Lions Clubs International Foundation

Lions Clubs International Foundation Three Decades of Serving Humanity: An Overview of LCIF What is LCIF? • Humanitarian arm of LCI (established1968) • A nonprofit (501-C3) with tax exempt status • The only Lions foundation serving the entire world and all 1.4 million members Primary Service Aims: Humanitarian Services Eradication of Blindness and Disability Disaster Relief and Reconstruction Children’s Health and Welfare How does LCIF help Lions? • Helps Lions respond collectively and effectively to major global humanitarian concerns • Enables Lions-to-help-Lions…especially in times of calamity and disaster • Funds projects too big for districts/clubs to do on their own • Develops relevant grant-making initiatives to help Lions better serve the world community • Leverages Lions’ financial support to raise funds from a growing number of governments, other foundations, and corporations LCIF Governance • LCIF Governance and Advisory Structure: Board of Trustees LCIF Executive Committee LCIF Finance Committee SightFirst Advisory Committee Lions Quest Advisory Committee • LCIF earned 4-star rating (highest) from Charity Navigator for sound fiscal management and very low administrative costs LCIF has come a long way in three decades Five major grant programs addressing a wide range of humanitarian challenges Grants average $15 million per year, $35 million with SightFirst included US $ in Millions 25 20 15 10 5 0 More than 20 million people are served annually 94-95 95-96 96-97 97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 Lionistic Year Standard Major/Emergency Intl Assist Core Four Highlights of 2002-2003 Grants = US$31 million awarded for 504 individual grants Donations = US$18 million 35 30 Donations ALSO in 2002-03: Disbursed nearly $2 million for Sept.11th victim assistance initiatives and $3 million to rebuild earthquake-ravaged areas in Gujarat, India 25 20 15 10 5 0 2002-2003 Grants Initiated two school-rebuilding projects in Afghanistan Highlights of 2002-03: Updates on Grant Awards SightFirst Grants • $14.9 million for 53 projects to fight avoidable blindness throughout developing world $5.8million for 133 Lions humanitarian service projects in 40+ countries 157 grants for $1.35 million Standard Grants • Emergency Grants • Core 4 Grants • 63 grants for $4.7 million International Assistance Grants • 38 grants for $0.5 million Highlights of 2002-03: Key Program Developments LCIF acquires Lions Quest (LQ) • • • New Lions Quest Dept. LQ endorsed as a model drug prevention program in USA International expansion continues Special Olympics-Lions Opening Eyes Program extended • Program will expand to 40 - 50 countries by 2005 • 40,000 mentally retarded persons have benefited • New training curriculum for medical schools will improve eye care for mentally retarded Highlights of 2002-03: Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Initiative • Hearing impairment affects 250 million people • Hearing aids too costly for 90% who need them • LCIF has helped develop world’s most affordable hearing aid. Looking Back, Looking Ahead • LCIF’s humanitarian impact has grown tremendously in last decade • Partnerships with governments and other international funding agencies have created new opportunities for LCIF • Your support of LCIF is critically needed: need for support is greater than ever due to expanded grant-making role of LCIF Standard Core 4 Int’l Assistance LCIF Grant Opportunities Division Manager SightFirst Major Catastrophe Emergency LCIF Grant Programs -- Overview (Non-Disaster Grants) • Standard Grants: Matching grants of up to $75,000 for local humanitarian service projects. (2 per district) • Core 4 Grants: Funds special projects in eyesight, disability, health, and youth (1 per district). Grants up to $200,000. • SightFirst Grants: Blindness prevention and sight restoration projects in neediest areas • International Assistance Grants: Supports club twinning projects; Up to $30,000 (1 per district) Standard Grants What are Standard Grants?  Broadest category of LCIF funding 133 grants in 02-03 for $5.8 million  Matching funds up to US$75,000  Supports larger-scale Lions projects  Bottom Up: Lions identify/develop projects Typical Standard Grant Projects •Mobile Health Units •Hospices, Nursing Homes •Street Children’s Homes •Medical Units •Blind and Disabled Welfare Centers •Eye Clinics and Research Centers •Schools in Developing Countries Standard Grants: Key Criteria Funding parameters • Primarily capital funding only (bricks and mortar) • Funding is for specific projects (not general operating support) • Must address important humanitarian need • Serves a large population • Cost must be beyond local fundraising capabilities • Cost-effectiveness imp. Key Rules: • Several clubs need to be involved (min 2-3) • Local Lions must raise at least ½ of required local matching funds •Application must be endorsed by district cabinet • Project must have a strong Lions identity and Lions volunteer involvement Standard Grant Project Budgets Budget Parameters • Income • • • • • 15 clubs (collected) $12,000 District (pledged) 2,000 Community (collected) 500 (anticipated) 1,500 LCIF request 14,000 • must show income and expense • need balanced budget • Lions funding should be itemized (# clubs?) • show status of each funding source • TOTAL 28,000 • Expense • • • 2 vision testers $11,000 1 hearing machine 8,000 Refurbish exam room 9,000 • TOTAL 28,000 Standard