10 Reasons to Love the CIP

1. Beacon Grants are the Best!: Every Lodge has the opportunity to receive a $2,000 Beacon Grant. Applications close March 31, 2016—don’t miss out and leave this money on the table. Click here to learn more and apply.

2. CIP Volunteers are Passionate: Elks put in thousands of hours volunteering with CIP grants each year. Watch this feature on our 2015 CIP Volunteer of the Year winner Jeff Mitchell for just a taste of the dedication all of our volunteers share. Feeling inspired? Nominate a stellar volunteer for the 2016 CIP Volunteer of the Year!

3. Impact in 63 Communities: 2016 was a year for the record books. For the first time, all $500,000 allocated to the Impact Grant program was awarded to 63 Lodges. That means that 63 communities are better thanks to the Elks and their Impact Grant projects. Click here to learn about them!

4. Elks Support Youth: Every year, 500 Lodges across the country use a $2,500 Promise Grant to support youth in their community. Click here to check out just one of the myriad of ways Elks reach youth through the Promise Grant!

5. Lodges Serve Those Who’ve Served: Elks have a strong passion for serving veterans. Beacon, Gratitude and Freedom Grants help turn that passion into action. Click here to learn more.

6. Resources are a Click Away: The CIP website puts all of the resources needed to run a successful grant project right at your fingertips. From webinars to helpful one-page summaries of each grant and its guidelines, check out CIP Central to find everything you need.

7. Ten Years of Building Stronger Communities: What started as a program with a $350,000 budget in 2005 has grown in just a decade to a $9.77 million investment in Elk communities across the country. We’ve been celebrating this impressive milestone all year! Put on a party hat and join us by checking out the CIP Turns 10 webpage.

8. A Gratitude Grant Bonus: New in 2015-16, every Lodge in which more than 15 percent of its members donated to the ENF in 2014-15 will be eligible for a bonus of $500 when it applies for a Gratitude Grant. This bonus will be automatically added to your Lodge's Gratitude Grant application. Don’t delay! If your Lodge has reached the GER’s $4.65 per-capita goal for giving, apply now!

9. CIPClub Regular Updates: Every month, the CIP office sends an email newsletter full of grant project highlights and important reminders. It’s easy for CIP volunteers to stay up-to-date with the latest grant information. Click here to join the club!

10. Advice is Always Available: Call 773/755-4730 or email the CIP office at lodgegrants@elks.org with questions. We’re here to help you every step of the way.


The Elks National Foundation allocated $9.77 million this year to fund the Community Investments Program. Lodges meet local needs in Elks communities through Beacon, Gratitude, Promise and Impact Grants. These grants offer Lodges opportunities to serve the community in ways that will raise the Lodge’s profile, energize the membership, encourage former members to return to the fold, and gain the notice of people who want to be part of an organization that’s doing great things. To learn more about the Community Investments Program, please visit www.elks.org/enf/community.


Back to top