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Lavelle Fund for the Blind

Annual Giving
$5.6M
Grant Range
$10K - $1.5M

Lavelle Fund for the Blind

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,636,214 (2023)
  • Number of Awards: 66 grants (2023)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $1,500,000
  • Geographic Focus: Greater New York metropolitan area (priority), with national and international consideration
  • Application Method: Rolling deadline via online portal (Temeleo)

Contact Details

Lavelle Fund for the Blind, Inc. 307 West 38th Street, Suite 1905 New York, NY 10018

Overview

The Lavelle Fund for the Blind was established in 1999 as an outgrowth of the Lavelle School for the Blind, which was founded in 1904 and led for most of the following century by the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York. The organization transitioned from operating a state-funded school for multi-handicapped children with visual impairments to becoming an independent private foundation in 2003. With approximately $11 million in annual funding capacity, the Lavelle Fund is a charitable grant-making foundation dedicated primarily to supporting programs that help individuals who are blind or visually impaired live independent and productive lives. Programs in the Catholic tradition of serving the disadvantaged are of special interest. The Fund made 66 grants totaling over $5.6 million in 2023, ranging from small awards of $7,500 to major grants of $650,000.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Lavelle Fund supports three primary funding areas:

1. Medical Eye Care ($10,000 - $215,715) Supporting ophthalmic and optometric services through training, treatment, vision screenings, and eye care systems strengthening. Recent examples include a $215,715 grant to Lions Clubs International Foundation for eye care interventions in Zambia.

2. Vision Rehabilitation & Resources ($10,000 - $275,506) Providing adaptive training, low-vision support, assistive technology training, recreation and vocational services for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Recent awards include $275,506 to The Carroll Center for the Blind for year-round internship program expansion and $228,114 to Vision Forward Association for national assistive technology training.

3. Education Support Services ($7,500 - $650,000) Offering educational services for blind and visually impaired students and professional training for those serving this population. Major grants include $650,000 to Benetech for Bookshare expansion in India and $525,000 to Lavelle School for the Blind for campus initiatives.

4. Scholarship Programs

  • Brother James Kearney Scholarship Program: Supports legally blind U.S. residents from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut pursuing undergraduate and graduate education at select Tri-State schools. Awards total $215,485 in 2023, covering tuition, room, and board only (last-dollar-of-need basis).
  • Lavelle Leaders Award: Two competitive $5,000 merit-based scholarships awarded yearly to outstanding college juniors, seniors, or graduate students demonstrating high academic achievement and leadership.

Priority Areas

  • Vision rehabilitation and adaptive training programs
  • Medical eye care for disadvantaged populations
  • Assistive technology training and resources
  • Educational services for blind and visually impaired students
  • Professional training for service providers
  • Programs demonstrating measurable impact on populations served
  • Organizations with Catholic tradition of serving the disadvantaged
  • International programs in the developing world focused on preventing and treating vision loss

What They Don't Fund

  • General operating support (rarely provided)
  • Capital projects (only in connection with specific program support needs)
  • Scholarship expenses for special programs, off-campus housing not included in official bills, or travel-abroad programs above regular Cost of Attendance
  • Projects without demonstrated measurable impact
  • Organizations without U.S. 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or verifiable non-U.S. charitable status

Governance and Leadership

Executive Director: Susan G. Olivo brings extensive foundation experience, having served for many years as Executive Director of Reader's Digest Partners for Sight Foundation before joining the Lavelle Fund in 2020. She succeeded Andrew S. Fisher, who served as the Fund's founding Executive Director from 2000 until his retirement in March 2020.

Board of Trustees: Includes Dr. José Miguel Román, who serves as a Trustee and member of both the Audit Committee and Governance and Nominating Committee. Dr. Román brings professional skills in law, economics, business management, and research/grants administration, and as a person living with significant vision impairment, brings personal connection to the Fund's mission.

