LCIF Grants: An Introduction for Multiple District and District

Coordinators

LCIF Grants: An Introduction for Multiple District and District

Coordinators

LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

Seminar Objectives

Gain an understanding of the LCIF grants process

Learn the roles and responsibilities of LCIF MDCs and DCs regarding grants

Acquire the necessary tools to become an important resource for Lions in your MD or District

Overview of LCIF grants

Seminar Agenda

Review of the grants process

Roles and responsibilities

Review and group discussion

Grants by type

LCIF Grants at a Glance

LCIF / Development

Grants fund large-scale Lions humanitarian projects for sight, youth, disaster, and humanitarian needs. In fiscal year 2011-2012, LCIF awarded US$55.6 million for 513 projects.

Since 1968, LCIF has awarded more than 9,300 grants totaling more than US$789 million.

Four Pillars of Service

LCIF / Development

The Foundation…

Serves Youth Provides Disaster Relief Meets Humanitarian Needs Saves Sight

LCIF Serves Youth

LCIF / Development

Lions Quest Teaches life skills, character education, civic

values, drug prevention and service-learning education

Active in 73 countries serving more than 12 million youth, materials in 35 languages

Costs as little as US$7 per student

LCIF Provides Disaster Relief

LCIF / Development

First grant LCIF awarded was for disaster flooding LCIF provides short term and long term relief More than 3,000 emergency grants Awarded US$85 million over the past 10 years for

disaster relief A few examples are:

US$21 million for Japan earthquake US$15 million for South Asian Tsunami US$5 million Hurricane Katrina

LCIF provides emergency assistance when natural disasters strike:

LCIF Meets Humanitarian Needs

LCIF / Development

Empowering those with disabilities

• Special Olympics Opening Eyes Program

• Vocational training services and programs for people with disabilities

Addressing global health issues

• Diabetes prevention, education and awareness

• Measles vaccinations

LCIF Saves Sight

LCIF / Development

SightFirst program– Awarded 1,051 grants in 102 countries totaling more

than US$274 million– Sight restored to 7.84 million people through

cataract surgeries

Preschool Vision Screenings

Sight For Kids– Partnership with Johnson and Johnson

General eye-care services

In 1925, Helen Keller challenged Lions to be “Knights of the Blind”

Steps through the Grant Application Process

The Process

Tips for a Successful Application

Steps through the Grant Application Process

LCIF / Development

•LCIF-funded projects are initiated by Lions at the zone, region, district or multiple district level.

Project Idea

•All LCIF grant applications must have the support of the District or Multiple District leadership – including financial support (District-level applications require the signature of the District leadership only.)

District or Multiple District

Support

•Applications must be signed by the District Governor/Council Chair and endorsed by the District Cabinet/MD Council. To be placed on the agenda of a Board of Trustees meeting, an application must be received 60 days prior to that meeting.

Submit Application

Steps through the Grant Application Process

LCIF / Development

•Applications are reviewed by the LCIF Grants Department and additional information may be requested from the applicants.

Review of Application

•The LCIF Board of Trustees may approve, deny or table the application. A tabled application has not been approved, nor has it been denied. In most cases, LCIF simply needs more information or the project may need to be revised before it can be reconsidered.

Board Decision

•The grant administrator must send a final report to the LCIF Grants Department upon completion of the project.

Lion Follow-Up

10 Tips for a Successful Application

LCIF / Development

1. Contact LCIF before applying to verify the eligibility of the project

2. Consider submitting a draft before applying, if time permits

3. Clearly lay out the project’s objectives, including number of beneficiaries, financial support and a plan for long term sustainability

4. Funding not provided on a reimbursement basis5. No funding granted for completed projects

10 Tips for a Successful Application

LCIF / Development

6. An income and expense budget is required; the more income collected, the better

7. Income should equal expenses; present the budget in US dollars

8. Provide full contact information and designate a project coordinator

9. Fill out the application in its entirety

10. Maintain communication with LCIF staff throughout the application process

LCIF Multiple District and District Coordinators

Roles and Responsibilities

District Governors and Council Chairpersons

Special Advisors: SightFirst and Lions Quest

LCIF Staff

The Board of Trustees

Roles and Responsibilities

LCIF / Development

As an LCIF Coordinator, you should:

