The Chair Challenge contest recognizes Lodges for having a broad-based fundraising program in support of the ENF. Comprehensive reports and standings online aid ENF Fundraising Chairs in tracking ENF support, identifying donors, and understanding strengths and weaknesses. To better Promote the ENF, Acquire New Donors, Renew Donors and Recognize Donors, Chairs should view the materials available at http:/enf.elks.org/volunteers.
Click here for a handy worksheet to help you keep track of your score. Click here to view this year's contest standings.
For 2024-25, Lodges may earn up to 1,000 points for achieving the following goals within the four roles of an ENF Fundraising Chair. Registered Lodge ENF Fundraising Chairs who earn 550 points or more can earn a Leadership Pin and help their Lodge attain a Gratitude Grant bonus. To look at your Lodge's progress toward the Gratitude Grant and its bonuses, click here.
20 points are awarded if the Lodge ENF Fundraising Chair, new or returning, registers before May 1, 2024. Registrations received on or before August 1, 2024, earn 15 points, and registrations received anytime thereafter earn 5 points.
30 points are awarded when the Lodge ENF Fundraising Chair earns the ENF Fundraising Chair Certificate. Chairs should take the certification quiz upon registering as ENF Fundraising Chair. The last day to earn a certificate is February 28, 2025.
If you missed the quiz while you were registering, don't fret! You can still go back and take the quiz here:
District Fundraising Chair Quiz
* Scores in these categories are tied directly to the registered Lodge ENF Fundraising Chair. Scores will revert to zero if the Chair is not registered or leaves the position prior to March 31, 2025.
50 points are awarded for ordering 2024-25 updated ENF supplies containing current data and appropriations during this fiscal year for use within the Lodge. Specifically, Lodges must order the ENF Brochure, the Fast Facts card, and/or the Fidelity Club card. (But it's a good practice to update all of your supplies each year, as our supplies change frequently.) Supplies can be ordered through the Supply Order Form after May 1.
Lodges earn 50 points for using and displaying the NEW ENF in our Community poster, which will be mailed to Lodges in Summer 2024.
Scoring is based on the quantity of donors who make their first gift to the ENF during the fiscal year, April 1 to March 31**. Lodges earn 2 points for each new donor this year. See a list of this year's new donors here.
Lodges will earn 35 points for the first new sustaining giver they acquire and retain during the year, and 35 additional points for the second. Donor(s) must remain enrolled through March 31, 2024. Initial donation must be debited/charged during this fiscal year.**
Alternatively, reach the Fidelity Club membership goal, which is based on 5 percent of the prior year's donors, and the Lodge will be eligible for a $500 bonus on its Gratitude Grant. Check out the Fidelity Club Goal Progress Report to track progress toward the goal. Lodges that receive the $500 Gratitude Grant bonus in the next fiscal year will earn full points in this category.
Lodges will earn 70 points** if they exceed 15 percent in membership support—meaning more than 15 percent of the members donate to the Foundation during the fiscal year.
Lodges at 15 percent membership support or less can score 0 to 60 points. Scores for these Lodges will be calculated as follows:
To count for membership support, donors must give at least $10 and have a valid address on file. View a report of participation percentages for Lodge, district and state Membership Support online here. For a more detailed breakdown of member donations from this fiscal year, Lodge Chairs can view the Record of Donations report.
**To earn credit in Chair Challenge and Membership Support calculations, new donors and new Fidelity Club donors must be Elk members or card-carrying spouses/widows listed in CLMS. A valid address is required for any donor to be counted in any category.
Use the Donor Breakdown Report to monitor donors by classification—including second- and third-year donors. Click here to view this report.
Second-year donors
Scoring for second-year donors is based on the quantity of donors acquired last fiscal year who have donated again this year. Lodges earn 5 points for every new donor who becomes a second-year donor this year. The New Donor Retention report shows which donors will count as second-year donors if they donate this year.
Third-year donors
Scoring for third-year donors is based on the quantity of donors acquired two fiscal years ago who also donated last year and again this year. Lodges earn 2 points for every second-year donor who becomes a third-year donor this fiscal year.
Please note that the total possible score for Retaining New Donors is 70 points.
Renewed Donors
Scoring is based on the quantity of donors who gave to the ENF last year and who donate again this fiscal year, excluding Retained New Donors. Lodges earn 3 points for every renewed donor. The Warning List shows which donors will count as renewed if they donate this year.
Reactivated Donors
Lapsed donors gave prior to April 1, 2022, but not during the 2022-23 fiscal year. Lodges earn 2 points for every lapsed donor who reactivates his or her support this fiscal year. View the Lapsed Donors Report, which shows donors who will count as reactivated if they donate this year.
Please note that the total possible score for Reactivate and Renew is 130 points.
Lodges earn 2.5 points for every donor who gives more than once during the year. The more Fidelity Club donors you have, the easier it is to rack up points in this category. This is where sustaining givers come in handy! Submit donations as they are collected to ensure that your Lodge receives the points earned—be sure not to hold donations at the Lodge. Lodge Chairs can see which donors have given multiple times this fiscal year using the Record of Donations report.
Submit donations to help your members receive recognition through the Online Remittance Form, the fastest, most accurate way to submit donor names and donations to the ENF. Utilize this form at least once during the fiscal year and send in a printed copy or batch number with the donation total to the ENF to earn 60 points. Instructions were mailed to each Lodge at the beginning of the fiscal year, and they can be found online here.
Please note: To count for score, batches must be submitted by December 31, 2024, and must contain more than one donation.
Scoring is based on the quantity of donors in your Lodge who earn recognition through the Foundation Fellowship, the annual recognition program, with donations that total at least $50 from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. Lodges earn 2 points for each donor who is a part of the Foundation Fellowship in the Lodge. The Ask Targets report lists donors who are members of the Foundation Fellowship, and it tells you how much other members of your Lodge need to give to be eligible for Foundation Fellowship recognition.
Lodges earn 50 points when their Lodge ENF Fundraising Chair sets an example for the Lodge and participates in the Leadership Challenge with a personal donation, in any amount, to the ENF. To see current standings for the Leadership Challenge, click here.
In the event of a tie for first, second or third place, a tie-breaker will be based on (1) Reactivate and Renew score, then (2) Fidelity Club Members, then (3) New Donors. If these three categories fail to break the tie, we'll repeat in the same order, without applying category maximums. If the tie remains, we'll work through the remaining categories, in the order presented above, first comparing the category score, then the actual score without a maximum. If none of these measures breaks the tie, the tie will stand.
The GL Lodge Activities committee, based on the following Grand Lodge membership divisions, recognizes Chair Challenge and Per-Member-Giving contest winners.