We Serve by Reaching, Touching, and Improving Lives — carrying out statewide projects including Wisconsin Lions Camp, Eyeglass Recycling, Vision Screening, Hearing, and Diabetes Awareness.
A defining feature of Wisconsin Lions Birch-sturm Memorial Fund Inc is its repeated support for Wisconsin Lions Foundation Inc, including a $400,000 grant in 2024 and $300,000 grants in both 2025 and 2023. That pattern points to a funder centered on statewide Lions service infrastructure rather than isolated one-off awards. Their stated work reaches through vision screening, eyeglass recycling, hearing support, diabetes awareness, and camping and recreational programs for people with disabilities. The organization also backs direct-service systems that move resources into local use, such as hearing assistance for low-income Wisconsin residents, school-based diabetes awareness technology, and equipment and training for volunteer vision screening events. The fund supports both program delivery and the operational pieces that make those programs function, including screening resources, certification, and pre-graded eyeglasses for mission teams. In practice, the grantmaking is tied closely to Wisconsin communities and to service models that rely on Lions volunteers and partner organizations. Across the available record, the foundation’s giving is consistent with a statewide service fund that underwrites recurring programs and the tools needed to deliver them.
In hearing care, the foundation runs the Hearing Project — Financial Assistance (Hearing Aids), which provides new hearing instruments to low-income Wisconsin residents who cannot afford them and do not qualify for other financial assistance. In school health, the WLF Diabetes Awareness Project — School Technology Grant supports Wisconsin schools with technology funding for diabetes awareness and management. For child vision care, the Youth Vision Voucher Program is intended to help children identified through vision screening obtain glasses or eye care. The foundation also supports screening infrastructure itself: Vision Screening Support — Equipment, Training & Screening Resources provides screeners, training, certification, and materials so local Lions Clubs and partner organizations can run free vision screening events. These are program-enablement grants, not just direct aid awards.
Typical grant size sits at $300,000, with the 25th percentile and median both at $300,000 and the 75th percentile at $350,000. The recent record shows recurring support over multiple years rather than a one-time award pattern, with the same recipient appearing in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation gives locally, and every recorded grant goes to recipients in Wisconsin. The structure is program-specific and operational, with funding tied to service delivery systems, volunteer support, and in-kind resource provision such as eyeglass recycling. Unsolicited applications are accepted for several active programs.
$400K
$10.5M
$1.4M
$488K
Most grants fall between $300K and $350K, with a median of $300K.
25th Percentile
$300K
Median
$300K
75th Percentile
$350K
DAVE STRUDTHOFF
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Grantmaking is concentrated entirely in Wisconsin, which accounts for 100% of recorded grants and is also the top state by grant count. The recent record shows awards landing in Rosholt, where the main recipient is located, and the active programs are also Wisconsin-focused. At the same time, the eyeglass recycling mission-order program serves international and domestic mission destinations, even though the foundation itself operates from Wisconsin. The geography is therefore statewide in operation and local in recorded recipients.
Its stated focus areas include vision screening, eyeglass recycling, hearing assistance, camping and recreational programs for people with disabilities, and diabetes awareness and education. The active program list also shows school technology support for diabetes awareness, vision screening equipment and training, hearing aid assistance, and eyeglass orders for mission teams.
Typical grants cluster at $300,000. The 25th percentile is $300,000, the median is $300,000, and the 75th percentile is $350,000, which indicates a fairly tight distribution around that level.
Yes. The grant recipient country distribution shows US-only awards, and 100% of recorded grants go to recipients in Wisconsin. The foundation’s active programs are also described as Wisconsin-based, including hearing aid assistance, vision support, and diabetes awareness funding for Wisconsin schools.
Yes. Several active programs list “Accepts unsolicited: True,” including the Hearing Project — Financial Assistance (Hearing Aids), the WLF Diabetes Awareness Project — School Technology Grant, the Youth Vision Voucher Program, and vision screening support programs.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated support to Wisconsin Lions Foundation Inc in 2023, 2024, and 2025, including awards of $300,000, $400,000, and $300,000.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Wisconsin Lions Birch-Sturm Memorial Fund that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Anyone (organizations or mission teams) may order eyeglasses for missions; missions within Wisconsin require a licensed eye care professional and recipients aged 14+.
Who can apply: Primarily available to Lions members/clubs; training and certification are provided to Lions. Non-Lions directed to join a local Lions Club.
Who can apply: Available to Wisconsin schools.
Deadline: Applications accepted from April 1st through June 15th.
Track these deadlines, get reminders, and see how well your nonprofit fits — free with a Kindora account.
Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WISCONSIN LIONS FOUNDATION INC | ROSHOLT, WI | $400,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| WISCONSIN LIONS FOUNDATION INC | ROSHOLT, WI | $300,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| WISCONSIN LIONS FOUNDATION INC | ROSHOLT, WI | $400,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| WISCONSIN LIONS FOUNDATION INC | ROSHOLT, WI | $300,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT |
WISCONSIN LIONS FOUNDATION INC
$400,000SUPPORT
WISCONSIN LIONS FOUNDATION INC
$300,000SUPPORT
WISCONSIN LIONS FOUNDATION INC
$400,000SUPPORT
WISCONSIN LIONS FOUNDATION INC
$300,000SUPPORT