2018 Support by Lithuanian Foundation to Preserve Lithuanian Identity
SUPPORT BY THE LITHUANIAN FOUNDATION TO FOSTER THE IDENTITY OF OUR NATION
The Lithuanian Foundation (LF) remains a substantial financial contributor to Lithuanian activities after the years of tireless work to preserve the Lithuanian culture and identity; the advancement of which among the emigre diaspora is unimaginable without the support by the Foundation. Today, we can rejoice at the success of LF that, thanks to donors, patrons of donor-directed funds, sponsors, and testaments, has been growing strong over the years and has become a vital organization, helping to preserve, foster, and nurture the Lithuanian language, culture, customs, and traditions.
The LF founders had a dream to create a “Million Dollar Foundation.” Their vision has come true, over and above – the Lithuanian Foundation, since its inception, has distributed over $21 million for the preservation of Lithuanian identity. The year of the 100 th Anniversary of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania was also significant to the Lithuanian Foundation: in 2018, it has distributed a record sum of support for various projects and student scholarships – $1,101,156.
LF operates and disburses funding according to section 501(c) (3) of the US Internal Revenue Code and guided by the funding and scholarship priorities approved by the Board of Directors.
The Grants Commission, chaired by Juozas Kapačinskas and comprised of representatives from LF and the Lithuanian-American Community, is responsible for the awarding of grants. The Commission held two meetings this year, on May 19-20 (for the first round of funding) and on October 20 (for the second round of funding).
October 20, 2018. The meeting of the Grants Commission to discuss the second round of funding. From left: Virgus Volertas, Janina Udrienė, Arvydas Tamulis, Laura Garnytė, Vytautas Narutis, Ina Stankevičienė, Dalius F. Vasys, and Juozas Kapačinskas (Chairman of the Grants Commission).
For the first round of funding, the Grants Commission recommended supporting 104 projects, after having evaluated 146 requests; while during the second round, 17 out of the 37 submitted requests were recommended for support. In 2018, the Grants Commission received 183 funding requests, totaling $2,854,177. The overall support for the 121 approved projects was $779.259.
Additional $13,608 were awarded from donor-directed funds, the distribution of which is not reviewed by the Grants Commission. The support is disbursed directly, according to the donors’ designations, to projects in Lithuania or implemented by Lithuanian-American organizations.
The total amount of support for projects in 2018 was $792,867.
Support for organizations:
The Lithuanian American Community – $398,473
Other US-based organizations – $328,943
Organizations in Lithuania – $32,302
The Lithuanian World Community – $21,000
Lithuanian communities and organizations in other countries – $12,149
Grant allocations by area of activity:
Education – $185,298
Culture – $134,794
Improvements of infrastructure in Lithuanian centers – $126,000
Youth activities– $103,186
Improvements of infrastructure in camps – $80,000
Community activities – $55,289
Media – $51,000
Archives – $48,300
Book publishing – $9,000
The projects that received the most substantial amounts of grants in 2018:
$150,000 – Lithuanian Heritage Schools in the US
$75,000 – Projects by the Cultural Council of the Lithuanian-American Community
$60,000 – Lithuanian World Center in Lemont, IL
$50,500 – Lithuanian Research and Studies Center in Chicago, IL
$40,000 – Improvement of Dainava Camp infrastructure, Manchester, MI
$36,000 – Lithuanian students’ Internships in Lithuania and program “Gimnazistai – Lietuvai!”
$31,700 – Projects by the Lithuanian-American Educational Council
$30,000 – Lithuanian Center, Chicago, IL
$24,000 – Newspaper “Draugas“, Chicago, IL
$20,000 – Improvement of Neringa Camp infrastructure, Brattleboro, VT
$20,000 – Improvement of Rakas Camp infrastructure, Custer, MI
$20,000 – The XVI North American Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival-2020, Philadelphia, PA
$20,000 – The celebration of the Centennial of the Baltic States, Boston, MA
$10,000 – The 10th Jamboree of the Lithuanian Scouts Association in North America
The complete list of awards can be found here:
2018 first LF grant allocation
2018 second grant allocation
November 17, 2018. The meeting of the Scholarship Sub-Commission. Members of the Sub-Commission (from left): Ieva Dilytė, Rita Bieliauskas, Lilija Gelažis, Milda Davis (Chairperson), Alina Akulič, Alda Polikaitis, Loreta Sadauskas, and Gabrielė Bieliauskaitė.
The Scholarship Sub-Commission (Chairperson Milda Davis) met on November 17, at the Lithuanian World Center (Lemont, IL), and reviewed 135 scholarship applications. The Sub-Commission members decided to support 111 requests and allocated $278,215. In 2018, LF scholarships were awarded to 89 students studying at the universities in the US, 12 in Lithuania, 3 in the United Kingdom, 3 in Switzerland, and to one student studying in each: Italy, Canada, France, and Sweden.
2018 LF scholarship recipients
Additional $30,074 were disbursed directly from donor-directed funds, according to the donors’ designations, to candidates selected by institutions of higher education in Lithuania. In 2018, the scholarships for students totaled $308,289.
The Board of LF approved the decisions by the Grants Commission and Scholarship Sub-Commission at its meeting on December 4 of 2018.
LF information