Staff: The team includes a Director of Finance and Operations, Program Officer, Grants & Operations Associate, Scholarship Program Coordinator, and Office and Administrative Associate.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Lavelle Fund uses an online grants management system (Temelio) for all grant submissions. They do not accept requests for funding, proposals, or grant reports by mail, email, or over the phone.

For First-Time Applicants:

  1. Complete the online questionnaire or click the Online Application button at https://lavellefund.org/how-to-apply/
  2. Review the "What We Fund" page to ensure your organization is eligible and your project aligns with their mission
  3. Submit your application through Temelio

For Current or Former Grantees:

  1. Contact the Fund directly prior to submitting an application to ensure your program/project fits within current funding priorities
  2. If invited, submit a one-to-two page concept note and top-line budget via Temelio
  3. If the concept note meets criteria, you'll be requested to submit a detailed proposal

Application Components:

  • Brief cover letter signed by the executive director
  • Complete responses to proposal template questions
  • Project budget and organizational operating budget
  • List of board members with professional affiliations
  • IRS determination letter
  • Two most recent audited financials
  • Information about other funding sources

Eligibility: Organizations must have U.S. 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or verifiable non-U.S. charitable status.

Decision Timeline

The Fund operates on a rolling deadline basis, accepting applications on an ongoing basis. Decisions are made at quarterly board meetings held in January, April, July, and October. Site visits or meetings are generally scheduled for grant requests that are candidates for Board review.

Success Rates

In 2023, the Fund made 66 awards totaling $5,636,214. Specific acceptance rates are not publicly disclosed, but the competitive nature of the application process and selective criteria suggest careful evaluation of proposals.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly documented. Applicants should contact the Fund directly to inquire about reapplication procedures.

Application Success Factors

Focus on Program-Specific Support: The Lavelle Fund concentrates on providing support earmarked for program creation, expansion, or improvement. The majority of Fund-supported grants are project-specific rather than general operating support. Proposals should clearly articulate how funding will create, expand, or improve a specific program.

Demonstrate Measurable Impact: Both direct service and capacity-building support are concentrated on programs with records of achieving measurable impact on the population served. Include concrete metrics and outcomes in your proposal.

Geographic Alignment: While priority is given to programs in the greater New York metropolitan area, the Fund also considers grant requests with wider impact nationally and internationally, particularly in the developing world.

Build Relationships First: For current or former grantees, direct contact prior to submission is required. This suggests the Fund values relationship-building and wants to ensure alignment before receiving full proposals.

Recent Funded Projects Show Range:

  • Technology and innovation (Benetech's Bookshare expansion in India: $650,000)
  • Specialized programs (Lavelle School for the Blind campus initiatives: $525,000)
  • Professional training (Carroll Center internship program: $275,506)
  • Assistive technology (Vision Forward national training: $228,114)
  • International eye care (Lions Clubs International Foundation Zambia project: $215,715)
  • Youth programs (InTandem Cycling expansion: $150,000)
  • Small capacity-building (Blind Early Services TN training: $7,500)

Catholic Tradition: Programs in the Catholic tradition of serving the disadvantaged are of special interest to the Fund, reflecting its heritage with the Sisters of Saint Dominic.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Apply through the designated online system (Temelio) - no email or mail submissions accepted; following this requirement is critical
  • Emphasize program-specific outcomes over general operations - the Fund rarely provides general operating support, so frame requests around specific program creation, expansion, or improvement
  • Provide evidence of measurable impact - demonstrate your organization's track record of achieving concrete results for blind and visually impaired populations
  • If you're a previous grantee, make contact before applying - relationship-building is valued, and the Fund wants to discuss fit before receiving proposals
  • Consider the geographic focus - while New York metro area gets priority, strong international programs in developing countries are also funded
  • Review the "What We Fund" page thoroughly - ensure your project aligns with funding limitations before investing time in a proposal
  • Be prepared for a multi-stage process - concept notes may be requested before full proposals, and site visits occur for finalists

References

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