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4-7-8-17Global Success Program

Since 2012

History of 4-7-8-17

How a simple way to rate club projects in Newport Beach grew into a framework used by Rotarians and partners around the world.

The four building blocks

4-7-8-17 brings together four ideas that are much older than the program itself.

The 4-7-8-17 framework: the Four-Way Test, Rotary's 7 Areas of Focus, the 8 Pillars of Positive Peace and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals
  1. 1905Rotary is foundedPaul Harris and four other businessmen start Rotary in Chicago.
  2. 1932The Four-Way TestHerbert J. Taylor writes four questions to rescue a failing company. Rotary adopts the Four-Way Test in 1943.
  3. 2007The Institute for Economics and PeaceIEP is founded and begins publishing the Global Peace Index.
  4. 2013The Pillars of PeaceIEP publishes its Pillars of Peace, later called the 8 Pillars of Positive Peace. Rotary and IEP become partners in 2017.
  5. 2015The 17 Global GoalsThe United Nations adopts the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which take effect in 2016.

The 4-7-8-17 story

  1. 2012

    It starts with a rating form

    In Newport Beach, Steve Bender begins rating Rotary club service projects with simple forms, to find a fair way to evaluate and strengthen every project the club takes on.

  2. 2012 to 2018

    Iterations

    The idea is refined over several years, through updates to the club pledges and awards and through Steve's years of club leadership, including as President of the Rotary Club of Newport Beach Sunrise from 2015 to 2017.

  3. 2018

    The framework

    The Rotary Club of Newport Beach Global Service Club is formed, with Past Rotary International President Barry Rassin as an early inspiration. The club introduces a framework that asks every club project to align with the Four-Way Test, Rotary's Areas of Focus and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

  4. 2019

    Positive Peace joins

    The 8 Pillars of Positive Peace are added. Don Bender and Elizabeth Doty give the first presentations to Rotary clubs that bring the Four-Way Test, the Areas of Focus and the Pillars together. John Mathers advises them on how to Rotarize their presentations, and Don leads a Rotary training session with John.

    John Mathers, Elizabeth Doty and Don Bender standing together at a conference
    John Mathers, Elizabeth Doty and Don Bender, October 2019

  5. January 18, 2020

    The Rotary Peace Conference

    The Rotary Global Service Club brings its framework to the Rotary Peace Conference in Ontario, California: the Four-Way Test, the 8 Pillars of Positive Peace and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, shown with Rotary's Areas of Focus. This is the program as it was when Rotary still had 6 Areas of Focus, a few months before Supporting the Environment became the 7th and the program became 4-7-8-17.

    The Rotary Global Service Club banner with the Four-Way Test, the 6 Areas of Focus, the 8 Pillars of Positive Peace and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals
    The Global Service Club banner in January 2020, with 6 Areas of Focus
    The Rotary Club of Newport Beach booth at the Rotary Peace Conference in Ontario, California
    The club's booth at the Rotary Peace Conference, Ontario, California

  6. June 2020

    4-6-8-17

    Steve asks designer Lara Phillips for a set of icons so that every project page on the new club website shows its boxes. On June 20 the name appears for the first time: the 4-6-8-17 Program.

  7. June 26, 2020

    4-6-8-17 becomes 4-7-8-17

    Rotary adds Supporting the Environment as its 7th Area of Focus. Within hours the new icon is designed and approved, and the program becomes 4-7-8-17.

  8. June 2022

    Rotary International Convention, Houston

    The Rotary Global Service Club brings the 4-7-8-17 Program to the Rotary International Convention in Houston, Texas, with a booth built around the Global Service 4-7-8-17 Program banner.

    Maddy Weinberg and Anahita Dalmia talking with a visitor at the Rotary Global Service Club booth, with the Global Service 4-7-8-17 Program banner
    Maddy Weinberg and Anahita Dalmia at the club's booth, Rotary International Convention, Houston, June 2022
    Steve Bender in an astronaut suit with a Rotary pin and Don Bender holding a Houston 2022 flag
    Steve and Don Bender in Houston, 2022

  9. 2022

    Spreading the word

    On July 5, 2022 the Institute for Economics and Peace features the club and its 4-7-8-17 Program on Vision of Humanity, in The Rotary Club of Newport Beach: A Global Service Club on a Mission to Change the World. 4-7-8-17 is presented with Democracy in a Box and in climate conversations with Rotary's Climate Action Team.

  10. 2023

    Scoring real projects

    Don Bender scores the Rotary Reefs project box by box, showing how one project can support nearly every Area of Focus, Pillar and Goal. A presentation and explainer video follow.

