The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

Promise Grants offer Lodges a chance to be a positive influence in their communities by hosting an event that builds the character and competence of local youth. Promise Grants encourage Elks to actively engage with youth by addressing one or more of these five promises: providing youth with safe places, offering support from caring adults, promoting healthy living, emphasizing the importance of education, and encouraging community service. All 500 Promise Grants for 2012-13 have been awarded, but we are still accepting applications for our wait list.

Examples of Grant Use
Requirements and Resources

How Matters: Examples of Grant Use

Promise Grants are a great opportunity for your Lodge to reach out to local youth. When planning your Lodge’s Promise Grant project, keep in mind that the project must be more than a donation of funds or supplies. Lodges should hold events that give Elks and youth a chance to come together.

Here are two examples of successful Promise Grant projects.

Kearney, Nebr., Lodge No. 984 used its Promise Grant to partner with several community organizations and put on the Central Nebraska Youth Summit at the Kearney Family YMCA. The summit urged youth to “Take a Stand” by encouraging them to move toward their goals, live a drug-free life, and act as “change agents” in their communities. Elks helped plan, serve meals, run activities, and organize the final banquet. In addition to working with more than 200 youth, the grant helped the Elks forge new partnerships and share resources with other community organizations.

West Palm Beach, Fla., Lodge No. 1352 used its Promise Grant to start a Garden Club at two local elementary schools. Elks partnered with the school’s daycare programs and taught more than 50 students everything about gardening. Elks came back week after week to help the children care for the garden. Garden Club members also learned about healthy eating and the nutritional value of each plant they grew, from asparagus to zucchini. At the end of the school year, each child took home his or her own tomato plant, grown from a seed. Then, the Elks and students used their vegetables to make toppings and sauce for homemade pizza!

For more examples of successful Promise Grant projects, please visit our Elks in Action page and see how Elks across the country are building stronger communities. For help planning your Lodge’s Promise Grant event, please read our Toolkit for Lodges.

Requirements and Resources

What every Lodge should know about Promise Grants:

1. Lodges are eligible to apply for one Promise Grant per year. Lodges that receive both a Promise and Gratitude Grant may combine them to hold one youth event.
   For detailed instructions on the application process, click here.
   To find out how to appoint a Lodge CIP Grants Coordinator, click here.
   
2. If a Lodge decides not to host its pledged event, the ENF Programs Department must be notified immediately so that the grant can be offered to the next Lodge on the waiting list. Failure to notify the ENF may affect your Lodges participation in future grants.
3. Grant monies are only available for Elks-led youth events.
   NEW! To better help Lodges serve the community and raise the Lodge’s profile, Lodges are no longer able to use grants to fund scholarships, Hoop Shoot events, hold youth awards nights, hold poster and/or essay contests, or to have fundraisers. These are worthwhile activities. However, CIP grants are intended help Lodges expand their charitable outreach and fund projects that will inspire your neighbors to join an organization that’s doing great things.
4. You do not need to meet the GERs per-capita goal to apply. All Lodges are eligible, but must be in full compliance with their Grand Lodge per-capita assessment, Section 16.010. (This refers to the payment of annual dues to Grand Lodge.)
5. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
6. 2011-12 Promise Grants are available for use between July 1, 2012, and July 31, 2013.
7. These are the questions on the application. A budget is also required.
   1. Describe in detail your Lodge's community project.
   2. How does your Lodge plan to promote the use of this grant in the community?
   3. Elks participation in this event is required. How are your Lodge members planning to participate?
   4. How did your Lodge decide on this project as the best way to serve youth in the community?
8. Upon receipt and approval of the online grant application, the ENF will mail each Lodge an approval letter, a grant check, and a Final Report Form.
9. After the event, the Final Report Form must be completed, signed by the Lodge Secretary and Exalted Ruler, and submitted, along with copies of grant-related receipts or other proof of expenditure, to the ENF by August 31, 2013. This is a required form. Lodges that do not complete this step will not be eligible for grants the following year.