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Louisville Downtown Lions Charitiesinc at a glance

· Public charity

Louisville Downtown Lions Charitiesinc

Assist blind and visually impaired.

$294k
Granted FY2026still arriving
16
Grants FY2026still arriving
2
States reached
$53k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2021 to 2025.

Education$761kHealth$383kHuman Services$148kInternational$93kArts & Culture$23kReligion$19kRecreation & Sports$16kEnvironment$10k
02FY2026 · 16 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 16 grants below total $257,053, the rows itemized in this filing. The $294,250 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $37,197 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2026

  • Under $10k4 grants · $21k
  • $10k–50k11 grants · $184k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $53k
$10,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$1.5M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
U OF L HEALTH FOUNDATION$53,000
VISUALLY IMPAIRED PRESCHOOL SERVICES INC$33,000
KENTUCKY LIONS EYE FOUNDATION$30,000
KENTUCKY LIONS EYE FOUNDATION$25,553
THE SALVATION ARMY$20,000
KY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND CHARITABLE FOUNDATION$15,000
PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS$10,000
KENTUCKY LIONS EYE FOUNDATION$10,000
UNITED CRESCENT HILL MINISTRIES$10,000
WATERFRONT BOTANICAL GARDENS$10,000
WHAS CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN$10,000
PROJECT FRIENDSHIP$10,000
ENVISION BLIND SPORTS$6,000
WATER STEP$5,000
THE SALVATION ARMY$5,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY24–26, $47k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 89% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%ENVISION BLIND SPORTS: $6k → 13%ENVISION BLIND SPORTS: $6k → 13%PRODIGAL MINISTIES: $5k → 4%PROJECT FRIENDSHIP: $10k → 15%PROJECT FRIENDSHIP: $10k → 15%PROJECT FRIENDSHIP: $10k → 15%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

96%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.6M · 17 repeat orgs$69k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +13% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

17 repeat relationships: 11 still active in FY2026, 6 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2026 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

17
8

Total granted

$1.6M
$59k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+13%
0%

Still filing today

76%
13%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2026, 96% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $10k went to new ones.

50%100%’21’22’23’24’25’26
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’21’22’23’24’25’26
Human ServicesEducationArts & CultureHealthPhilanthropyYouth DevelopmentOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • VI
    VISUALLY IMPARIED PRESCHOOL SERVICES INC
    6× · 2021–2026 · $599k · revenue +2%
  • KL
    KENTUCKY LIONS EYE FOUNDATION INC
    6× · 2021–2026 · $303k · revenue +6%
  • UO
    UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION INC
    3× · 2021–2023 · $100k · revenue +13%

Funded once

  • OD
    OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES
    one grant, 2024 · $14k
  • TD
    THE DREAM FOUNDATION OF KY
    2× · 2025–2026 · $10k
  • KH
    KY HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE BLIND
    one grant, 2024 · $10k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Visability

Provide innovative training and tools for people who are blind or visually impaired to help them achieve their goals and dreams

Human Services
2
Keralink International Inc

Keralink international works to end avoidable blindness by developing, delivering, and scaling affordable solutions for all, powered by innovative technology and partnerships.

Health
3
The Lighthouse for the Blind in New Orleans Inc

To empower people with disabilities through employment, services and advocacy.

Health
4
The Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind Inc

To improve occupational opportunity and public perception of legally blind arkansans through community engagement, work skills enhancement and the production of quality goods and services.

—
5
Vision Forward Association Incorporated

Empower, educate, and enhance the lives of idividuals impacted by vision loss through all of life's transitions.

Health
6
Lions Industries for the Blind Inc

Employment of the blind and visually impaired

Employment
7
Blindness-Learning in New Dimensions Inc

BLIND, Inc. was founded by blind Minnesotans who believe that, given the proper training and opportunity, blind people can lead normal, independent, and fulfilled lives. We believe that blindness is respectable and that with proper…

Health
8
Friends for Sight

Friends for sight works passionately each day to save sight and change lives. we do this by providing free vision screenings, working to ensure that people of all ages and backgrounds have access to quality eye care, and disseminating…

—
9
New Vision for Independence Inc

New vision for independence, inc. (new vision) is a nationally accredited 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization providing rehabilitation, community education, and support services for people with low vision or blindness, and their families to…

Human Services
10
Wichita Eye Foundation

To engage in grant making to medical educational organizations and related charitable activities in the area of eye disease and vision disorder, and the care and treatment thereof.

