2. SightFirst
• SightFirst is a global initiative with the purpose of
eliminating avoidable blindness as a global public
health concern
• Mission: To build comprehensive eye care systems
in underserved communities so that high-quality, lowcost, and sustainable services can be provided.
• Lions develop and manage SightFirst projects in
partnership with local health authorities, eye care
professionals and non-governmental organizations.
3. SightFirst Accomplishments
• Restored sight to 7.68 million people through cataract
surgeries
• 30 million people saved from vision loss
• Provided 147 million treatments for river blindness
• Built or upgraded 704 eye-care facilities
• Trained 659,000 ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses,
other professional eye care workers and village health
workers
• Established 35 pediatric eye care centers, impacting the
lives of 121 million children in partnership with the WHO
4. MD 322 SightFirst Team: Who’s who?
Dr. Divyesh Shah
Linda Romano-Derr
Zenobia Kaikobad
7. What elements are we looking for in an
application?
•
Controlling blinding diseases
• Cataract
• River blindness
• Trachoma
• Diabetic retinopathy
•
Human resources training
•
Strengthening eye care
infrastructure
8. Strongest SightFirst Applications include:
• Detailed, comprehensive project plan that encompasses both
prevention and treatment.
• Proposal should focus on how the project will impact a
community in need. (Not how it will benefit you)
• Partnerships: the strongest projects include multiple partners,
contributors to the overall budget.
• Clear and attainable objectives*
• Strong candidates are hospitals with connections to broader
networks. We’re in the business of developing comprehensive
eye care systems.
9. Helpful Tips
• Most proposals focus on more than one disease area (cataract,
DR, URE, low vision, etc.)
• Most applicants are either already providing or looking to
expand their ability to provide comprehensive eye care services
• Therefore:
• Provide information about existing non-cataract services
• Objectives should include all screened/treated disease
areas – not just cataract
• Note: comprehensiveness does NOT mean that every hospital
must treat every possible condition.
10. Key Principles for a strong SightFirst Application
1. Develop comprehensive eye care systems
2. Target underserved populations
3. Deliver high-quality eye care services
4. Create sustainable eye care services
5. Use data to identify and evaluate efforts
6. Hands-on Lions involvement
7. Emphasis on strategic partnerships with corporations,
governments and NGOs.
11. SightFirst Grants: 11 strategies & 5 objectives
COMPREHENSIVENESS
Cataract
Childhood Blindness
Trachoma
Education & Rehabilitation
for Blind & Low vision
Persons
Eye Health Education
SightFirst portfolio
Low Vision
URE
Comprehensive Regional
Training
Diabetic Retinopathy
River Blindness
Research
We Care. We Serve. We Accomplish.
12. SightFirst Grants: 11 strategies & 5 objectives
 Cataract
 Childhood Blindness
 Trachoma
 Education &
Rehabilitation for Blind
& Low vision Persons
 Eye Health Education
 Low Vision
 Human Resource Development
 Infrastructure Development
 Prevention
 Monitoring &
Evaluation
 Service Delivery
 URE
 Comprehensive
Regional Training
 Diabetic Retinopathy
 River Blindness
 Research
We Care. We Serve. We Accomplish.
Objectives
13. SightFirst Grants: 11 strategies & 5 objectives
 Cataract
Detection
 Service Delivery
 Childhood Blindness
Treatment
 Trachoma
Rehabilitation
 Education &
Rehabilitation for Blind
& Low vision Persons
 Eye Health Education
 Low Vision
 Human
Resource
Development
Survey
Eye Care Professionals
Community Health Workers
 Infrastructure
Development
School Teachers
Equipment
 URE
 Comprehensive
Regional Training
 Prevention
Advocacy
 Diabetic Retinopathy
 River Blindness
 Research
Expansion
Public Relations
 Monitoring &
Evaluation
We Care. We Serve. We Accomplish.
