The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), the Freemasons’ Charity, builds better lives by encouraging opportunity, promoting independence and improving wellbeing for people across society.
Funded entirely through the generosity of Freemasons, their families and friends, the MCF is one of the largest charities in the country, providing a range of grants for charitable projects that help local communities across England and Wales, in addition to supporting individuals in need.
The MCF’s vision is that everyone has the opportunity to lead positive, active and fulfilling lives, especially those who are in need, disadvantaged or marginalised.
Through the work of the MCF, Freemasonry is helping to tackle some of society’s most important issues, in particular:
To ensure Freemasonry’s funding has the greatest impact possible, the MCF awards grants to a range of local and national charities. To assist its funding, the MCF has formed partnerships with leading organisations in the charity sector, including Age UK, Hospice UK and Home-Start.
Founded in 2016, from the four long standing Freemasons’ Charities, during its first five years the MCF has awarded about £90m through more than 3,000 charitable grants – about £50,000 per day.
In addition, funding has been provided to 40 disaster relief appeals in England, Wales and overseas in response, to flooding, earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Freemasonry, through the MCF’s work, has continued to champion groundbreaking research and the scientists of tomorrow, by funding PhD studentships in partnership with leading charities and organisations that are creating a brighter future for many people affected by degenerative diseases.
To commemorate 300 years of Freemasonry in 2017, the MCF awarded an additional £3m to local charities in addition to its main grant-making programmes, inviting members of the public to vote on the distribution of funds.
In response to Covid-19, the MCF has worked in partnership with UGLE and local Freemasons to allocate £3.6m to projects and charities that have responded to, or been affected by, the pandemic.
Read some of the remarkable stories from across the country of how our members came together during the Covid-19 pandemic to help their communities.
The bears are often used by staff to calm children down, reward them for being brave, and – in some cases – demonstrate procedures. The TLC teddy has become a useful tool for medical professionals and a real comfort for children. Most of the money raised to purchase and distribute the teddies comes from Freemasons themselves through lodge donations and fundraising events.
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