supports clubs by coordinating global programs, campaigns, and initiatives. The Rotary Club of Minneapolis is Club #9, the ninth oldest club in the world.
• The Rotary Foundation (TRF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Rotary Foundation uses voluntary contributions to fund projects by Rotarians and partners in communities worldwide. The Minneapolis Rotary Foundation collaborates with TRF for matching grants that multiply local contributions.
• Rotary District 5950coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe district coordinates Rotary clubs in the region and matches local contributions dollar-for-dollar for international projects. Club's $5,000 allocations can be matched by District to create $10,000 project potential.
• Minneapolis Rotary FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in early 1950s as a Minnesota 501c3 nonprofit. Assets exceed $4 million USD, placing it in top 20 of Rotary club foundations nationally. Expends approximately $180,000 annually supporting club's service mission.
• YMCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Baskerville Youth Development Endowment supports programs for youth in Minneapolis through the YMCA.
• Junior AchievementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for empowering youth through real-world learning programs featured at club meetings.
• Pacer CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting children with disabilities through programs like 'Overcoming Obstacles: How Children with Disabilities Can Exceed Perceived Limitations'.
• Minneapolis Institute of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partnership featuring Tom Rassieur, John E. Andrus III Curator of Prints and Drawings, who has curated major exhibitions including works on Rembrandt and Martin Luther.
• Mixed Blood TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts partnership featuring theatre tours and cultural programming at the venue located at 1501 South 4th Street, Minneapolis.
• Minneapolis Downtown CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on healthy and thriving downtown community, with Adam Duinick presenting on downtown council initiatives.
• Federal Reserve Bank of MinneapolisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for economic education featuring Erick Garcia Luna, Regional Outreach Director, who tracks and analyzes the Ninth District economy.
• Uganda Scouts for Safe WaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational service project partnership with Tom Baltutis supporting water access initiatives in Uganda.
• Milkweed EditionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiterary partnership featuring Daniel Slager, publisher, supporting literacy and cultural programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Greater Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Bureau (Meet Minneapolis): A civic/promotional organization operating in downtown Minneapolis with overlapping stakeholder relationships. Included as an ecosystem peer in the same downtown Minneapolis civic infrastructure rather than as a direct service club competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Rotary International: The global parent organization of The Rotary Club of Minneapolis. While the Minneapolis club is a single local chapter, Rotary International coordinates the worldwide network of 46,000+ clubs and 1.4M members — directly comparable as the operating umbrella under which the Minneapolis club functions.

Direct peers

• Kiwanis International: A global civic service club organization with a similar member-based, dues-funded, weekly-meeting model focused on community service and professional networking. Kiwanis is the most direct functional peer to Rotary at the global civic club category.
• Lions Clubs International: Another major international civic service club organization with a comparable membership dues model, weekly meetings, community service focus, and presence in Minneapolis. Lions is among the closest direct peers in the global civic club category.
• Optimist International: A civic service club organization with a comparable member-based, dues-funded model focused on community service and youth programs. Operates in the same civic club category as Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions.

Regional players

• The Minneapolis Club: The private city club that hosts the Rotary Club of Minneapolis's weekly Friday lunch meetings. Operates a similar professional membership and dues-funded model in the same downtown Minneapolis geography, but as a broader social/business club rather than a service organization.
• Minneapolis Downtown Council: A downtown-focused civic improvement organization listed as a Rotary partner. Operates in the same downtown Minneapolis ecosystem with overlapping stakeholder networks, though its mission is district advocacy rather than member-driven service.
• Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce: A regional business membership organization serving downtown Minneapolis professionals with networking, advocacy, and programming. Comparable in serving the same downtown professional customer base, though with a commercial rather than service mission.

Emerging players

• United Way Twin Cities: A major Minneapolis-area community impact nonprofit working in similar focus areas (food security, housing, youth development) where the Rotary Club directs grants. Comparable as a civic fundraising and grantmaking entity in the same regional ecosystem.
• Junior Achievement (JA) Upper Midwest: A regional nonprofit partner of the Minneapolis Rotary Club focused on youth economic education. Overlaps with Rotary's literacy and economic education service priorities and serves overlapping civic-minded professional volunteers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-rotary-club-of-minneapolis

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Rotary Club of Minneapolis