Education Materials
Lions Clubs International Foundation (or LCIF) is the grant-making arm of Lions Clubs International. LCIF makes grants available to Lions districts with large-scale humanitarian projects that are too extensive for Lions to finance on their own. The Foundation aids Lions in making a greater impact in their local communities, as well as around the world. We do not fund all Lions service activities, nor do all Lions take advantage of LCIF support. Our purpose is to help Lions whose programs are too costly to handle on their own and for those programs that meet with foundation priorities.
Blindness prevention is one of the key programming areas of LCIF. Our signature program is SightFirst. Among our other programs, LCIF provides food and clothing to victims of natural disasters, gives youth the tools to succeed through Lions-Quest, empowers the disabled through vocational training, and promotes health by equipping clinics and hospitals.
One of the key principles of LCIF’s programming is that we only support projects and programs with direct Lions involvement. In fact, applications must come from and be endorsed by the local Lions.
Lions Clubs International Foundation (or LCIF) is the grant-making arm of Lions Clubs International. LCIF makes grants available to Lions districts with large-scale humanitarian projects that are too extensive for Lions to finance on their own. The Foundation aids Lions in making a greater impact in their local communities, as well as around the world. We do not fund all Lions service activities, nor do all Lions take advantage of LCIF support. Our purpose is to help Lions whose programs are too costly to handle on their own and for those programs that meet with foundation priorities.
Blindness prevention is one of the key programming areas of LCIF. Our signature program is SightFirst. Among our other programs, LCIF provides food and clothing to victims of natural disasters, gives youth the tools to succeed through Lions-Quest, empowers the disabled through vocational training, and promotes health by equipping clinics and hospitals.
One of the key principles of LCIF’s programming is that we only support projects and programs with direct Lions involvement. In fact, applications must come from and be endorsed by the local Lions.
Lions Clubs International Foundation (or LCIF) is the grant-making arm of Lions Clubs International. LCIF makes grants available to Lions districts with large-scale humanitarian projects that are too extensive for Lions to finance on their own. The Foundation aids Lions in making a greater impact in their local communities, as well as around the world. We do not fund all Lions service activities, nor do all Lions take advantage of LCIF support. Our purpose is to help Lions whose programs are too costly to handle on their own and for those programs that meet with foundation priorities.
Blindness prevention is one of the key programming areas of LCIF. Our signature program is SightFirst. Among our other programs, LCIF provides food and clothing to victims of natural disasters, gives youth the tools to succeed through Lions-Quest, empowers the disabled through vocational training, and promotes health by equipping clinics and hospitals.
One of the key principles of LCIF’s programming is that we only support projects and programs with direct Lions involvement. In fact, applications must come from and be endorsed by the local Lions.
Here is a bit more detail about SightFirst grants and the criteria for these applications. We continue to target underserved populations to deliver comprehensive eye care services.
I would also point out that there are regional technical advisors and SightFirst district chairpersons that are trained to assist districts in developing SightFirst applications.
Much of our site work is in this constinutitonal area, and we expect this to continue.
Here is a bit more detail about SightFirst grants and the criteria for these applications. We continue to target underserved populations to deliver comprehensive eye care services.
I would also point out that there are regional technical advisors and SightFirst district chairpersons that are trained to assist districts in developing SightFirst applications.
Much of our site work is in this constinutitonal area, and we expect this to continue.
Here is a bit more detail about SightFirst grants and the criteria for these applications. We continue to target underserved populations to deliver comprehensive eye care services.
I would also point out that there are regional technical advisors and SightFirst district chairpersons that are trained to assist districts in developing SightFirst applications.
Much of our site work is in this constinutitonal area, and we expect this to continue.
Here is a bit more detail about SightFirst grants and the criteria for these applications. We continue to target underserved populations to deliver comprehensive eye care services.
I would also point out that there are regional technical advisors and SightFirst district chairpersons that are trained to assist districts in developing SightFirst applications.
Much of our site work is in this constinutitonal area, and we expect this to continue.
Here is a bit more detail about SightFirst grants and the criteria for these applications. We continue to target underserved populations to deliver comprehensive eye care services.
I would also point out that there are regional technical advisors and SightFirst district chairpersons that are trained to assist districts in developing SightFirst applications.
Much of our site work is in this constinutitonal area, and we expect this to continue.