Know what projects are currently going on in your district or multiple district

Talk to Lions accurately about the different kinds of grants that are available and how they can work on their own project

Be able to direct Lions and Clubs to appropriate sources for further information, such as LCIF staff and District and Multiple District officers

Help to publicize successful projects Know the history of LCIF grants and funding in your

area

Roles and Responsibilities

LCIF / Development

An LCIF Coordinator should NOT:

Endorse a grant proposal or persuade district leadership to do so

Take over the role of filling out grant applications on behalf of Districts or Clubs

Publicize some successful projects at the expense of others

Roles and Responsibilities

LCIF / Development

Teamwork is essential! In many Districts and MDs, there are already Lions who have expertise in

LCIF grant programs These Lions may have formal titles (SightFirst Chairperson, Lions Quest

Country Director) or they may be successful Local Project Administrators, with long-standing experience working on local projects

Remember to work with these Lions, as well as your District and Multiple District officers

Only through cooperation can we be successful!

Roles and Responsibilities

LCIF / Development

District Governor and Council Chairperson

Is responsible for endorsing all grant applications put forward by the District or Multiple District, by resolution of the District Cabinet or Council of Governors, respectively

Must submit regular progress reports and a final report, no later than 45 days after the completion of the project

The District Governor or Council Chairperson in office when a grant is approved serves as the Grant Administrator

Roles and Responsibilities

LCIF / Development

Special Advisors: SightFirst

Regional Technical Advisors are the first resource for all Lions interested in pursuing a SightFirst Grant

SightFirst Chairpersons are trained by LCIF and are knowledgeable and experienced enough to be able to provide technical assistance to any Lion considering submitting a SightFirst grant proposal

A SightFirst proposal for funding must be signed and certified by the regional SightFirst Technical Advisor, the SightFirst Chairperson, and the Council Chairperson/ District Governor

Roles and Responsibilities

LCIF / Development

Special Advisors: Lions Quest

According to the custom in each local area, either the Lions Quest Country Director or Lions Quest Chairperson (at MD level) can act as a first resource for Lions who would like to initiate the Lions Quest program in their area

They can assist interested Lions with Lions Quest Core 4 grant applications and with the US$1,000 Lions Quest Promotional Grant

Roles and Responsibilities

LCIF / Development

LCIF Program Staff

Advise Lions on project eligibility Work with Lions to make sure applications are properly completed Prepare project summaries for the LCI Board Distribute funds for approved projects Collect final project reports from Lions to ensure that the project is

properly completed

Roles and Responsibilities

LCIF / Development

The Board of Trustees Approves, denies or tables grant requests May ask for specific information to be supplied, so that a tabled

grant could be approved in the future Forms special committees to approve and oversee Lions Quest,

SightFirst, and other specialized grants and projects, such as for major disasters

Votes on priorities for programs such as SightFirst and Core 4 Enters into agreements with partner organizations for specialized

programs, such as Special Olympics Opening Eyes

LCIF Grants by Type

LCIF Grant Programs

LCIF / Development

Standard Grants

• Matching grants of up to US$75,000 for local humanitarian service projects; Two open grants allowed per district or MD at one time

Core 4 Grants

• Funds special projects in eyesight, disability, health and youth (1 per district); Grants up to US$200,000, except in the case of Lions Quest (US$100,000)

International Assistance Grants (IAG)

• Supports club twinning projects; US$5,000 to US$30,000 (1 per district and/or club per year)

LCIF Grant Programs

LCIF / Development

Emergency Grants

• Provides up to US$10,000 for districts impacted by natural disasters

Major Catastrophe Grants

• Provides between US$50,000 – US$250,000 for catastrophic disasters; Awarded at the discretion of the International President and LCIF Chairperson and cannot be requested by Lions

