Overview

Impact Grants are designed to set a standard of excellence in community leadership through service. The ENF is looking to award Impact Grants to Lodges who intimately understand a problem in their community, have a unique idea about how to solve it, and who are ready with the volunteer power to get it done.

Impact Grants are competitive. Lodges do not need to meet the per-member-giving goal to complete the two-step award process, but funding is limited and only a select number will receive the grant.

Please note that to be eligible for an Impact Grant, Lodges must be in full compliance with the Grand Lodge per-capita assessment, Section 16.010. This refers to Grand Lodge requirements, and does not relate to the ENF.

The Impact Grant process requires two steps. First, the Lodge must fill out an Impact Intent for consideration. Impact Intents will be judged in August, and Lodges will be selected to move on to the full application. Only one Impact Intent per Lodge, per grant year. Please see the instructions and timeline below.

Basic CIP Grant Guidelines

Click here for a succinct, printable version of our general CIP grant guidelines.

Charitable: CIP Grants should always be used for charitable purposes. Keep the following six broad categories (defined as charitable by the IRS) in mind when planning a grant project; relieve the poor, distressed or underprivileged; advance education or science, but not through scholarships; lessen the burdens of government; lessen neighborhood tensions; eliminate prejudice and discrimination; combat juvenile delinquency.

Restrictions: CIP Grant guidelines state that Lodges may not use grants to support State Major Projects, national Elks programs, fund scholarships, Hoop Shoot/Soccer Shoot events, youth awards nights, poster and/or essay contests, appreciations dinners, fundraisers or general community events. Grants may not be used for Lodge maintenance and/or repairs, or to only benefit Lodge members and their families. Grant funds must serve a population in need, and cannot be donations of funds or supplies to individuals.

Resources

Applying

The first step, or Impact Intent, involves the Lodge communicating basic details about the proposed project by answering six important questions. After Impact Intents are reviewed, selected Lodges will be invited to apply with the full application. Lodges must submit an Impact Intent and be invited by the ENF to fill out a full 2021 Impact Grant application.

*Remember, Impact Grants are competitive. Once an Impact Intent and/or a full application is submitted, it cannot be edited. Please make sure what you are submitting contains all of the pertinent information you wish to have evaluated. We cannot accept additions or supplements to the Intent or full application via mail, fax or email.