  11. 2024

    The first AI tests

    Zachary Weaver and Don Bender begin testing club projects with AI, the first step toward an AI guide for the framework.

  12. 2025

    The AI Navigator

    Zachary Weaver creates the 4-7-8-17 AI Navigator. The program is shared at the Rotary International Convention in Calgary. The Panama Project (ThePanamaProject.org) becomes the first project to light up every box.

  13. January 2026

    Davos

    At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Steve Bender gives the opening night keynote "Is It the Truth?" on January 19, 2026. The talk opens and closes with the first question of the Four-Way Test. Steve had also written another speech, The Un-Davos Speech, but was advised not to present it as it might be too controversial for the audience.

  14. April 22, 2026

    100 Projects in 100 Countries is showcased

    On Earth Day, 100 Projects in 100 Countries is showcased at The Environmental Xperience at EarthX in Dallas, where Sophia D'Angelo also presents the 4-7-8-17 program.

  15. July 2026

    Earth Talks

    The program is featured on Earth Talks: Navigating a World of Exponential Impact with Rotary and AI.

  16. September 23, 2026

    The Rose Parade Countdown begins

    With 100 days to go, the daily countdown to the Rotary float at the 2027 Rose Parade begins. Day 100 features Turtle Island in Austria.

  17. September 2026

    A total redesign

    The Sea 2 Sky Solutions Marketing Team, Natalia Naranjo and Steve Bender, completes a total redesign of the program to prepare for the 4-7-8-17 Global Success Program. The new 47817.org opens with one entry form for every program, a public Project Library, 4-7-8-17 Report Cards written with the help of AI, the German Projects for 100 years of Rotary in Germany, and the Rose Parade Countdown.

  18. October 7, 2026

    The German Projects begin

    The centenary year of Rotary in Germany (Brückenbauer seit 1927) begins. As part of A Year of Bridges, one project with German roots is featured every day, each rated with 4-7-8-17 and each carrying the “German Roots” seal.

  19. January 1, 2027

    The Rose Parade

    The Rose Parade Countdown ends as the Rotary float, a giant tortoise carrying a village in bloom, rolls down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena in the 2027 Rose Parade.

  20. 2027

    365 projects from 200+ countries

    The same day, the 2027 4-7-8-17 Global Success Projects begin: one project every day of the year from the countries and geographical areas where Rotary is at work.

  21. October 7 and 8, 2027

    100 years of Rotary in Germany

    The centenary year ends with the centenary celebration of the founding and charter of the first Rotary club in Germany, in Hamburg, one hundred years on. Rotary clubs are expected to celebrate all over Germany.

4-7-8-17 today: three programs

Everything in this story now comes together in three programs. Projects are entered once on 47817.org and can be considered for any of them.

  • January 1 to December 31, 2027

    2027 4-7-8-17 Global Success Projects

    In 2027 we showcase 365 projects, one every day, from more than 200 countries and geographical areas where Rotary is at work. Each project gets its own public page and 4-7-8-17 Report Card.

    Enter for this program
  • The founders of the Rotary Club of Hamburg at their charter celebration in 1927

    Rotary Club Hamburg charter celebration, 1927

    October 7, 2026 to October 7, 2027

    German Projects

    Brückenbauer seit 1927: 100 years of Rotary in Germany. 365 projects in 365 days: one project with German roots is featured every day, and each carries the “German Roots” seal.

    Also asks for a short German Heritage form.

    Enter for this program brueckenbauer1927.de
  • The smiling 2027 Rose Parade Tortoise in a flower lei, with the Rotary float behind it

    The 2027 Rose Parade Tortoise

    September 23 to December 31, 2026

    Rose Parade Countdown Projects

    One project is featured every day in the countdown to the Rotary float at the 2027 Rose Parade on January 1.

    Enter for this program 100projects100countries.org

The people behind it

  • Steve BenderStarted the program and leads it, from the first rating forms to 47817.org.
  • Don BenderCo-developer, presenter and keeper of the program's history. Leads Democracy in a Box.
  • Zachary WeaverRotaract Global Service Club President and creator of the 4-7-8-17 AI Navigator.
  • Lara PhillipsDesigned the original 4-7-8-17 icons and banners.
  • The Sea 2 Sky Solutions Marketing Team: Natalia Naranjo and Steve BenderLed the total redesign of 4-7-8-17 in September 2026 and built the program's websites.
  • Elizabeth DotyEarly presenter who helped bring the framework to Rotary clubs.
  • John MathersAdvised Elizabeth Doty and Don Bender on how to Rotarize their presentations.

Compiled from club records and the program timeline kept by Don Bender. Have a photo, document or date to add? Tell us.

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