Foundation News
(posted 04/03/2024)
Sit courtside from home! Stream the action of the 2024 Hoop Shoot National Finals live on Saturday, April 20, on the ENF's YouTube channel. Click this story to view more information about the personalities hosting the broadcast, and bookmark the page for direct links to the livestreams the day of the contest!
Get a CIPer Start
(posted 04/03/2024)
Is your Lodge ready to build stronger communities? Community Investments Program grant applications opened April 1 for the 2024-25 year! Before your Lodge applies for a Gratitude Grant, make sure to wait until the fundraising numbers from the 2023-24 fiscal year are updated in May to ensure your Lodge gets all the bonuses it deserves! Click here for more information.
A Mark on My Heart: Elks Scholars in Philadelphia
(posted 03/19/2024)
From March 7 to 11, eight Elks scholars traveled to Philadelphia for the Spring Elks Scholar Service Trip. The scholars had diverse backgrounds, with some coming from towns of less than a few thousand people and others coming from some of the biggest cities in the country. Though the scholars had very different upbringings, they were able to see the beauty in their differences—while finding plenty of similarities.
Meet the 2024 BackBoard
(posted 02/21/2024)
The Hoop Shoot Alumni Advisory Board, a.k.a. the BackBoard, is welcoming five new members this year. These past Hoop Shoot National Finalists are returning as rebounders and role models, and they're excited to hit the court!
Another CIPtastic Year
(posted 02/05/2024)
Lodges built stronger communities at record numbers through CIP grants this last year. In 2023-24, 85% of Lodges received CIP grants. Take a look at the preliminary year-end numbers to see the Elks' impact here.
Elks Scholar Service Trips: A Commitment to Community
(posted 01/18/2024)
In January, the first Elks Scholar Service Trip of 2024 was held in Phoenix. Led by Elks Scholar Fellow Libby Willkomm, the trip was the embodiment of what it means to be an Elks scholar.
A Raisin to a Sarlacc
(posted 11/07/2023)
What does a massive, 100-meter-long creature from Star Wars have to do with the Elks National Foundation? Read on to learn about changes to the ENF's gift acceptance policy and an exciting new Gratitude Grant bonus!
SAButations to the SAB
(posted 10/26/2023)
We're excited to welcome five new members to the Elks Scholar Advisory Board! These Elks scholars demonstrate the tenets of Elkdom through service to their communities, and they are eager to help bring together the #ElksFamily. Read more about them here!
Class is in Session
(posted 09/07/2023)
Students are back to the books, and ENF scholarship applications are open! Legacy Awards scholarships are available for the children and grandchildren of Elks. Applications are due February 5, but apply early to cross it off your to-do list! Applications for the Gunther & Lee Weigel Medical School Scholarship open January 1.
2024 National Finals Registration Open
(posted 09/07/2023)
It's time for the tipoff! Registration for the 2024 Hoop Shoot National Finals is open until April 1. Click here or head to enf.elks.org/24HSReg to secure your seats at the 2024 National Finals. Early bird registration is open until February 15 and comes with a free t-shirt, so don't wait to beat the buzzer!
Weigel Winners: Finding the "Why"
(posted 08/16/2023)
Some high school seniors head to college with their major in mind and their life planned out ahead of them, and others hope to find their passion by trying new things. But, all students are looking to find and maintain their “why,” the meaning to their goals. The Gunther and Lee Weigel Medical School Scholarship is for those Elks scholars who found their “why” in pursuing a career in medicine.
Making a Difference in Minneapolis
(posted 07/19/2023)
The Elks National Foundation’s dedication to building stronger communities extends to the host community for the annual Elks National Convention. Read our recap of the ENF at Convention!
Erika Barger: Alum of the Year
(posted 07/01/2023)
Congratulations to the 2023 Elks Scholar Alum of the Year, 2006 Legacy Awards recipient Erika Barger!
Feeling like a Champion
(posted 05/12/2023)
The 2023 Hoop Shoot National Finals crowed six Frank Hise National Champions and two Getty Powell Award winners, but all 72 competitors should go home feeling like a champion. Read our recap for all of the weekend's highlights!
2023 MVS Leadership Weekend: Service-Minded, Elk-Bonded
(posted 05/05/2023)
For the first time since 2019, the Top 20 Most Valuable Student scholars gathered in person to get to know one another, as well as current Elks scholars and alums; interview for the top awards of $50,000, $40,000 and $30,000; and learn about their new #ElksFamily.
2023 Elks National Convention: ENF Schedule
(posted 05/02/2023)
You won't want to miss this! The ENF is headed to the Elks National Convention in Minneapolis, and we're bringing seminars, a supply drive and fun. Check out the full schedule here.
2023 Hoop Shoot National Finals
(posted 04/27/2023)
The buzzer sounded, and the 2023 Hoop Shoot National Finals are over! From serving veterans through Hoop Shoot Assists to the Friday night FunFest to the contest itself, this National Finals was so fun we wish we could do it all over again. While it's not the same as being there, the 2023 Hoop Shoot Highlight Reel certainly comes close!
MVS Scholars Put in the Work
(posted 04/18/2023)
For the first time since 2019, the Top 20 MVS scholars came to the Windy City for an in-person Leadership Weekend, where they interviewed for the top awards and got to know their #ElksFamily. We are proud to announce the top winners: Diya Jha, sponsored by Frederick, Md., Lodge No. 684, and Agam Igwe, sponsored by Towson, Md., Lodge No. 469.
Meet the 2023 BackBoard
(posted 04/12/2023)
Comprised of Hoop Shoot alums, the 11-member BackBoard will be in Chicago for the 2023 Hoop Shoot National Finals to serve as rebounders on the big day and to provide moral support to the competitors throughout the rest of the weekend. Meet these Hoop Shoot all-stars here!
End of Year Housekeeping
(posted 04/06/2023)
The 2022-23 fiscal year is closed, and what a year it’s been! 2021-22 was a record-breaking year for the Elks National Foundation, but the preliminary numbers for 2022-23 are even better. Check out this story for information about finalizing the year's numbers, applying for CIP grants, and a sneak peek at 2023-24!
Elks Hoop Shoot Hall of Fame
(posted 03/28/2023)
Join us in celebrating the competitors and contributors who contributed to the history of the Hoop Shoot as we welcome nine new members into the Elks Hoop Shoot Hall of Fame.
2022-2023 Donation Deadline
(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.