SightFirst Grants

• Blindness prevention and sight restoration projects in neediest areas

A Closer Look at Standard Grants

LCIF / Development

Matching grants of up to US$75,000 for local humanitarian service projects

A minimum of two Lions clubs are required to apply Support “large-scale” Lion projects, usually comprised of equipment

and construction costs (no operating costs, salaries, etc) Bottom-Up: Lions identify and develop the project Standard Grants must provide local impact and visibility for Lions In the 2011-2012 Lions year, LCIF awarded US$7.74 million in

Standard Grants

Core 4 Grants: Overview

LCIF / Development

Supports special initiatives under four primary service commitments of Lions:

Promoting Health

Serving Youth

Combating Disability

Preserving Sight

Core 4 Grants: Promoting Health

LCIF / Development

Core 4 Diabetes initiative:

Public Awareness/Prevention (community-based education to promote diabetes-awareness among at-risk populations)

Patient Education (programs to promote behavior changes among those diagnosed with diabetes, including self-management education and camps for diabetic children)

Treatment (programs that improve access to diabetes treatment, especially for under-served populations)

Core 4 Grants: Serving Youth

LCIF / Development

Core 4 Lions Quest grants:

Expand coverage of Lions Quest in multiple, sub or single districts where the program is active but not reaching a considerable number of schools or implement a pilot of one of the three Lions Quest programs not yet available in that county or district. Grant funding may be awarded up to US$100,000 for expansion projects.

Implement the Lions Quest program in a country or region for the first time. Grant funding may be awarded up to US$25,000 for implementation projects.

International Assistant Grants (IAGs)

LCIF / Development

IAGs Support projects between US$5,000 and US$30,000 that:

Address an important humanitarian need in a developing country Involve at least two Lions clubs or districts from different countries (a

sponsor club and a host club) Provide long-term benefits Serve a large or particularly needy population Have a strong Lions identity and involvement from both the sponsor

club and the host club Raise at least 50 percent of project funding through Lions or other

sources May involve a local, non-Lion implementing organization

IAGs: Sponsors and Hosts

LCIF / Development

The IAG Sponsor: Raises funds and support Submits IAG Application to LCIF Responsible for creating the relationship with the host club Administers the grant and completes the final report

The IAG Host: Has a significant role in the local coordination of the project Host club or district must sign the application

IAGs: Rules and Regulations

LCIF / Development

Sponsor Lions must raise at least 50% of the necessary project funding

Grants are between US$5,000 and US$30,000. For grants of US$10,000 or less, an application can be submitted at any time and approved by an internal committee at LCIF. In the case of missions, these requests should be submitted at least 6 – 8 weeks before the mission date

Grants over US$10,000 must be submitted and approved by the LCI Board of Trustees at regular meetings

Grant funds are disbursed to the sponsor club or district

A district or club may apply for only one IAG project each year

Major Catastrophe Grants

LCIF / Development

Provide up to US$1 million each year for catastrophic disasters (between US$50,000 and US$250,000 per disaster)

Provided in cases of extreme damage, destruction and massive loss of life

Are initiated at the discretion of the LCIF Chairperson and the International President

Lions may not request Major Catastrophe Grants

Emergency Grants

LCIF / Development

Immediate response to natural disasters

Up to US$10,000 available to districts

Lions purchase & distribute supplies to meet immediate needs:

- food, water

- clothing, bedding

- first aid supplies

- hygiene products

- infant supplies

- cleaning supplies

Emergency Grant Regulations

LCIF / Development

Disaster must be large in scope, displacing or affecting 100 or more people

LCIF funds Lions-led relief activities only

Grant must be requested by the District Governor within 30 days of disaster

One grant per disaster, per district

Final reports to be submitted to LCIF with receipts for goods purchased by Lions

Outstanding final reports for Emergency Grants awarded in the past may limit a district’s eligibility to apply for a new Emergency Grant

SightFirst Grants

LCIF / Development

Support the development of comprehensive eye care systems that provide prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services for leading eye diseases and vision loss.

Projects should do one or more of the following:

•Deliver eye care services

•Train eye care professionals and management

•Upgrade eye care infrastructure

•Improve access to education & training for low vision persons

•Increase public awareness about eye health

Lions, District and Multiple Districts interested in SightFirst projects should contact LCIF staff and their local SightFirst Technical Advisor

Review and Group Discussion