Frequently Asked Questions
The District and Club Community Impact Grant Program
What is the District and Club Community Impact Grant (DCG) Program?
The DCG program is an opportunity for clubs and districts to utilize some of the funding they donate to Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). For clubs and districts that qualify, they are eligible to apply for a grant equal to 15% of their total contributions (excluding disaster donations) in that year.
What type of projects qualify for fund usage?
DCG funds can be used to support specific humanitarian activities and highlight Lions in communities they serve. Grant funds are not eligible to pay membership dues or establish a reserve fund.
How can my district or club qualify for this program?
Donating a minimum of US$5,000 to LCIF within one fiscal year. The eligible club funds are 15% of the donations attributed to club members or the club itself.
Donating a minimum of US$10,000 to LCIF within one fiscal year. The eligible district funds are 15% of the donations attributed to the district itself, plus donations from clubs that do not reach US$5,000 minimum, plus any funds eligible clubs transfer to the district.
My district or club was notified that it qualified for the DCG program. How do I access the DCG funds?
When a district or club qualifies for DCG funds, it can apply at any time. Applications should be submitted to LCIF at a minimum of 90 days prior to the project commencement to allow for adequate processing time.
Send a completed grant application to LCIFdistrictandclub@lionsclubs.org
Must be signed by the current district governor and certified via resolution by the current district cabinet.
Must be signed by the current club president and certified via resolution by the current club board.
How do I check the balance of my district or club's DCG funds?
Additional Frequently Asked Questions
If a club has not donated at least US$5,000 within one fiscal year, could it be combined with the next fiscal year's donation amount?
No, a club must donate at least US$5,000 within one fiscal year to count toward their eligible balance.
Does my district or club have to use the collected funds within the next fiscal year?
No, if your district or club meets the minimum donation requirement, your district or club does not have to apply to use their available funds within the next fiscal year. The amount available will transfer into the next fiscal year.
If a club's donation does not reach US$5,000, could it be combined with other clubs' donations (under US$5,000) and calculated into the district's total amount?
Yes, the cumulative sum of all clubs in a particular district (not including clubs with donations of at least US$5,000) count toward the district's eligible grant amount.
Some clubs would like their district office to help them apply for the grant. Is it possible to apply all the funds to the district office and then have the district office allocate the grant funds to the clubs accordingly?
While any eligible club can transfer their donations to their district, the district has to submit unique project-specific DCG applications.
Do Lead Gifts (US$100,000+) count toward a club or district's donation total?
Lead Gifts can count toward DCG fund only under certain circumstances:
- If the Lead Gift donor opts out of a designation for their gift, their gift can count toward the DCG program.
- Upon payment in full, the donor can indicate what percentage of their gift will count toward the DCG program. Any percentage of the gift that is designated toward a certain cause is ineligible to be counted toward the DCG program. Any percentage of the gift put toward the DCG program is ineligible to be designated toward a certain cause.
Can DCG funds be used for an LCIF Matching grant that was already approved?
DCG funds can be used for all or part of the local Lions matching funds component of another LCIF grant program. However, DCG funds cannot be used as local Lions matching funds for a grant that has already been approved by LCIF.
Can funds be used for a project in a district or country other than the applicant's?
Funds may be used to support a project outside of the applicant's district including projects taking place in a country other than the applicant's country.
• If a project is to take place in a country outside the applicant's district, the project shall have the endorsement, and preferably, the active involvement of the local Lions district.
• In countries where there are clubs but no district structure, the local clubs closest to the project need to endorse the project.
• In all cases, detailed information on the role of local Lions in the project should be provided to LCIF.
• In countries where no clubs exist at present, the applicant Lions must be able to demonstrate the ability to properly oversee, evaluate and report on the project.
Lions Clubs International Foundation
LCIF Co-ordinator, District 317, Bangalore
Telephone: +91 000000000