The Grand Charity

Charity Number: 281942

Annual Expenditure: £16.7M
Throughout England And Wales

Contact Info

Website: www.mcf.org.uk

Phone: 020 3146 3337

Email: charitygrants@mcf.org.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £5.5 million to charities (£20 million total support across all programmes)
  • Success Rate: 12% (approximately 150 grants awarded from 1,250 expressions of interest annually)
  • Decision Time: 12-16 weeks for small grants; 20-24 weeks for large grants
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £60,000
  • Geographic Focus: England, Wales, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man

Contact Details

  • Website: www.mcf.org.uk
  • Email: charitygrants@mcf.org.uk
  • Phone: 020 3146 3337
  • Address: 60 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ

For initial enquiries about eligibility or to discuss a potential application, contact the Charity Grants team at the above email or phone number.

Overview

The Grand Charity (registered charity number 281942), operating as the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), is the central grant-giving charity of English Constitution Freemasons. Established in April 2016 through the merger of four masonic charities, the MCF has awarded approximately 5,000 grants totaling around £50 million to local and national charities. The foundation distributes approximately £5.5 million annually to charities across England, Wales, and the Channel Islands working in four priority areas: early years (0-5), children affected by domestic abuse, children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and people with dementia and their carers (currently paused). Led by Chief Executive Les Hutchinson since 2020, the MCF works in partnership with major national organizations including Hospice UK, Home-Start UK, Age UK, and the Cranfield Trust. The foundation is funded entirely through the generosity of Freemasons and their families, and no connection to Freemasonry is required to apply.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants: £1,000 - £5,000 per year (up to 3 years)

  • For charities with annual income between £25,000 and £500,000
  • Unrestricted funding that can be used for any organizational purpose
  • Rolling application basis via online expression of interest
  • Typical total: £3,000 - £15,000 over the grant period

Large Grants: £10,000 - £60,000 total (1-3 years)

  • For charities with annual income between £500,000 and £5 million
  • Restricted funding for specific projects with defined goals and budgets
  • Can cover salaries, equipment, training, monitoring, and administration
  • Rolling application basis with preference for multi-year funding

Priority Areas

The MCF currently focuses on four specific target groups:

Early Years (0-5)

  • Particular interest in targeted interventions supporting children in disadvantaged circumstances due to poverty
  • Support for children at risk of or experiencing neglect
  • Emphasis on projects addressing developmental needs in the earliest years

Children Affected by Domestic Abuse

  • Support for children experiencing trauma from domestic abuse
  • Services helping children recover and break cycles of abuse
  • Projects providing specialist therapeutic support
  • Example: £200,000 grant to Refuge in 2021

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

  • Over 1.5 million pupils in England have SEND
  • Focus on reducing loneliness and social isolation
  • Support for inclusive activities and specialized services
  • Projects improving access to education and social participation

People with Dementia and Their Carers (currently paused)

  • No age restriction for beneficiaries
  • Interest in carers support groups and social activities
  • Maintenance Cognitive Simulation Therapy
  • Projects improving health and wellbeing of people with dementia and their carers

Hospice Support

  • Separate funding stream in partnership with Hospice UK
  • Bursaries for hospice staff education and training
  • Transition care projects for young people moving from children's to adult services

What They Don't Fund

  • Projects outside England, Wales, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man
  • Charities with annual income below £25,000 or above £5 million
  • Grants exceeding 20% of the charity's average income over the past two years
  • Organizations without at least one year of independently examined or audited accounts
  • Multiple applications from different branches of the same registered charity number
  • Organizations that already have an active MCF grant

Governance and Leadership

President and Chairman: James Long (appointed President 2022, Chairman 2024)

  • Former chair of two FTSE companies with extensive international business and finance experience
  • Previously Deputy President of the Board of General Purposes at United Grand Lodge of England (2016-2022)

Deputy President: W Bro David Hudd (appointed September 2025)

  • Trustee appointed to the Board in 2024
  • Member of the Strategy Committee

Chief Executive: Les Hutchinson (appointed 2020)

  • Previously served as Chief Operating Officer of the MCF
  • On his appointment, Hutchinson stated: “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”
  • Hutchinson has emphasized alignment between the MCF and Freemasonry's strategic narrative, noting that Freemasons gave over £42 million to charitable causes - “an astonishing statistic”
  • Quoted on partnerships: smaller charities “who would not usually have the funds will benefit from intensive consultancy or leadership development support in areas such as business planning and strategy, governance, marketing or financial processes”

Treasurer: Clive (appointed Trustee June 2019, Treasurer August 2023)

  • Chartered Accountant with extensive experience in corporate and not-for-profit organizations

The voluntary Board of Trustees meets five times annually and works alongside executive staff to ensure the charity effectively achieves its mission.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Check Eligibility: Complete the online eligibility quiz at mcf.org.uk
  2. Expression of Interest: Submit a short online form via the MCF website
  3. Initial Review: The Charity Grants team reviews submissions (rolling basis)
  4. Full Application: If successful, you'll be invited to complete a full application
  5. Assessment: Applications undergo rigorous assessment process
  6. Decision: Board reviews and makes final funding decisions

Application Method: Rolling basis - applications accepted throughout the year via online portal only

Decision Timeline

Expression of Interest Response: 2-3 weeks

Small Grants (£1,000-£5,000)

  • Total process: Approximately 3 months from expression of interest to decision
  • Notification: Applicants informed of outcome within 2-3 months of full application

Large Grants (£10,000-£60,000)

  • Total process: Approximately 5-6 months from expression of interest to decision
  • Notification: Applicants informed of outcome within 2-3 months of full application

Success Rates

The MCF receives approximately 1,250 expressions of interest annually and funds approximately 150 charities per year, representing a 12% success rate.

