Masonic Samaritan Fund

Charity Number: 1130424

Annual Expenditure: £1.4M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Income: £1,352,000 (2024/25)
  • Charity Number: 1130424
  • Grant Range: Up to £100,000 for research projects
  • Application Method: Invitation only / nomination by Freemasons
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales
  • Total Anniversary Grant: £1.125 million to 13 medical research charities

Contact Details

Address: 60 Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5AZ

Phone: 020 7404 1550

Website: www.msfund.org.uk

Charity Grants Email: charitygrants@mcf.org.uk (via Masonic Charitable Foundation)

Charity Grants Phone: 020 3146 3337

Overview

The Masonic Samaritan Fund (MSF) was established in 1990 to support Freemasons and their families who face health or care needs and are unable to afford private treatment. The charity became part of the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) structure in April 2016, when four national Masonic charities consolidated their operations. While the Fund's primary focus is providing direct medical assistance to individual Freemasons and their dependants, it also makes significant grants to external medical research charities. The Fund marked its 25th anniversary by donating £1.125 million to 13 medical research organizations. With an annual income of £1.35 million, the charity operates on a highly selective basis, with medical research grants awarded through a nomination process by Freemasons or at the trustees' discretion rather than through open application.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Individual Medical Support (Primary Focus)

Grants to Freemasons and their dependants for diagnosed medical, dental, respite, or mobility needs when facing long NHS or Local Authority waiting times.

Medical Research Grants (External Charities)

  • Grant Range: Up to £100,000 per project
  • Awarded to medical research charities that are members of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC)
  • Focus on research benefiting conditions affecting Masonic families and the wider community
  • Recent examples include dementia diagnosis tools, cancer research, and rare disease research

Priority Areas

The Fund supports medical research into:

  • Degenerative diseases (particularly Alzheimer's and dementia)
  • Cancer research
  • Rare diseases (e.g., Ataxia-Telangiectasia)
  • Brain tumour research
  • Conditions requiring innovative treatment approaches

Recent Grant Examples

  • Alzheimer's Research UK: £100,000 for dementia diagnosis tools research
  • Tenovus Cancer Care: £89,000 for cancer research project
  • A-T Society: £49,695 for research into Ataxia-Telangiectasia
  • 25th Anniversary Programme: £1.125 million distributed across 13 medical research charities

What They Don't Fund

  • Non-AMRC member organizations (for research grants)
  • Organizations outside England and Wales
  • Medical support for non-Masons and their families (for individual grants)
  • Charities not nominated by Freemasons or invited by trustees
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Governance and Leadership

The Masonic Samaritan Fund operates as a charitable company limited by guarantee (Company Number: 6876310) with 2 trustees overseeing its operations. The charity functions within the broader Masonic Charitable Foundation structure while maintaining its distinct charitable purpose. All trustees serve without remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Medical research grants are awarded in one of two ways:

  1. Freemason Nomination Process: Freemasons across England and Wales are periodically invited to nominate and vote on medical research projects from agreed shortlists. Only Freemasons or their widows can nominate, and membership information must be verified for votes to be registered. Regional voting may be organized, with grants of up to £100,000 awarded in different provinces.
  1. Trustees' Discretion: Grants may be awarded directly at the discretion of the MSF/MCF trustees to invited applicants.

Eligibility Requirement: Research grants are only made to charities that are members of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC). Organizations not currently AMRC members are advised to collaborate with an AMRC member charity before any application could be considered.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary depending on the nomination cycle or trustees' meeting schedules. The 25th anniversary programme involved regional voting processes organized over several months.

Application Success Factors

Since external charities cannot directly apply, success depends on factors outside the charity's direct control:

AMRC Membership: Essential requirement - organizations must be members of the Association of Medical Research Charities or partner with an AMRC member.

Alignment with Masonic Community Interests: Research that addresses conditions affecting Freemasons and their families as well as the broader community appears to be prioritized. The Fund states it supports “medical research projects that aim to improve the treatment for many of the illnesses and disabilities affecting masonic families and the wider community.”

Regional Connections: The nomination process is organized through Masonic Provinces, so research projects with regional relevance or connections to local Masonic communities may have advantages.

Shortlisting: For nomination programmes, the Fund creates agreed shortlists from which Freemasons vote. The process by which charities appear on these shortlists is not publicly documented, suggesting trustees or administrators identify eligible projects.

Project Quality and Impact: As with any medical research funder, projects with strong scientific merit, clear potential for improving treatment outcomes, and well-defined research goals are likely to be competitive.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application route exists - external charities cannot directly apply for funding and must either be invited by trustees or nominated by Freemasons
  • AMRC membership is mandatory for any research charity to be eligible
  • Grants can be substantial - up to £100,000 per project, making this a significant potential funder
  • Long-term relationships matter - the nomination system suggests that charities known to the Masonic community have advantages
  • Focus on diseases affecting the community - research into degenerative diseases, cancer, and conditions requiring innovative treatments align with stated priorities
  • Be aware of timing - major grant programmes may be infrequent (e.g., 25th anniversary special programme)
  • Consider the broader MCF structure - the Masonic Charitable Foundation (mcf.org.uk) has separate grant programmes for charities with public application processes that may be more accessible

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