Grant Review and Approval • Applications due 60 days before board mtg; those received early have a faster review • Staff pre-reviews applications; clarifications and changes may be requested • LCIF Exec. Committee reviews applications that meet all preliminary requirements. • Applications are either approved (sometimes with conditions), tabled (pending further information) or denied • LCIF Grant money is not disbursed until local funds are collected Core 4 Grants • Narrower focus than Standard grants • Supports special initiatives under the four primary service commitments of Lions: Preserving Sight Promoting Health Serving Youth Combating Disability • 1 to 2 funding priorities adopted under each of the 4 areas on a rotating basis • Grants are given on a 3-to-1 matching basis in most instances (25% local funding) How does Core 4 work? • Grants can only be awarded to the boarddesignated Core 4 Funding Priorities • Partnerships often play a key role (e.g., Special Olympics, Habitat, etc) • Separate grants forms exist for each funding priority (Contact LCIF or go to www.lcif.org) • Some funding priorities are limited to multiple and single districts • Unlike Standard grants, Core 4 can fund some project operating expenses; also local monies can be raised over life of project Current Core 4 Funding Priorities • Preserving Sight  Low Vision Projects  Children’s Eye Photoscreening • Combating Disability  Partnership with Habitat for Humanity  Partnership with Special Olympics “Opening Eyes” • Promoting Health  Diabetes Prevention and Treatment • Serving Youth  Expansion of Lions-Quest Program International Assistance Grants (IAG) What is an IAG? • Smaller grants to support international twinning-type projects • Need Lions club in at least 2 countries to partner (a sponsor and host club) • Sponsor club/district raises some funding and applies for grant; host club helps implement • Grants are between $5,000 and $30,000; grants $10,000 and under reviewed continually Typical IAG Projects • Eyeglass and medical missions • Clean water and wells • Equipment for Blind and Disability Rehab Centers • Environmental Protection • Rural Development Emergency Grants • LCIF’s first-line response to disaster situations • $10,000 available to districts affected by natural disasters • Lions purchase supplies to meet immediate needs:     food, water clothing, bedding medicines hygiene products Regulations for Emergency Grants • Disaster must be large in scope, displacing or affecting many people (50 or more) LCIF funds Lions-led relief activities Grant must be requested within days of disaster Funds must be spent within 30 days One grant per disaster • • • • Update on SightFirst Program SightFirst: Making the world free from darkness Why SightFirst?: Burden of Blindness • 45 million blind, 135 million with visual impairment • 80% preventable or curable • 90% occurs in developing countries • Main causes: • Cataract • Trachoma • Onchocerciasis/river blindness • Glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy & macular degeneration What is SightFirst? • Global blindness prevention program launched in 1990 • Goal: significantly reduce preventable and curable blindness through sustainable and long-term programs • $200 million has been raised for SightFirst, including $144 million donated by Lions during Campaign SightFirst SightFirst has responded in 3 primary ways: • Controlling Blinding Diseases  Hundreds of SightFirst projects are against Cataract, River Blindness, Trachoma, Diabetic Retinopathy • Training Desperately Needed Manpower  Regional training centers have been developed or expanded in S. Asia, Africa, SE Asia and E. Europe • Strengthening Eye Care Infrastructures  improving eye care delivery systems in 79 countries Overview of SightFirst Achievements • $148 million approved for 625 projects in 79 countries • Restored sight to 3,401,000 million cataract blind • Treat 10 million people/yr for river blindness • Built/expanded 154 eye hospitals • Upgraded with new equipment and training 296 eye units • Trained more than 13,886 eye care workers • Expanded 5 regional training centers SightFirst Highlights: Crusade Against Blinding Cataract SighFirst has made significant progress by: • Organizing mass surgical camp campaigns • Increasing surgical output at 250+ eye units worldwide • Training manpower in Africa, Asia, Pacific • Mobilizing Lions in 30+ nations • Reducing costs for cataract surgery – now as low as $20 SightFirst Highlights: Combating River Blindness Problem: • 17 million infected • 250 million at risk and needing treatment Before SightFirst: • Treatment in 13 countries • Only 10 million people treated After SightFirst: • 11 more countries with treatment programs • 28-30 million treatments yearly • SF makes possible 1/3 of all treatments worldwide SightFirst Highlights: Combating Trachoma Problem: • • Bacterial infection linked to poverty and poor sanitation 6-9 million blind, mostly affecting mothers and children Response of SightFirst: • Large-scale SF projects underway in Ethiopia & Sudan treating hundreds of thousands. • SF projects in Mauritania, Senegal and Mali are building capacity for surgical treatment of trachoma • Lions are also conducting health education, clean water, and sanitation initiatives SightFirst Highlights: New Childhood Blindness Project • 1.5 million children needlessly blind - One goes blind every minute! • SightFirst approved a US$3.75 million childhood blindness initiative with