The Australian Lions Foundation: Standing Behind Communities When It Matters Most
When disaster strikes — a bushfire, a flood, a house fire that destroys a single family’s home — Lions Clubs are typically among the first community organisations on the ground. What is less often visible is the structure behind that response: the Australian Lions Foundation (ALF), the body that funds and underpins much of the Lions movement’s emergency and welfare work across the country.
Born from disaster
The Foundation’s origins trace back to Cyclone Tracy, which demolished most of Darwin in December 1974. In the aftermath, Lions Australia formed two bodies between 1975 and 1976: the Australian Lions Community Emergency Relief Fund, to coordinate fundraising for disaster relief, and a National Disaster Committee. These were amalgamated in 1980, and the Foundation itself was formed in 1981 by the District Governors of the day, formalised at the Multiple District Convention of Lions at Mount Gambier in 1983. alf + 2
More than four decades on, that response capability remains central to what ALF does.
What the Foundation exists to do
ALF’s purpose is to provide help and assistance for public relief, emergency aid, and community welfare for persons in necessitous circumstances within Australia, offering financial assistance and support in times of disasters and emergencies and for community welfare projects. Importantly, all donations to the Australian Lions Foundation stay in Australia. alfalf
How the grants work
ALF operates four distinct grant categories, each suited to a different kind of need:
Emergency Grants — made available to Districts on request from District Governors or through individual Clubs, supporting immediate family-level needs such as clothing, food, essential items, and in some cases small white goods, following events such as a single house fire. alf
Disaster Recovery Grants — intended for the recovery, restoration, and rehabilitation phase once immediate needs such as food, clothing, blankets, medical supplies, and temporary shelter have already been met. These may be granted even where an Emergency or Disaster Assistance Grant has already been provided, and no matching funding is required. alf
Compassionate Grants — support for persons or families facing financial hardship through illness or other necessitous circumstances, which can take the form of medical aids, equipment, or cash relief, with applications made by a Lions or Leo Club, Zone, District, or Multiple District 201. alf
General Grants — available to Multiple District 201 Lions Clubs, Leo Clubs, and Districts to assist with community welfare projects. alf
Special Purpose Grants — provided for community welfare on a national, State, or District basis, sometimes with conditions attached regarding use and accountability, and likewise requiring no matching funding. alf
Only Multiple District 201 Districts, Lions Clubs, and Leo Clubs may apply, and Leo Club applications must be processed through and supported by their parent Lions Club. Clubs must be members of the Australian Lions Foundation to be eligible for funding, so it is worth confirming your Club’s membership status before a need arises. alf
Where the money comes from
Donations are received from Lions, Lioness, and Leo Clubs, Zones, Districts, other Lions groups, and individual members of the public, with public donations being tax deductible. The Foundation also generates funds from investment interest, and increasingly from corporate donations. alf
Donations need not be anonymous in purpose, either. Through the ALF Award Program, Clubs, Zones, Districts, and other Lions groups can recognise individuals from within the community or the Lions family — commonly for years of service or a significant project — with donations able to be “banked” for an award at a later date. The award tiers range from the Community Service Award through to the William R. Tresise Award. alf
A safety net our District relies on
Disasters do not respect District boundaries, and they are, unfortunately, a recurring feature of the Australian landscape. ALF’s drought relief appeal, running since July 2018, has nationally raised $1.5 million, supporting fodder for livestock, food for working dogs, drinking water and food for families, fuel to transport fodder, school fees, medical bills, and other household bills. National disaster appeals remain ongoing, with the Foundation providing funding support to Lions Clubs to assist Clubs and Districts in their emergency, recovery, and rebuilding efforts. alfalf
For District 201N1 Clubs, ALF represents more than a distant national body — it is the financial backbone that allows a local Club to respond quickly and meaningfully when a member of the community is in genuine need, whether that need arises from a single house fire or a region-wide flood.
Getting involved
If your Club is considering an application, the guidance is consistent across every grant type: speak with your District Australian Lions Foundation Chairperson first. They can advise on the right grant category and help ensure the application meets the Foundation’s requirements.
Further information, guidelines, and application forms for each grant type are available at alf.org.au/grants.
