LCIF Grant Types
There are a wide variety of grants available to help Lions serve their local communities and the world. We encourage you to explore the different grant types to find out if there's a grant that's right for your club, district or multiple district now or in the future.
A) Foundation (LCIF) Grants
1) Vision Grant Program: Vision Grants from Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) support Lions-led service activities that fight blindness and preventable vision loss and/or assist people who are blind and visually impaired in underserved communities. These grants primarily fund major equipment and infrastructure expenses. In developing countries where there is a shortage of trained eye health personnel, the Vision Grant also supports human resource training and consumables.
2) Matching Grant Program: Matching Grants provide capital funding to help establish or expand Lions-initiated humanitarian service projects that address critical and diverse human and social needs around the globe. Humanitarian service projects are charitable in nature and include vital health and human service needs not adequately addressed by governments and other funding sources. LCIF funding is prioritized for the equipment and infrastructure needs of such projects.
3) Diabetes Grant Program: Diabetes Grants fund large-scale diabetes projects to improve the public health of a community and provide equitable access to services. Projects that serve high-risk, under-served and marginalized populations are encouraged. Lions should partner with local diabetes organizations or medical facilities to plan and implement projects.
4) Disaster Relief Grant Program: Disaster Relief Grants focus on empowering Lions to respond swiftly and effectively when natural disasters strike. These grants provide critical support for relief efforts in communities impacted by hurricanes, floods, fires and other catastrophic events. By offering essential resources, Lions can help rebuild lives and ensure those affected receive the immediate assistance they need during every stage of recovery.
5) Lions Quest Program Grant: Lions Quest Grants are designed to support the development, implementation or expansion of the Lions Quest program. These grants provide funding to increase the number of schools, youth-serving organizations and Lions clubs involved in the program and enable current implementors to strategically expand their use of the program.
6) District and Club Community Impact Grant Program:District and Club Community Impact Grants (DCG) empower Lions to support humanitarian activities in their communities. Funded by contributions from clubs and districts to LCIF, these grants incentivize Lions' donations and service projects that align with the foundation's key areas of focus. Under the program, 15% of qualifying unrestricted donations are set aside for DCGs, with all projects requiring LCIF approval. This initiative is available to both districts and clubs. Multiple districts are not eligible. Only donations to the Empowering Service Fund are eligible for DCG funding.
7) Hunger Grant Program: Hunger Grants focus on strengthening infrastructure and providing essential equipment for Lions' hunger-relief efforts. These grants empower Lions to support vital initiatives such as school feeding programs, food banks and feeding centers, ensuring that those in need receive the nourishment they require
8) Childhood Cancer Grant Program: Childhood Cancer Grants are designed to help enable Lions projects that address the social and economic factors children and their families encounter during cancer treatment. These grants empower Lions to improve the quality of life for children receiving treatment and their families.
9) The Humanitarian Award: The Lions Humanitarian Award is the highest honor of the association, given to individuals or organizations with exemplary humanitarian efforts. This award includes a grant from LCIF of up to US$500,000 for continuing humanitarian activities. Lions clubs members may nominate deserving philanthropists, and the international president of Lions Clubs International and the LCIF chairperson select the winners. Prior recipients are listed below, in order of fiscal year.
B) Association (LCI) Grants
1) Membership Development Grants: Our organization's impact hinges on the growth of our membership. To support recruitment, the Lions Clubs International Membership Development Committee offers Membership Development Grants on a competitive basis. These funds support a wide variety of membership efforts and activities to recruit more members and to start new clubs.
2) Multiple District and District Grant Programs: Prepare tomorrow's leaders today. Help the leaders in your multiple district (first and second vice district governors) or district (zone chairpersons) continue to grow and succeed. See available grants for training below!
3) Leadership Development Institute Grant: Build confidence and inspire Lions and Leos in leadership roles by providing an Emerging Lions Leadership Institute (ELLI) or a Regional Lions Leadership Institute (RLLI) in your area. All multiple districts, single districts and undistricted regions and zones can apply to receive a grant towards conducting either an ELLI or a RLLI.
Not able to host an in-person institute? Consider organizing a virtual RLLI! A virtual RLLI can be used in conjunction with the institute grant.
4) Marketing Grant Program:Share your club's good work Our clubs do amazing work by improving health and well-being, strengthening communities, and supporting those in need through humanitarian service. Now, share your clubs' story and grow your impact with the Marketing Grant Program! Marketing grants provide funding for marketing efforts like advertising, social media, branding and PR to promote Lions International locally and globally. Explore the application eligibility, apply today and let the world see the incredible difference Lions make!
5) Leo Grants: (a) LCIF Leo Service Grant Program (b) Leo Leadership Grant Program (c) Leo Institute Grant
New Voices Grant program: The New Voices Initiative promotes gender parity and diversity and seeks to increase the number of women, young adults and underrepresented
populations within our association. It features a diverse group of Lions and Leos who are selected annually by their district governor for their dynamic and innovative contributions in one of four areas: service, membership, leadership and marketing.
6) New Voices Grant Program: Promotes diversity and showcases contributions in service, membership, leadership, and marketing.
7) Specialty Club Program: The Specialty Clubs Program was designed to create clubs in which members share a common interest or passion. Specialty clubs are a unique expression of the diversity of Lions International, uniting people around the globe around hobbies, causes, professions, or anything else that brings a group together.
Application Review Process
A grant application must be submitted by the deadline for each LCIF grant program. Check the Grant Opportunities Guide for details.
Upon submission, a specialist from the Global Grants Division will email the applicant an assigned grant tracking number. If you do not receive this email within two weeks, please contact LCIF.
The application will undergo translation if applicable and review after submission. The staff will ensure all questions are answered, grant criteria are met, the budget is completed, and supporting documents are provided.
The assigned specialist may contact the applicant if there is any missing information or concerns regarding project eligibility. If the project is determined to be ineligible, the application will not move forward and the applicant will be notified.
If the applicant does not respond within the time frame given by the specialist, their application may not be presented to the LCIF Board of Trustees or LCIF Chairperson. If the applicant fails to respond within 120 days or as specified in the grant criteria, their application may be withdrawn, and they would have to reapply. Once the application is reviewed and confirmed to be complete, it will be submitted for approval to either the LCIF Board of Trustees or the LCIF Chairperson. The LCIF Board of Trustees will review grant applications in January, May, and August. The LCIF Chairperson will review and approve grant applications on a rolling basis. LCIF Board of Trustees or the LCIF Chairperson can approve, table, or deny a grant request. The application can be approved at the full requested amount or approved with certain conditions attached or at a reduced amount. If the application is tabled, it requires additional information or revision before a decision can be made. However, if the application is denied, it means the project is not eligible for the grant program and Lions cannot apply for an LCIF grant for the same project again.