Colorado Masonic Scholarships

The Colorado Masons’ Benevolent Fund Scholarship Committee was established in 1966. Scholarships amounting to over $15 million have been awarded to over 1700 students to attend institutions of higher learning in Colorado. The scholarships recently have been for $7000 per year, renewable for four years for a total of $28,000 and are awarded primarily for leadership, maturity, need, and scholastic ability without reference to race, creed, color, sex, or Masonic relationship.  

The Scholarship committee also awards Vocational Grants to be used at Colorado schools for vocational education.  These are one-time awards and are usually for $1000.  The criteria and application process for Vocational Grants is the same as for the four-year scholarships.

The only requirements for both the Scholarships and the Vocational Grants are that an applicant be a graduating senior in a public high school in Colorado and that he or she attend an institution of higher learning within the state of Colorado.  Home school students who have a relationship with the local public school (band, sports, other activities) are also eligible.

The scholarship administrator oversees the day-to-day operation of the program. He does not participate in the selection process. The Scholarship Committee consists of six well-qualified individuals plus the chairman. This committee selects the recipients each year with the Grand Masters guidance and approval. The number of scholarships awarded each year is affected by the earnings of the Colorado Masons’ Benevolent Fund and determined by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. We awarded 7 new scholarships for $7000 per year in 2023 and again in 2024.  The Benevolent Fund’s total contribution to higher education in the state of Colorado for 2024 was around $200,000.