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The “N” Districts, Regions, Zones and Clubs are eligible to apply to the Foundations for funding assistance to complete their sight, medical and/or health related projects that are unable to be fully funded for other sources. The types of projects most often seen are either to purchase equipment for sight, medical and/or health institutions or to purchase equipment for the group or individual use of members of the community who are handicapped, disabled or have infirmities.
The Foundations were never intended as a funding source of first recourse. Grant applications will have a greater chance of success where it is clearly demonstrated that a genuine effort has been made by the applicant to obtain funding towards the project from all relevant sources, including from their ‘activities’ funds.
Each grant application is considered on its merits, however applications to fund building construction will not be considered.
Grant applicants must provide full documentation to support their case for funding assistance. Any statement or claim of a medical or technical nature made by a grant applicant must be supported in writing by an independent and suitably qualified professional.
Completed grant application submissions should be lodged as early as possible so that they may be checked and any anomalies or deficiencies in the paperwork followed up and corrected, and thereby given the greatest chance of a successful outcome.
The deadline for the lodgement of grant applications so that they may be considered at the next meeting of the Board is by the first day of the month preceding the Board meeting, i.e. the first day of February, July or October. However, emergency grant applications for any amount and normal grant applications for amounts up to $3,000.00 GST exclusive should be lodged as soon as all the paperwork is in order, as they need not wait until the holding of a full Board of Directors meeting to be considered.
Applicants are encouraged to consult and seek the advice and assistance of their District’s Foundation Directors when compiling their grant application submissions.
Grant applicants must nominate an acceptable Grantee to receive the grant payment. Tax law requires that the Grantee must be a charitable entity with Deductible Gift Recipient endorsement from the Australian Taxation Office. However, the Grantee does not necessarily have to be the actual beneficiary of the grant. In the case of equipment intended for another beneficiary, the Grantee must be prepared to act as such by placing the order with the supplier, paying any GST (which they can then claim back on their BAS), taking custody of the equipment, and making the equipment available to the actual beneficiary for as long as their need for it remains.
Grants are funded entirely from the income earned on the investment of capital accumulated over the years from the proceeds of the Foundation’s fundraising activities and the support of the “N” Districts and Clubs.
HELPFUL HINTS FOR GRANT APPLICANTS
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The Grant Application Form is available upon request from Foundation Directors whose contact details can be found in the Lions Australia MD 201 Directory under the five “N” District listings. The form can also be downloaded from the Foundations’ website www.lionssavesightfoundation.org.au.
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As a rule of thumb, Foundation grants are confined to funding assistance relating to projects of a sight, medical and/or health nature.
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The potential beneficiaries of grants are many and varied and the types of equipment that a grant can go towards funding are equally diverse. The Foundations do not maintain a list of eligible grant recipients or a list of sight, medical and/or health related equipment or research projects that may attract a grant.
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Grant applicants must put their case and the application will be considered by the Directors on its merits in line with the Board’s policies and guidelines.
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Read and comply with the Grant Application Guidelines on page 4 of the grant application form and the notes printed throughout.
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Advise at least one of the four Foundation Directors from your District of your club’s intention to apply for a grant and seek their advice and assistance when completing the form.
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Seek further advice if there is a problem complying with any guideline and if still unable to comply provide a full written explanation.
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The information asked for in the application form should be viewed as a summary of the detailed supporting documentation accompanying the application form. This is particularly so in the case of information of a medical or technical nature which must be verified in writing by an impartial and appropriately qualified professional.
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Where a grant application is for funding assistance towards the provision of equipment for the use of a needy individual or group of individuals, a written assessment of the needs of the individual(s) and a recommendation as to the suitability of items of equipment to cater for their needs must be provided from an impartial and appropriately qualified professional.
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Assessments and recommendations from manufacturers or suppliers of equipment alone are neither independent nor impartial and are therefore unacceptable.
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Three detailed quotes are required from separate suppliers for each item of equipment. The only exception to this requirement is where the assessment and recommendation report from the impartial and appropriately qualified professional specifies a particular item of equipment as being the only one that is suitable for the beneficiary or certifies that despite all reasonable efforts no other suppliers could be found.
