Joining Rotary

When you join Berkeley Rotary Club, you become part of an international network of approximately 1.4 million members in 46,000 clubs and over 200 countries, all dedicated to promoting world peace and to serving their communities throughout the globe.

Here are the usual steps for those interested in joining our club:

1. Check us out. Come to a few meetings (see Attending Weekly Lunch Meetings) and learn more about who we are and what we do. Look through our website and our weekly online bulletin, called e-Revolutions or e-Rev for short. You are also welcome to join us in a service project, committee discussion, or social event.
   
   
2. Connect with a sponsor. If you don’t know a current club member who might sponsor your membership, we can find one for you. Your sponsor will also serve as a mentor and adviser during your first year. Contact the Membership Chair for more information.
   
   
3. Apply for membership. If you are interested in joining the club, an electronic application form will be sent to you to fill out. You are not required to be a Berkeley resident; many of our members live outside the city’s boundaries.
   
   
4. Attend orientation. Once your application form is received, the Membership Committee will set up an orientation meeting in person or by Zoom attended by you, your sponsor, and one or two members of the committee. This is your chance to ask questions and learn more about our club’s activities, about our Rotary District, and about Rotary International.
   
   
5. If you decide to complete the application process, an application fee of $100 is required. This is nonrefundable if you subsequently decide not to complete the process.
   
   
6. The Membership Committee decides whether to recommend you as a member. Your brief biography, included in the application, is sent to the club board and membership for their review and approval. If there is no objection (a very rare occurrence), and upon payment of club dues, prorated for the remainder of the year, you are ready for induction.
   
   
7. Induction. You will be formally inducted at a club meeting, receiving your certificate of membership, a club pin, and the warm welcome of the club members.

Despite the number of steps, the process can move quickly, but usually takes at least a month or two.

Questions? Contact our Membership Committee Chair at [email protected].