The Lions of Illinois Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to serve people throughout Illinois with vision and hearing needs. The Foundation exists to assist in the general improvement of the quality of life of those in Illinois having unmet needs by providing quality programs and services for the detection, treatment, and rehabilitation of visual and hearing needs, through grants or direct/indirect programs and services.
The Lions of Illinois Foundation’s largest recent grant was $715,794 to the Lions of IL Endowment Fund in DeKalb, a restricted pool that supports ongoing work for people with vision and hearing needs in Illinois. That grant points to the foundation’s core operating style: it funds programs and related charitable support tied to sensory health rather than individuals, and it does so within a local Illinois footprint. Its stated mission is to improve quality of life for people in Illinois who have unmet visual and hearing needs through grants or direct and indirect programs and services. The foundation backs both service delivery and infrastructure. Its focus areas include vision services, hearing services, low-vision programs for students and adults, a mobile screening unit, Camp Lions, recycling and environmental fundraising, and social services and financial assistance. The named program areas show a mix of prevention, rehabilitation, and community support. Mobile screenings and low-vision services extend reach beyond clinical settings, while Camp Lions serves blind and deaf youth and adults. The foundation also supports assistive-device recycling and fundraising activities connected to local service networks. Taken together, the pattern is focused on Illinois residents with visual or hearing impairments and on organizations that help deliver those services.
Vision and hearing care sit at the center of the foundation’s work. One recent grant went to the Lions of IL Endowment Fund for ongoing support of programs serving people with vision and hearing needs in Illinois. That aligns with the foundation’s broader mission to support detection, treatment, and rehabilitation. Low-vision rehabilitation is another clear emphasis. The foundation lists low-vision programs for students and adults among its active focus areas, which indicates attention to both school-age and adult needs. Prevention and outreach also appear in its program mix. The Mobile Screening Unit Host Program provides vision and hearing screenings that Lions Clubs and community organizations can host at local events, with service running March through October. Camp Lions adds a residential youth-and-adult dimension to the foundation’s service portfolio, alongside assistive-device recycling and related community fundraising.
$12K
$1.4M
$914K
$1.2M
Most grants fall between $716K and $716K, with a median of $716K.
25th Percentile
$716K
Median
$716K
75th Percentile
$716K
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The recent grant data show a single grant size at $715,794, so the p25, median, and p75 are all the same. That points to a very concentrated recent distribution rather than a broad spread of award sizes. The foundation’s giving is local and entirely in Illinois: 100% of grants in the dataset went to recipients in the HQ state. The available recent grant list shows one Illinois recipient, which also means the same recipient does not appear across multiple years in the data provided. Structurally, Lions of Illinois Foundation uses both direct program delivery and grant support. It also operates a restricted endowment fund. For the Mobile Screening Unit Host Program, hosts request or reserve the unit through an online form, while the L.I.F.E. loan fund is available to Lions Clubs and must be repaid within two years.
Grant activity is entirely in Illinois, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. The recent grant recipient is in DeKalb, matching the foundation’s local Illinois footprint. The active program descriptions also place service delivery statewide in Illinois, including the mobile screening unit, the endowment fund, and the emergency loan fund. No non-U.S. recipient countries appear in the grant data.
Its stated focus areas include vision services, hearing services, low-vision programs for students and adults, a mobile screening unit, Camp Lions, recycling and environmental fundraising, and social services and financial assistance. The mission statement centers on detection, treatment, and rehabilitation of visual and hearing needs in Illinois.
The grant data shown here are entirely local to Illinois: 100% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state, and the recent recipient listed is in DeKalb, IL. The active program descriptions also place the foundation’s service footprint in Illinois.
The grant-size distribution is flat in the data provided: p25, median, and p75 are all $715,794. That suggests the recent grant record captured here includes a single grant at that amount.
Yes. The Mobile Screening Unit Host Program says Lions Clubs and community organizations can host the vision and hearing screening unit at local events, and hosts request or reserve it through an online form. The unit operates from March through October.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Lions of Illinois Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Hosts are typically Illinois Lions Clubs or community organizations serving Illinois residents; organizers must follow hosting guidelines provided by the Foundation.
Deadline: Reservations open January 1 each year; unit operates March through October. Scheduling is on a first-come basis.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lions of IL Endowment Fund | DeKalb, IL | $12,358 | 2025 | — |
| Lions of IL Endowment Fund | DeKalb, IL | $715,794 | 2024 | — |
Lions of IL Endowment Fund
$12,358Lions of IL Endowment Fund
$715,794