WHO • Project Goals: • Establish 30 pediatric eye care centers worldwide • Improved treatment for cataract and retinal diseases in children • Train 6000 eye health workers in 25+ countries in primary eye care SightFirst Future Challenges • Diabetic retinopathy now a major problem worldwide – SF has pilot projects under way in 5 countries • More initiatives against trachoma are needed • River blindness treatment programs need to continue for possibly another 10 years • Rising life expectancy is increasing rate of blindness in many regions • Still many under-served regions – e.g., Central Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan “We Serve” So Others May See SightFirst Partnering Organizations: World Health Organization The Carter Center IAPB-Vision 2020 Merck and Co. Pfizer Eli Lilly International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) Governments and Ministries of Health Numerous NGOs Your Role as a Lion What Can You Do To Support LCIF? LCIF Strives For Financial Efficiency How are Lions donations used? • 100% of donations are used to fund grants – 75% of donations from each year are used for grants the next year; the 25% balance is placed in short-term reserve to fund grants in years when donations are below $10 million or investment returns are negative. • All LCIF administrative expenses are paid from interest income or reserves. Administration costs are kept very low – a 10.7 percent average over the last 10 years • LCIF reserve funds are prudently invested to allow for increased future grant making. LCIF Strives for Program Effectiveness • Grant applications are reviewed by technically trained staff and advisors • Technical partnerships with WHO and others provide quality • LCIF staff and trustee members inspect and follow-up on many projects • Grant initiatives and programs are developed with a goal of maximizing Lions’ humanitarian impact • LCIF grants are often leveraged against local funding and other funding sources to ensure sustainability of projects Did you know? Facts About LCIF Donations Sources • 95 percent of LCIF donations come voluntarily from Lions – either from individuals, clubs or districts. • But there are surprisingly some clubs that have never supported LCIF • LCIF receives only about 2% of Lions’ global donations in a given year (based upon A1 form) • LCIF has been working hard to raise donations from corporations, foundations, and governments Why increased donations are needed? 45,000,000 40,000,000 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000,000 0 1995/96 Grants Donations 1997/98 1999/00 2001/02 Grants awards and demand for LCIF funding now exceeding donations received Impact of a donation to LCIF • A donation to LCIF can: US$20 - provide for a cataract surgery in Africa & South Asia US$50 - support diabetic retinopathy eye exam in developing countries US$100 - provide low vision eye exam & glasses in the industrialized world US$1,000 - treat 1,000 individuals in Africa for river blindness LCIF Donor Recognition Programs Melvin Jones Fellowship Initial and Progressive US$1000 or higher • Contributing Membership (3 levels) US$20, $50, $100 • LCIF Legacy Program Donation to LCIF through gift annuities, stocks and bequests Melvin Jones Fellowships What to know? • • • MJF Donations support Grant Programs 70% of all LCIF donations MJF Donations cannot be restricted unless Board authorized • Recipient can be named later • Partial payments possible - $100 min. • Memorial MJFs • 100% MJF Club Banner when all members become MJF Contributing Memberships What to know? • Annual Program • New pin each year • 3 Levels of Support for LCIF  Basic - US$20  Silver - US$50  Gold - US$100 • Entire clubs can easily become LCIF Contributing Members – cost of a dinner out • 100% clubs receive club banner patch for that year New Way To Support Your Foundation: LCIF LEGACY PROGRAM • LEGACY PROGRAM offers new “Planned Giving” options that allow you to support LCIF through estate plans and annuities…often with tax benefits. • LCIF Charitable Gift Annuities give a guaranteed investment return for life, with the principle coming to LCIF upon death • Information on Legacy program at LCIF exhibit booth How to Track Donation Activities? Donation Reports Issued by LCIF • Each quarter, LCIF issues reports to each District Governor and District LCIF Chairman showing: Donations processed during the past quarter from district Clubs in a district with available donations towards future Melvin Jones Fellows List of all Melvin Jones Fellows in district Promoting LCIF During Club Meetings • Preparation:  Check club’s donation history and any current balances towards next MJF and un-named MJFs  Check web site for a story or program update about LCIF to share with club • Ideas to promote LCIF donation and pride in club  Encourage a tradition of honoring outgoing president with MJF or honor an important public figure  For clubs with limited resources, challenge them to become a 100% contributing member club  Educate the club about LCIF: Show the new LCIF video or use materials from new LCIF 2003-04 CD Rom Need more info? Publications, Presentations & Reports  Visit www.lionsclubs.org and www.lcif.org for grant publications and other brochures; program updates  Other videos available for order  Brochures in all official languages  Email: lcif@lionsclubs.org for reports on donations and grants by district  Provide your email address to receive Chairperson’s new electronic newsletter