Gratitude is infectious. Show your thanks to someone, and it’s bound to start a chain reaction.

The Gratitude Grant is the ENF’s way of showing our thanks for the contributions members make to our mission—Lodges qualify for this grant by meeting the GER’s per-member-giving goal to the ENF. From the way Elks use Gratitude Grant funds to support those in need, it’s clear their communities are thankful as well.

November is National Gratitude Month; we’re taking this time to highlight the ways that Elks receive gratitude and create even more.

Walnut Creek, Calif., Lodge No. 1811 uses its Gratitude Grant to help put on the Walnut Creek Challenger Jamboree, a baseball tournament for players with special needs. This year, more than 250 athletes making up 22 teams stepped up to the plate for this one-day event.

From traffic control to field preparation, staffing the tournament information booth, and coordinating the activities of the dozen high school volunteers, Elk participation was essential for the day’s activities. In the years since the Lodge became involved, the event has grown to one of the biggest of its kind on the west coast.

But the Lodge’s work with this population doesn’t end with the Jamboree; its Hoop Shoot program recently incorporated a division for participants with special needs. Across contests, the Walnut Creek Elks are committed to creating athletic opportunities for all.

Elizabethton, Tenn., Lodge No. 1847 uses its Gratitude Grant funds to support the county school system. Elks contributed to a “Stuff the Bus” school supply drive, filing 150 backpacks for kids returning to the classroom.

“Each year, Lodge members, officers, and their children come together to organize and fill backpacks with the supplies needed for students to begin the school year successfully,” says Grants Coordinator Keri Austin. “The event creates a fun and rewarding atmosphere where participants can share stories, strengthen friendships, and reflect on the positive difference the program makes for local children and their families.”

The Lodge’s support goes even further—it purchases supplies for 11 school nursing stations, filling them with the band aids, ice packs, and clean clothing that is sure to be needed after the first recess of the year. The Lodge also provides support for students with autism, purchasing iPads for the Appalachian Banner Academy. These items serve as a crucial tool for students who may have difficulty communicating verbally.

Huntington, W. Va., Lodge No. 313 connected with the Ronald McDonald House for its Gratitude Grant. This partner operates facilities near hospitals where the families of children receiving care can stay, free of charge. At a time when family focus is only on the health of their relative, groups like the Elks step in to make sure their other needs are spoken for.

The Huntington Lodge used its Gratitude Grant to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of bedding and helped to stock the facility. Everyone staying at the facility is going through a stressful time; the Lodge’s donation took one more thing off their mind.

With the Gratitude Grant, the ENF shows our thanks for the generosity of Elks. Through grant use in Lodge communities, the chain of gratitude continues. To track your Lodge’s progress toward qualifying for the grant and its four bonuses, visit the Gratitude Grant Bonus Dashboard.

For 2026-27, the Elks National Foundation allocated $18 million to the Community Investments Program. Lodges meet local needs through CIP grants that offer Elks opportunities to serve their community in ways that raise the Lodge's profile, energize 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 elks.org/CIP. To speak to CIP office staff, call 773/755-4730.