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Tax law dictates that Foundation grants can only be made to a charitable entity with Deductible Gift Recipient endorsement from the Australian Taxation Office. This effectively disqualifies service clubs from being the direct recipient of a Foundation grant. An acceptable third-party Grantee that comes under one of the listed classifications must therefore be nominated on page 3 of the form and their agreement obtained in writing to act as such. The Grantee must be prepared to order the equipment from the supplier, obtain the supplier’s itemised tax invoice for forwarding to the Foundation, receive the Foundation grant cheque, pay the supplier, take custody of the equipment, and make the equipment available to the intended beneficiary for as long as the need remains.
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It is not nearly as difficult or complicated as it may sound. All it takes is some time and attention to detail. The reward is in knowing that a successful grant application will help persons less fortunate than ourselves.
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To view and print any of the PDF files below you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. |
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To download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader click on the Graphic. |
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| GRANT APPLICATION |
Contact your Foundation Director to obtain a Grant Application |
| Foundation Director Contact Details |
DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATIONS
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RECENT GRANTS APPROVED
| Click Here for details of recently approved grants |
GRANTS AT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY
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Below are just a few of the stories of Foundation Grants at Work in the Community TANYA NOBLE PROJECT
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The
Toyota Commuter Bus with the Ricon wheelchair lift
was delivered to Tanya Noble and her family on
Thursday 1st May 2008. Paul and Gail Noble are so
relieved to have the convenience of being able to
transport Tanya themselves; Tanya is on top of the
world knowing that she can now have her electric
wheelchair (her independence) with her if she has to
go into hospital (just one example); the family can
now enjoy outings together as a whole new world of
opportunity has opened up.
COASTAL DISABILITIES WHEELCHAIR LIFTER PROJECT
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The provision of this wheelchair lifter was a joint project of the lions Clubs from the Manning and Great Lakes area of New South Wales together with the support of the Lions Clubs NSW-ACT Save Sight and Public Health Care Foundations. More details to come. |
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The Lions and Lioness Clubs of the City of Liverpool, with the assistance of a $10,000 grant from the Lions Clubs NSW-ACT Public Health Care Foundation, now have worldwide distribution rights for their enormously successful and widely praised diabetes awareness booklet “What You Need to Know if You Have Type 2 Diabetes”. To date 80,000 copies of the booklet have been distributed all over NSW and the ACT. The booklet has the support and approval of Diabetes Australia. The International Association of Lions Clubs recently judged the Club as a finalist in the ’International Challenge to Change Awards’. The Club was honoured at the 2008 Lions Clubs International Convention in Bangkok, Thailand. The club was also the recipient of the International President’s ‘New Horizons Award in Diabetes Education’. Version 4 of the booklet is to be produced in the near future (hopefully with the assistance of a further grant from the Public Health Care Foundation) with the aim of wider distribution across Australia and the World. It has to be said that this is a wonderful example of a project that had, perhaps, small beginnings but with the help of immense dedication and perseverance from a few has resulted in a potential benefit to so many. The Foundation, for its part, and all those Lions, Lioness and others involved are to be warmly congratulated on this achievement. Copies of booklet may be obtained by dropping an email to Booklet Chairman Lion Past President Brian Rope. |
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On Wednesday, 15th October, 2008, the 4 wheel motorised Scooter shown below, with swivel seat for easier access, was presented to Mr Shane Westwood on behalf of the Lions Club of The City of Liverpool and the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight & Public Health Care Foundations. Mr Westwood is 33 years of age and suffers from Progressive Multiple Schlerosis and is confined to a wheel chair. The motorised Scooter will enable Mr Westwood to take his young son to school and do the shopping, so that he can be of assistance to his wife who has to work full time. The total cost of the Scooter was $4,990.00 and which was partially funded by a grant of $2,990 from the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight & Public Health Care Foundations. President Ollie Lassen and Liverpool Lions Members are truly grateful to all those who subscribed and helped bring this worthwhile project to reality. |
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In the picture Shane proudly shows off his new motorised scooter to his son MacKenzie. They are pictured with (l to r) Past Presidents Brian Rope and Ollie Lassen, PDG Ruth Small, Secretary of the Foundations and Lions Lady Judy Field. |
