Foundation News
(posted 09/07/2023)
Students are back to the books, and ENF scholarship applications are open! The Most Valuable Student scholarship will award scholarships worth $30,000 each to the Top 20 finalists and $4,000 scholarships to the 480 runners-up. All high school seniors who are United States citizens are eligible to apply, and the deadline is November 13. Legacy Awards scholarships are also available for the children and grandchildren of Elks. Applications are due February 5, but apply early to cross it off your to-do list!
Step Up to the Line
(posted 09/07/2023)
Can you hear the swish of the net? The 2023-23 Hoop Shoot season has officially started, and children ages 8-13 are stepping up to the line to take their shot at having their name displayed in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. All the while, they're unleashing grit: the attribute that propels people toward a goal, even in the face of adversity. According to researchers, grit is the best predictor of future success. Set the young athletes in your area up for success by connecting them to the Hoop Shoot! Find the contest nearest to you at elks.org/hoopshoot.
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.
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.