2024 Lithuanian Foundation’s Support to Diaspora Organizations and Students

For over 60 years, the Lithuanian Foundation has financially supported Lithuanian communities, education in Lithuanian, Lithuanian activities, and students in the USA, Lithuania, and worldwide. 2024 is no exception. We are happy to report that it was a record-breaking year—$1,755,706 was distributed to fund various projects and schoraships! Most of these funds (approximately two-thirds) come from the interest generated by the donor-directed funds established at the Lithuanian Foundation, which currently totals 121.

For several years, the Lithuanian Foundation’s Grants Commission (GC) has met twice a year at the Lithuanian World Center in Lemont, IL, to allocate funds. In 2024, the first meeting was held in the spring, on May 18, and the second in the fall, on October 19. The GC consisted of four LF Board members: Tauras Bublys (Chairman), Lina Zlioba (1st meeting), Saulius Čyvas (2nd meeting), Marius Kasniūnas, and Dalius Vasys; and four representatives of the Lithuanian American Community: Žygintas Janus, Ingrida Strokovas, Laura Garnytė, and Greta Patapovaitė-Bryant. LF Chairman of the Board, Juozas Kapačinskas; LF Executive Director, Jūratė Mereckis; and Secretary Vida Bieliauskienė also attended the meetings.

For the first round of funding in 2024, 135 applications were submitted (109 were approved, 80.7%), and 55 applications were received during the second round (27 were approved, 49.1%). A total of 136 applications were approved, and $1,253,453 was allocated to support these projects in 2024.

The list of financed projects:
2024 LF Project Funding — Round I
2024 LF Project Funding — Round II

With additional project support from special donor-directed funds, based on the wishes and stipulations of the donors, Lithuanian and U.S. organizations will receive $28,627 directly.

In total, across all projects, the Lithuanian Foundation will distribute $1,282,080. The grants were allocated as follows: $562,146 (32%) to various Lithuanian American organizations, $587,881 (33%) to the Lithuanian American Community, $50,755 (3%) to the World Lithuanian Community, $31,000 (2%) to Lithuanian organizations in other countries, and $50,298 (3%) to requests from Lithuania.

The decisions made during the Grants Commission meetings were presented to the LF Board of Directors for approval. During its meetings, the Board approved the first allocation on June 4, 2024, and the second on December 10, 2024.

Members of the LF Grants Commission Scholarship Sub-Commission met on November 23, 2024. They reviewed 185 student applications and decided to grant 106 (57.3%), allocating $431,500 in student scholarships. Lithuanian Foundation scholarships will be awarded to 96 Lithuanians studying in the USA, five in Lithuania, and one in each of the following countries: Great Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, France, and Germany.

An additional $42,126 will be paid out from LF’s special donor-directed funds, according to the founders’ specific wishes and instructions, directly to educational institutions in Lithuania. Recipients of these scholarships are selected by the institutions themselves.

A total of $473,626 will be paid out for scholarships in 2024.

The LF Board of Directors approved the Scholarship Sub-Commission’s decisions at its meeting on December 10.

You can find the list of scholarship recipients here:
2024 LF Scholarship Recipients

While it’s a pleasure to celebrate our achievements, it must be acknowledged that without the generosity of LF members, the Foundation would not be able to be so generous. On behalf of all those who have received support and scholarships, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all donors, founders of donor-directed funds, and those who have bequeathed their wills, whose generosity makes it possible for us to carry out the mission of the Lithuanian Foundation to financially support the preservation and strengthening of Lithuanian identity and values.