The Charities
The Central Masonic Charities (CMCs) are:
The Freemasons’ Grand Charity
The Grand Charity is the central grant-making charity of Freemasonry in England and Wales. It provides financial support to distressed Freemasons and their dependants and makes grants to non-Masonic charities in the areas of medical research, care for the vulnerable, opportunities for young people, hospice services and international emergency relief.
Grand Charity and the Legacy Appeal
The Masonic Samaritan Fund
The Masonic Samaritan Fund (MSF) supports Freemasons, their wives, widows, partners and dependants, who have an identified medical need and, faced with a long wait for treatment on the NHS, are unable to afford their private medical care. Since it was established in 1990 the MSF has allocated over £35m in support of nearly 7,000 applicants.
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (RMBI) has been caring for older Freemasons and their dependants for over 160 years. It operates 17 care homes in England and Wales, offering a combination of high quality residential, nursing, respite and specialist dementia care.
The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys
The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (RMTGB) exists to relieve poverty and advance the education of the children of the families of Freemasons. It also operates a number of non-Masonic initiatives including the choral bursary scheme. In 2005 over 2,000 children or young adults were supported at a cost of over £9 million.