Lions Club Monthly Report: What Every Secretary Needs to Know

The monthly report is one of the most consistent responsibilities a Lions Club secretary carries. Every month, a report is due to Lions Clubs International regardless of how active the club has been. LCI's Club Administration resources cover the full secretary role, but the monthly report is where many incoming secretaries feel the most uncertainty. This guide covers what is required and what to do when things go wrong.

What Is the Lions Club Monthly Report?

The Lions Club monthly report is actually two separate submissions made through MyLCI, LCI's web-based reporting system. Understanding the difference between them prevents one of the most common mistakes new secretaries make — confusing the two or thinking they are the same thing.

The Monthly Membership Report (MMR) covers changes to your club roster: new members who have joined, members who have left, transfers, and address or contact changes. LCI uses this data for billing, award eligibility, and maintaining accurate records across Lions districts worldwide. LCI's official secretary guidance states that clubs must submit this report every month — even when there are no changes. Submitting "No changes for the month" is required. Skipping the report is not the same as reporting no changes.

The Service Activity Report covers what your club did during the month: events, service projects, volunteer participation, hours served, people helped, and funds raised or donated. This data feeds into LCI's global reporting on Lions service impact and determines eligibility for LCI awards programs.

What Data Goes Into Each Report

Monthly Membership Report

For each change during the month, you will need the member's full name, member ID, and the type of change — new member, dropped, transfer in, transfer out, or contact update. If there are no changes, the submission takes a single click.

Service Activity Report

For each service activity, have these details ready before you begin:

• Activity name and date
• Activity type (from LCI's list of global causes)
• Number of Lions who participated
• Number of non-Lion volunteers
• Total service hours
• Number of people served or benefited
• Funds raised and funds donated (if applicable)

LCI also allows photos to be attached to service activity submissions. Photos are optional but recommended — they contribute to your club's award documentation and to LCI's storytelling about Lions service worldwide.

When Are Reports Due?

Membership reports submitted by the 20th calendar day of each month are processed for that same month. Reports submitted after the 20th may roll into the following month's billing and processing cycle. This makes the 20th a practical internal deadline to work toward, not just the last day of the month.

Service activity reports are ideally submitted as soon as possible after each event — not batched at month end. LCI recommends this because data entered close to the event is more accurate, and it makes the month-end process much lighter. The Lions year ends June 30, but service activities for June can be entered through July 31.

The Real Challenge: Collecting Data Throughout the Month

Most secretaries find that the submission itself is not the hardest part. The hard part is having accurate data ready when it is time to submit. When attendance is tracked on paper sign-in sheets, service hours are estimated after the fact, and volunteer information is scattered across emails and texts, month-end becomes a reconstruction project rather than a report.

The practical solution is to capture data at the event, not after it. Confirm attendance while people are present. Record service hours the same day. Note how many people the event served while the information is fresh. Secretaries who do this consistently report that the monthly submission takes minutes rather than an afternoon.

For clubs looking for a more systematic approach, HoursServed tracks service activity data throughout the month as events are created and attendance is confirmed. The full workflow — from event creation to Lions Portal report preparation — is designed to reduce the month-end scramble for secretaries. HoursServed is not affiliated with or endorsed by Lions Clubs International.

What Happens When You Miss a Monthly Report

Missing a monthly membership report creates downstream problems. LCI's billing for club dues is tied to the membership roster. Inaccurate roster data means inaccurate invoicing, which creates work for both the club secretary and the club treasurer. Award eligibility is also affected — some LCI recognition programs require consistent monthly reporting as a qualifying condition.

MyLCI allows membership changes to be backdated up to two months. For changes older than two months, a paper Monthly Membership Report form (c23a) must be submitted to LCI's Member Service Center by mail. If your club has fallen behind on reporting, contact your district cabinet secretary before attempting to catch up independently — they can advise on the correct process for your district.

Preparing for the July 1 Officer Transition

The Lions year begins July 1. If you are an incoming secretary, confirm that all reports for the prior year have been submitted, that your MyLCI credentials are updated to your name and role, and that you have a current member list as of June 30. Incoming secretaries who inherit incomplete records often spend the first month reconstructing prior activity rather than managing the new year.

If your club is considering a more structured handoff process, the officer transition page on HoursServed covers how digital records simplify the changeover. You can start a free 30-day trial before July 1 to have a working system ready when the new year begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the monthly report deadline change during the Lions year?

The 20th of each month is the consistent processing deadline throughout the Lions year. Service activity reports for June can be submitted through July 31. Check with your district cabinet secretary about any additional internal deadlines your district may set.

What if the club had no service activities in a given month?

Report it anyway. LCI's official guidance asks clubs to report even when no service activities occurred for the month. This keeps your club's record accurate and avoids triggering gaps in the district's reporting coverage. A report of no activity is quick to complete and far easier to manage than a missing report that needs to be explained later.

Who else can see the monthly reports once submitted?

Service activity data is immediately visible to district and multiple district officers. Membership data is accessible to district officers as well. District governors reviewing club reporting coverage can see what your club has and has not submitted for the year.

Can a club president submit the monthly report instead of the secretary?

Yes. Both club presidents and secretaries have access to submit monthly membership reports and service activity reports in MyLCI. Some clubs divide this responsibility between the two officers. What matters is that someone confirms the submission each month — the role is less important than the consistency.

Is there a paper alternative to the online system for monthly reporting?

Yes. LCI still accepts the paper Monthly Membership Report form (c23a) by mail. Electronic submission is faster and recommended for all clubs with reliable internet access. Paper forms are primarily used for late submissions or when system access is temporarily unavailable.