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LIONS KEEP AN EYE ON BABY HEALTH (Article printed in 'Daily Examiner' Saturday August 8, 2009)
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"LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: Clarence Valley Lions Clubs joined forces to raise funds for an Indirect Ophthalmoscope for Grafton Base Hospital. The instrument will be used to check the eyesight of premature babies, alleviating the need for parents to take their babies to Coffs Harbour for testing. Project organiser Deyann McDonnell said the instrument cost about $5,000, with half raised from community fundraising and the balance donated by the Lions Clubs NSW-ACT Save Sight Foundation. Pictured at the official handover at Grafton base Hospital are Lions members joined in the front by new mum, Skye Pullen with her daughter Eve and GP paediatrician Andrew Terrey." |
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In its letter of appreciation, the North Coast Area Health Service expressed "great pleasure and gratitude for the HEINE UNPLUGGED BINOCULAR OPHTHALMOSCOPE, VIEW 20D AND 30D LENSES AND ACCESSORIES which is now in use in the Maternity Unit at the Grafton Base Hospital". The letter went on to acknowledge the support of the foundation and the lions clubs of Maclean, Yamba, Wooli, Grafton and Big River, The neo-natal ophthalmoscope will be beneficial for the premature babies at Grafton base hospital. It reduces the need to transport premature babies out of hospital to have their eyes tested and will also allow premature babies born elsewhere to be returned to Grafton sooner as they can now have their eyes tested there. |
New Chairs make Dialysis More Comfortable
Story reprinted from “Maitland Mercury” by Emma Swain
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Maitland Hospital’s dialysis unit has celebrated its 10th anniversary with a $38,000 boost. The generosity of seven local Lions clubs means dialysis patients will now have access to seven new electric treatment chairs, providing treatment to 41 patients three times a week. Nurse unit manager Patrice Dobbs said the specially designed chairs offered improved comfort and independence for patients. “This is a very generous donation from Lions and we really appreciate their support for the unit and our patients. It’s a great birthday present,” Mrs Dobbs said. “This has given us the opportunity to update the remainder of our treatment chairs all at once.” Zone 9 Lions chairwoman Rosalea Sellers said the donation was a combined effort of the Lions Clubs of Branxton, East Maitland, Kurri Kurri, Maitland, and Rutherford and East Maitland/Beresfield and Rutherford Lioness Clubs. |
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PATIENT RUTH Lavis on the dialysis machine and in a new chair. loOking on are Australian lions foundation director paul logue, nurse unit manager Patrice dobbs and zone 9 chairWOman lion rosalea sellers. |
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The clubs were assisted by the Australian Lions Foundation and the Lions NSW-ACT Save Sight and Public Health Care Foundation. “We are very pleased that we have again been able to support the Maitland Hospital and have helped people in our local area who really need our assistance,” Ms Sellers said. The Maitland Dialysis Unit opened on December 3, 1999 and initially operated three days a week. It now operates 10 dialysis chairs with two treatment sessions a day, providing treatment to 20 patients a day, six days a week. |
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Electric Bariatric Beds for Bellinger River District Hospital
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The warmth that comes from giving and helping the less fortunate in the community was felt by a group of Lions from the Lions club of Bellingen on Friday 11th December 2009. Not only did they feel that warmth but the hospital treated them to a scrumptious afternoon tea, Why ! The members of the Lions Club of Bellingen got word that their local hospital was in need of some new electric beds and special mattresses. The beds and mattresses were going to cost almost $11,000. The hospital had close to $3,000 but needed some help with the balance. Not afraid of a challenge the Lions Club mobilised their resources and set about raising the balance of the funds. After raising an amount equivalent to the hospital’s amount, the club applied to the Lions Clubs NSW-ACT Public Health Care Foundation for a grant. The grant, if approved, would enable the purchase of |
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Lions club of Bellingen president ken smith trying out one of the new beds in front of several club members and nurse manager Carolyn heise. at either end of the group are foundation directors brian mc whirter and chris elford. |
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the three Low Height Electric Bariatric Hospital Beds, complete with accessories and three Bi-Density Mattresses for the Bellinger River District Hospital. With the objectives of the Lions NSW-ACT Health Care Foundation being “To promote, advance and assist the research into the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of illness, sickness and afflictions of all kinds suffered by humans.” , the Foundation had no hesitation in approving the grant application and providing for almost $5,500 to add to the funds raised by the Hospital and the Lions Club of Bellingen. This is just another fine example of the community assistance made possible by the Foundation of the Lions Clubs of NSW and the ACT. |
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