Health
11
VisionGift

To honor donors by advancing sight for all humankind.

Health
12
Sightlife

We serve as a global leader and partner to eliminate corneal blindness.

Community Improvement
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation Inc; the most unlike its peers is Prodigal Ministries Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

14 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 14 of the 26 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
14/14
Grantees still filing
9/14
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

VISUALLY IMPARIED PRESCHOOL SERVICES INC: $599,378 · OtherVISUALLY IMPARIED PRESCHOOL SERVICES INCUOFL HEALTH FOUNDATION INC: $128,000 · OtherUOFL HEALTH FOUNDATION INCSALVATION ARMY: $118,000 · OtherSALVATION ARMYTHE WHAS CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN INC: $40,000 · Other+11 more: $118,741 · Other+11 moreKENTUCKY LIONS EYE FOUNDATION INC: $302,932 · HealthKENTUCKY LIONS EYE F…KENTUCKY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND CHARITABLE: $109,500 · EducationKENTUCKY SCHO…UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION INC: $100,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF…WATERSTEP INC: $78,000 · Youth DevelopmentProject Friendship - KY Inc: $30,000 · Human ServicesENVISION BLIND SPORTS: $12,000 · Human ServicesPRODIGAL MINISTRIES INC: $5,000 · Human ServicesAMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND INC: $15,970 · Arts & CultureRADIO EYE INC: $13,470 · Arts & CultureWATERFRONT BOTANICAL GARDENS INC: $20,000 · EnvironmentLions Clubs International Foundation: $20,000 · Philanthropy
Other$1,004,119Health$302,932Education$209,500Youth Development$78,000Human Services$47,000Arts & Culture$29,440Environment$20,000Philanthropy$20,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetVISUALLY IMPARIED PRESCHOOL SERVICES INC: $599,378 over 6y, 5.7% of budgetKENTUCKY LIONS EYE FOUNDATION INC: $302,932 over 6y, 10.0% of budgetKENTUCKY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND CHARITABLE: $109,500 over 3y, 7.5% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION INC: $100,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetWATERSTEP INC: $78,000 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetTHE WHAS CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN INC: $40,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetProject Friendship - KY Inc: $30,000 over 3y, 5.5% of budgetLions Clubs International Foundation: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND INC: $15,970 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetRADIO EYE INC: $13,470 over 2y, 4.7% of budgetTHE HEALING PLACE INC: $10,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetPRODIGAL MINISTRIES INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds VISUALLY IMPARIED PRESCHOOL SERVICES INC ↗
  • Who funds KENTUCKY LIONS EYE FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds KENTUCKY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND CHARITABLE ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds WATERSTEP INC ↗
  • Who funds THE WHAS CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN INC ↗
  • Who funds Project Friendship - KY Inc ↗
  • Who funds WATERFRONT BOTANICAL GARDENS INC ↗
  • Who funds Lions Clubs International Foundation ↗
  • Who funds AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND INC ↗
  • Who funds RADIO EYE INC ↗
  • Who funds ENVISION BLIND SPORTS ↗
  • Who funds THE HEALING PLACE INC ↗
  • Who funds PRODIGAL MINISTRIES INC ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Community Foundat…The Community Foundat…The Community Foundat…The Gilbert Foundatio…The Gheens Foundation…Irvin F & Alice S Ets…Wood & Marie Hannah F…V V Cooke Foundation …Cralle Foundation IncRepublic Bank Foundat…Snowy Owl Foundation …LG&E and Ku Foundatio…
The Community Foundation of Louisville Corporate Depository IncKY23.9× affinity9 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Community Foundation of Louisville Corporate Depository Inc · The Community Foundation of Louisville Depository Inc · The Community Foundation of Louisville Inc · The Gilbert Foundation Inc · The Gheens Foundation Inc · Irvin F & Alice S Etscorn Charitable Foundation · Wood & Marie Hannah Foundation · V V Cooke Foundation Corporation · Cralle Foundation Inc · Republic Bank Foundation Inc · Snowy Owl Foundation Inc · LG&E and Ku Foundation Inc

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Louisville Downtown Lions Charitiesinc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Louisville Downtown Lions Charitiesinc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%8%15%22%30%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    3report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–30%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 26 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2026, released 2026. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

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    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home