Masonic Charitable Foundation

Charity Number: 1164703

Annual Expenditure: £5.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £5.5 million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 3-6 months (full process)
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £60,000
  • Geographic Focus: England, Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man

Contact Details

  • Website: www.mcf.org.uk
  • Phone: 020 3146 3333
  • Email: info@mcf.org.uk / charitygrants@mcf.org.uk
  • Address: Freemasons Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ

Overview

The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) is the national charity of Freemasonry under the United Grand Lodge of England, established as a charitable foundation and funded entirely by Freemasons. Over the past 40 years, the MCF has provided more than £130 million to charities, making it one of the largest grant-giving charities in the country. The foundation supports over 300 charities annually across England and Wales. Led by Chief Executive Les Hutchinson since 2020, the MCF focuses on creating meaningful partnerships and providing multi-year funding commitments. The foundation operates with a clear mission to “relieve and preserve health, advance education and prevent or relieve poverty or financial hardship.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • Small Grants: £1,000 - £5,000 per year for up to 3 years (charities with income under £500,000)
  • Large Grants: £10,000 - £60,000 total over 1-3 years (charities with income £500,000 - £5 million)
  • Rolling application process - no fixed deadlines

Priority Areas

  • Creating the best start in life for disadvantaged children and young people
  • Reducing isolation in later life
  • Medical research into degenerative disease
  • Care services in the hospice sector
  • Early Years (0-5 years)
  • Children affected by domestic abuse
  • Children with special educational needs and disabilities
  • People with dementia and their carers

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals (only Freemasons and families through separate programme)
  • Social Enterprises, Community Interest Companies, or exempt charities
  • New build or large-scale capital projects
  • Capital repairs and maintenance of existing buildings
  • Projects outside England, Wales, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man
  • More than 20% of an organisation's annual income
  • Organisations without published audited/independently examined accounts
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Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive: Les Hutchinson (appointed 2020), previously Chief Operating Officer at MCF and CEO of Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys. On his appointment, Hutchinson stated: "It's an honour and privilege to become Chief Executive designate of the Masonic Charitable Foundation... I will work tirelessly to ensure that the MCF continues to be a tremendous force for good and to make a difference to so many communities and individuals."

Chairman: James Newman leads the voluntary Board of Trustees. All trustees work without remuneration.

Senior Team: Includes Finance Director David, Operations Director John (overseeing grants, fundraising, and strategy), and Grants Director Gareth (with 20+ years in Masonic charities).

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Submit online expression of interest
  2. If invited, complete full application through online portal
  3. Assessment by charity grants team and local committees

Decision Timeline

  • Expression of Interest: 2-4 weeks response
  • Small Grants: 3 months total process
  • Large Grants: 5-6 months total process
  • Final Decision: 2-4 months after full application submission

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed, but applications go through rigorous assessment on criteria including need addressed, effectiveness of activities, financial situation, capacity and sustainability, reach and impact, and monitoring systems.

Reapplication Policy

  • Only one active grant at a time
  • Must wait 2 years after grant completion to reapply
  • If declined, must wait 1 year from original submission date

Application Success Factors

The MCF conducts rigorous assessment focusing on:

  • Need being addressed: Clear demonstration of community need
  • Effective activities: Evidence that activities tackle the identified need
  • Financial health: Strong financial situation and sustainability
  • Capacity: Organisational ability to deliver
  • Impact: Clear reach and potential for positive outcomes
  • Monitoring: Systems for tracking and measuring results

The foundation prefers multi-year funding commitments and seeks good geographic spread of grants across their coverage area. Applications are assessed locally through Provincial committees that include voluntary sector experience.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Multi-year preference: MCF favors 2-3 year funding commitments over single-year grants
  • Unrestricted funding: Small grants are unrestricted - focus on the charity as a whole, not specific projects
  • Local connections: Final decisions made by local Provincial committees with voluntary sector knowledge
  • Partnership approach: MCF works in partnership with organizations like Cranfield Trust to provide additional support
  • Rolling applications: No deadlines - apply when ready but allow 3-6 months for full process
  • Financial transparency: Strong emphasis on published, audited accounts and financial accountability
  • Geographic focus: Priority given to ensuring good spread across England, Wales, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man

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