Foundation News
(posted 03/13/2023)
The Elks National Foundation’s fiscal year ends on March 31, which means there is only a little time left to donate before the year ends! You can check if your Lodge has reached the $4.80 per-member-giving goal here, and you can check your Lodge's membership support here.
Service & Sunshine in Florida
(posted 01/18/2023)
Twenty-one Elks scholars went to Tampa for the Winter Elks Scholar Service Trip to serve alongside Elks. They sorted clothes, served in a food kitchen, and helped clean up debris from Hurricane Ian. Read about the experience in this blog post from 2019 Most Valuable Student scholar Aditi V. Patel.
Read about Aditi's time serving in the name of the Elks and what she learned.
They Rose to the Occasion: Elks in the 2023 Rose Parade
(posted 12/28/2022)
Before you catch the Rose Parade on January 2, read up on the Elks' float. Titled Elks Investing in Our Communities, the float represents some of the most important parts of Elkdom.
Making a Great Impact: 2023 Impact Grant Announcement
(posted 12/15/2022)
Drum roll, please. The ENF is proud to announce the class of 2023 Impact Grant recipients! Read on to see how these Lodges plan to use the Community Investment Program's largest and most competitive grant to make a big difference in their communities.
A Tribute To Ted
(posted 11/28/2022)
Past National President Lester C. "Ted" Hess Jr. passed away on November 17, but his legacy will last with the Elks National Foundation forever. Read about some of the great things Ted accomplished in our humble tribute.
Milestone Reached: 5,000 Fidelity Club Members
(posted 10/19/2022)
Thanks to the dedication of Elks volunteers and donors, the ENF reached a goal dreamt up in 2018. We have passed 5,000 Fidelity Club members!
Celebrate ENF Month
(posted 10/03/2022)
October is ENF Month, which means we're celebrating the ENF's donors and all of the good we've done together this past year! Check out this recap, and show your support of your favorite ENF program—or all of them—by sharing these ENF graphics on your social media. Tag us if you share!
2023 Scholarship Season
(posted 09/20/2022)
The bell has rung and the books are open—scholarship season is back in session! Applications for the Most Valuable Student scholarship are open until November 14, and all high school seniors are eligible to apply. The Legacy Awards contest is open until February 6, 2023. Get those applications in before the bell rings!
Annual Checkup: This Year's Weigel Winners
(posted 08/17/2022)
Twenty Elks scholars were given $22,000 Gunther and Lee Weigel Medical School scholarships to help them through college, and they're all doing amazing things. Read about a few of them here!
Fidelity Club Month
(posted 07/29/2022)
Celebrate the second annual Fidelity Club Month this August, and help the ENF honor its sustaining donors!
The Warmth of Community
(posted 07/18/2022)
During the Elks National Convention, Elks took Atlanta by storm, braving the rain and the high temperatures to warm up the city with the benevolence and cheer that only Elks can bring.
Hoop Shoot: the Journey
(posted 07/08/2022)
Hoop Shoot volunteers stood in two lines, hands extended for high fives, at the edge of the same court where the WNBA’s Chicago Sky won their 2021 championship game. A rumbling voice echoed through the Wintrust Arena as images of the Hoop Shoot National Finalists scrolled on the jumbotron and spotlights danced across the floor. Read about the 2022 Elks Hoop Shoot National Finals here.
Season of Service: Elks Scholars Serve in Chicago and Seattle
(posted 06/15/2022)
Whether serving within their local communities through an Elks Scholar Service Grant or attending an Elks Scholar Service Trip, Elks scholars value and prioritize, ahem, service. In March and May, scholars traveled to Chicago and Seattle to serve in the name of the Elks. Read about the trips here.
Elks National Foundation 2022 Convention Schedule
(posted 05/20/2022)
We can't wait to see you in Atlanta for the 2022 Elks National Convention. We're doing a supply drive; check out the schedule so you know what to pack!
Teach for the Stars
(posted 05/16/2022)
We're proud to announce the 2022 Top Most Valuable Student Scholarship winners. Meet Kaden and Breana here!
A Year for the Books
(posted 04/22/2022)
When the 2021-22 fiscal year opened on April 1, 2021, it wasn’t a normal year. The country was still in the throes of the pandemic, and the Elks National Foundation started the year with caution.
Celebrate the New Year with CIP Grants!
(posted 04/01/2022)
Gratitude, Beacon, Spotlight and Freedom Grant Applications are now open. Check out the latest episode of Take a CIP here. Learn more about the Community Investments Program at elks.org/CIP.
The 2022-23 Budget is Here!
(posted 03/18/2022)
In February, the Elks National Foundation Board of Trustees headed to Arizona for the semi-annual board meeting. There, the board approved a total budget of $42.5 million—including $39.8 million for program services—for the 2022-23 fiscal year: a 7 percent increase from this year’s budget.
Impact Grants Build Stronger Communities
(posted 03/02/2022)
Elks Lodges are known for serving their communities. They embrace the Elks National Foundation’s mission of building stronger communities through volunteerism, much of which occurs with the help of Community Investments Program grants. Impact Grants are competitive grants of up to $10,000 for Lodges to make a significant and meaningful difference in their communities and inspire Elks to dedicate themselves to service and volunteerism.
2022 Donation Deadline
(posted 02/28/2022)
The donation deadline is March 31. Donations must be received at the Elks National Foundation office by that date. Please mail donations as soon as possible. Some areas of our country are experiencing significant mail and courier delivery service delays. To guarantee donations are received by March 31, consider donating online at enf.elks.org/donate. Review your Lodge’s fundraising progress on the Reports and Standings page.
Hoop Shoot Registration is Open
(posted 02/08/2022)
Registration for the 2022 Hoop Shoot National Finals is officially open! The Hoop Shoot is celebrating 50 years as a national program, and the Elks will deliver a gold-medal finals for a golden anniversary. Registration is required for all of the weekend's events, including the contest on Saturday, April 30. Registration closes on April 4.
Register now at enf.elks.org/HS22Reg.
City of Chicago Public Health Order: COVID-19 Vaccination
(posted 01/13/2022)
As of February 28, the City of Chicago removed vaccine and mask mandates. Masks are no longer required to enter restaurants, grocery stores or other indoor spaces unless noted otherwise. Masks continue to be required on public transit and in health care settings, congregate settings, and per the discretion of business owners.
In the Spirit of Santa
(posted 01/06/2022)
Jerry Brien, Wisconsin Elks State President, and member of Kaukana, Wis., Lodge No. 962 has the beard, the look and the heart to make him the perfect Santa Claus. He’s been helping the big man at the North Pole for several years by doing appearances in his community to let kids tell him their Christmas wishes. This season, he's donating his "Santa money" to the Elks National Foundation.
Win a Golden Ticket to the 2022 Elks Hoop Shoot National Finals
(posted 11/17/2021)
A $50 donation to the Hoop Shoot program could be your ticket to the 50th anniversary National Finals. In celebration of this golden anniversary, five lucky donors will be selected to win a Golden Ticket—a trip for two to the 2022 Elks Hoop Shoot National Finals.
Elks Always Care for Veterans
(posted 11/10/2021)
November is Elks Veterans Remembrance Month, as well as National Veterans and Military Families Month, a time when Americans acknowledge the sacrifices made by those who have served. However, many veterans and military families face daily challenges that don’t fit neatly into a single month.