According to the MCF: “We receive many more applications than we can support” - this is cited as the main reason for declining applications.

Reapplication Policy

For Unsuccessful Applicants:

  • Must wait 1 year from the date of submission before re-applying
  • Can appeal decisions through the formal appeals and complaints process

For Previously Funded Charities:

  • Can only have one active grant at a time
  • Must wait 2 years from the date funding ended before re-applying
  • Example: If final installment paid December 2023, grant ends December 2024, eligible to reapply December 2026

Important Note: Only one application per charity registration number is permitted, regardless of which branch or head office applies.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the MCF

Application Writing Tips:

  • Write your application in Word first before copying into the online form
  • Keep it simple with key points - avoid jargon
  • Explain all acronyms on first use
  • Have someone unfamiliar with your organization read it to ensure clarity

Describing Beneficiaries:

Include who they are, their age, how they're referred or targeted, specific challenges they face, and supporting evidence or research demonstrating these needs.

Describing Services:

Explain what support you provide, how it's delivered, frequency and duration, who delivers it, their experience/training, any fees/charges, hardship policies, and strategies to involve service users.

For Large Grants - Outcomes Are Critical:

Specify project outcomes as specific benefits for beneficiaries (e.g., increased self-confidence, reduced social isolation, improved physical health), as these will form part of annual monitoring if successful.

What Makes Applications Stand Out

Strong Alignment with Priority Areas:

The MCF has clearly defined target groups - applications must demonstrate work with early years children (0-5), children affected by domestic abuse, children with SEND, or people with dementia and their carers.

Evidence of Impact:

Projects must demonstrate how they will improve lives and help people “live happy, fulfilling lives and participate more actively in society” (MCF mission).

Publicity and Recognition Plans:

Consider how you'll promote the grant - media coverage, inviting local Freemasons to visit, or social media promotion (noting safeguarding limitations).

Multi-year Sustainability:

The MCF has a preference for multi-year funding, particularly for large grants (up to 3 years).

Examples of Funded Projects

  • Refuge (2021): £200,000 for domestic abuse services
  • Age UK Partnership (2018-2021): £1 million three-year programme supporting 10,000 older people with loneliness - 57% of participants reported feeling less lonely
  • SAFE Foundation (2023): Support to help break the cycle of domestic abuse and trauma
  • Children's bereavement services (2024): Specialist support for children bereaved by domestic abuse
  • Hospice transition care: Projects helping young people transition from children's to adult hospice services
  • Home-Start partnerships: Supporting families with young children through challenging times

Common Reasons for Rejection

  • Volume of applications: “We receive many more applications than we can support” - the primary reason given
  • Misalignment with priorities: Projects not clearly supporting one of the four target groups
  • Income requirements: Charity income outside the £25,000-£5 million range
  • Geographic restrictions: Beneficiaries not located in England, Wales, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man
  • Exceeding 20% rule: Grant request exceeds 20% of charity's average income over past two years
  • Lack of accounts: Missing independently examined or audited accounts

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Highly competitive funding: With only a 12% success rate (150 grants from 1,250 applications), applications must be exceptionally strong and perfectly aligned with priorities
  • No Masonic connection needed: Despite being a Masonic charity, applicants do not require any connection to Freemasonry
  • Clear priority alignment is essential: Ensure your project clearly serves one of the four target groups (early years 0-5, domestic abuse, SEND, dementia/carers)
  • Size matters: Know which grant stream you qualify for based on annual income (£25k-£500k for small grants; £500k-£5m for large grants)
  • Plan for the long term: The MCF prefers multi-year funding arrangements, so frame your project with sustainability in mind
  • Clarity over complexity: Write simply and clearly - avoid jargon and ensure someone unfamiliar with your work could understand your application
  • Be patient but persistent: The process takes 3-6 months, but unsuccessful applicants can reapply after just one year
  • Demonstrate specific outcomes: For large grants especially, articulate concrete, measurable benefits for beneficiaries that can be monitored annually

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

  • Masonic Charitable Foundation
  • Alex Ferry Foundation
  • Lord Hanson Foundation
  • Rycroft Children'S Fund
  • The Angela Gallagher Memorial Fund
  • The Charles Littlewood Hill Trust
  • The Culra Charitable Trust
  • Ladbrokes Coral Trust
  • The Lawton Trust Limited
  • Vwv Charitable Trust

References

  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Grants to Charities. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Frequently Asked Questions. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/faqs/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Eligibility. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/eligibility/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Our Priorities. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/our-priorities/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Small Grant Application Guidelines. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/application-resources/small-grants/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Large Grant Application Guidelines. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/application-resources/large-grants/ []
  1. Charity Commission - THE GRAND CHARITY (281942). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=281942&subid=0 []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - About Us: Governance and Trustees. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/about-us/governance-and-trustees/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Chief Executive's Column September 2024. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/media/blog/chief-executive-update/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Masonic Charitable Foundation appoints new Chief Executive (2020). Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/2020/04/masonic-charitable-foundation-appoints-new-chief-executive/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Domestic Abuse Priority Area. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/our-priorities/domestic-abuse/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - SEND Priority Area. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/our-priorities/send/ []
  1. Age UK - Masonic Charitable Foundation to help thousands of older people through the COVID-19 crisis (2020). Available at: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/articles/2020/05/masonic-charitable-foundation-to-help-thousands-of-older-people-through-the-covid-19-crisis/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Grant Appeals and Complaints Policy. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/policies/appeals-and-complaints/ []
  1. The Masonic Charitable Foundation - Hospice Funding. Available at: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/hospice/ []