Lithuanian Foundation Fostering National Identity – Distribution of Funds to Projects and Scholarships in 2019

Lithuanian Foundation (LF). It is improbable that someone from the US Lithuanian Community wouldn’t be familiar with this organization. Lithuanian diaspora’s activities are unimaginable today without the support from the Lithuanian Foundation. It is a substantial financial engine, safeguarding and sponsoring Lithuanian activities, helping students to reach greater educational heights. The LF has been growing strong over the years, thanks to donors, patrons of donor-directed funds,  and sponsors. It has become a vital organization, helping to preserve, foster, and nurture the very being of the Lithuanian nation: its language, culture, customs, and traditions. The dream of the Foundation’s founders has been achieved far and beyond – considerable capital has been amassed, and interests from it are distributed as grants and scholarships.

The Lithuanian Foundation operates and disburses funding according to section 501(c) (3) of the US Internal Revenue Code. The distribution of funds for activities and scholarships is guided by the funding and scholarship priorities approved by the Board of Directors. In 2019, a total of $1,149,764 was distributed for various projects and scholarships ($236 remain undistributed).

The Grants Commission this year was composed of three Lithuanian Foundation members – Juozas Kapačinskas (Chairman), Marius Kasniūnas, and Arvydas Tamulis – and three Lithuanian-American Community representatives: Laura Garnytė, Janina Udrienė, and Virgus Volertas. Substitutes have been designated from the two organizations: Saulius Čyvas from the Lithuanian Foundation and Žygintas Januškevičius from the Lithuanian-American Community.

The Grants Commission held two meetings this year, both at the Lithuanian World Center in Lemont, IL: on May 25-26, for the first round of funding and on October 19, for the second round. In 2019, 181 funding requests have been received, the total sum of which was $3,119,202. The Grants Commission decided to support 107 projects, distributing $845,987. Supplementary $13,623 were disseminated from donor-directed funds; these grants are disbursed directly to Lithuanian and US organizations, according to the donors’ designations. The total of $859,610 was allotted to projects in 2019.

The complete list of awards can be found here:
2019 first LF grant allocation
2019 second LF grant allocation

For three years in a row, the Grants Commission has been meeting twice a year. The supplemental second round of funding has proven beneficial, despite the added workload, since new projects often emerge after the first round is over. For the second round in 2019, 38 applications have been received, 26 of which were approved.

The meeting of the Scholarship Sub-Commission was convened at the Lithuanian World Center in Lemont on November 17. Sub-Commission members reviewed 160 scholarship applications and decided to support 79, allocating $259,764.

The list of 2019 scholarship recipients can be found here:
LF Scholarship recipients

An additional $30,390 were disbursed from donor-directed funds, according to the donors’ wishes and designations, directly to the institutions of higher education in Lithuania that had selected scholarship applicants. In 2019, the awarded scholarships totaled $290,764.

When asked how this year’s scholarship allocation differed from the previous years, Ms. Milda Davis, the Chairwoman of the Scholarship Sub-Commission, replied that the process was especially difficult. And not only because of the large number of applicants. “Excellent candidates sent in their applications,” Ms. Davis said. “I’m especially pleased to note that our youth are not only strong academically. Many of them find the time for social and volunteer activities and the fostering of Lithuanian identity. This has made it very challenging to select those worthy of LF scholarships from among this group of wonderful young people. We had to work hard, look through all the applications thoroughly.”

In 2019, LF scholarships were awarded to 68 young people studying in the US, seven in Lithuania, and one in each: the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, and France.

The LF Board approved the decisions by the Grants Commission and Scholarship Sub-Commission at its meeting on December 10.

Juozas Kapacinskas
Chairman, Lithuanian Foundation Grants Commission

Project grants by the areas of activity ($ 859,610)
Education – $213,848
Cultural Affairs – $179,884
Lithuanian Centers – $115,452
Youth Activities – $67,250
Campsites – $65,000
Community Activities – $107,131
Lithuanian Media – $55,100
Archives – $46,000
Publishing of Books– $9,945

The projects that received the most substantial amounts of grants in 2019:

LITHUANIAN EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE USA:
$155,000 – Grants to Lithuanian Heritage Schools

LAC CULTURAL COUNCIL:
$35,000 – Support for US LAC community cultural events
$15,000 – Eimuntas Nekrošius’ play “Kalės vaikai” tour in Chicago
$10,000 – Theater Festival “Tiltai”
$10,000 – Lithuanian musical  “Šnekučiai” tour in the US
$10,000 – Commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuania

LAC NACIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
$20,000 – The XVI North American Lithuanian Folk-Dance Festival, Philadelphia, PA
$20,000 – Enhancements to the administrative work of the LAC National Executive Committee
$11,000 – Internships in Lithuania for students of Lithuanian heritage – 2019
$11,000 – LAC financial audit and external audit

OTHER PROJECTS:
$58,432 – Lithuanian World Center, Lemont, IL
$45,000 – Camp Dainava, Manchester, MI
$45,000 – Lithuanian Research and Studies Center, Chicago, IL
$25,000 – Lithuanian-American Newspaper “Draugas,” Chicago, IL
$20,000 – “Lietuvių namai,” Baltimore, MD
$20,000 – Camp Neringa, Brattleboro, VT
$17,500 – Lithuanian Center, Inc., Chicago, IL

 

Picture on the top of the page. LF Grants Commission (from the left): Žygintas Januškevičius, Marius Kasniūnas, Juozas Kapačinskas (Chairman), Virgus Volertas, Janina Udrienė, Saulius Čyvas and Arvydas Tamulis. Not included is Laura Garnytė.