Millions of people throughout the world lack access to items and services that many of us take for granted. Through standard grant projects, communities gain access to education, technology, health care, safe places for children to play and many other life-changing improvements. Standard grants involve identifying what is needed most for a community, and making it a life-changing reality.

Providing matching funds up to US$75,000, standard grants are approved for large-scale Lions' humanitarian projects and are the most common type of grant awarded. Projects must serve a large number of people and must be beyond the scope of traditional club and/or district fundraising activities.  Standard grants generally provide capital funding for equipment and infrastructure needs. Typical projects include mobile health units, hospices, nursing homes, medical units, street children's homes, blind and disabled centers, eye clinics, research centers and schools in developing countries.

Examples of recent Standard grants include:

• District 126 in Croatia was approved for US$43,200 to purchase medical and therapy equipment for the Thalassotherapi Crikvenica Hospital, which treats children with respiratory and musculoskeletal diseases. The facility provides medical and rehabilitation services to 1,200 children each year.

• US$75,000 was approved for Lions in District 111-R, Germany, to support the research and development of “I-Cane” technology. This advanced white cane technology includes both a GPS and object detection devices. This grant will enable 20 units to be assembled for field testing. This project has the potential to benefit millions of blind and visually impaired individuals who currently use the traditional white canes.