The Grand Master’s Keystone Fund (G.M.K.F.) was set up as a designated fund within the Mark Benevolent Fund (M.B.F.) (charity number 207610) to celebrate HRH Prince Michael of Kent’s forty years of service to Mark Masonry. The purpose of the fund is to grant bursaries encouraging and financially supporting individuals with their educational, vocational and performance studies.  

This new fund replaces both the previous Keystone Fund, which was established on 3 June 1930 to finance significant capital projects improving the infrastructure, amenities, and overall quality of the Headquarters of the Orders administered from Mark Masons’ Hall (M.M.H.), and the reinvigorated 150th Anniversary Keystone Fund, which was launched at the Sesquicentenary Celebration of Mark Grand Lodge in October 2006. 

Please see the website for how to donate, along with details of honorifics.

The G.M.K.F. provides bursaries to encourage and support individuals with their educational, vocational and performance studies.

Bursaries may be awarded in relation to any recognised full-time or part-time programme in an educational discipline (primary, secondary or tertiary, including postgraduate), non-formal or community education (such as Scouting, Guiding, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme or other youth organisation), vocational qualification (including apprenticeships and professional) or performance area (including sport and performing arts). Bursaries are intended to meet the costs such as necessary equipment and materials, textbooks, course visits. In exceptional cases, the scheme’s Awards Panel may additionally award assistance towards tuition fees and accommodation, providing other sources of funding – including government schemes – have been sought.

TalentAid provides financial assistance to those under twenty-five who are exceptionally talented in music, sport or the performing arts. G.M.K.F. bursaries are open to those of Primary School age and above and have no upper age limit. They are for those who are at the early and intermediate stages of their development in educational, vocational or performance studies, as well as those who are at advanced or elite levels.  

Applicants may be the children, stepchildren, grandchildren, spouse, widow or other dependents of a member or deceased member of a Masonic Order administered at Mark Masons’ Hall (M.M.H.), or may be a member themselves. The member must have been a subscribing member of the Order for three years or more.

Bursaries may be awarded to applicants from Primary School age upwards. There is no upper age-limit for applicants. See also question 3.

The M.B.F. Board of Trustees sets an annual budget for the total amount granted through the Bursary Scheme. The budget varies from year to year according to donations received.

The scheme’s Awards Panel may grant individual bursaries of up to £5,000 per annum for a maximum of four years. In exceptional cases, the M.B.F. Board of Trustees may increase the value of an award up to a maximum of £15,000 per annum.

All applications are to be made using the online application form accessed from here.

If the Bursary Scheme Awards Panel sets deadlines for the receipt of applications they will be published on the scheme’s website here.

To be successful, an application must satisfy five criteria: 

1. The applicant must have been accepted on a recognised educational, vocational or performance related programme. 

2. The applicant must lack the financial means to take a full part in that programme. 

3. The applicant should provide details of any other funding sources, including bursary schemes, to which they may also have applied. 

4. The applicant must have submitted a personal statement explaining why they wish to undertake the programme and how they will benefit from it. 

5. The application must be supported by a responsible person who can comment on the applicant. 

The Awards Panel will consider the details of the educational, vocational or performance related programme, together with your financial circumstances, your personal statement and the responsible person’s endorsement.  

The scheme’s Awards Panel will use the same criteria as applied to grants from other M.B.F. funds. Click here for more information.

The panel will consider any barriers to participation and under-representation.

You will be asked to submit: 

 1. A copy of the letter of acceptance from the institution offering the programme. 

2. Copies of relevant awards and reports you have received. 

3. Copies of your household’s income statements for the last three months. 

4. Copies of your household’s bills and outgoings for the last three months. 

5. Copies of your household’s bank statements for the last three months. 

6. Details of the applications you have made to other funding streams and copies of their responses. 

7. A reference from a responsible person, such as a tutor or supervisor, who can comment on your relevant past performance and future potential. 

The scheme’s Awards Panel will consider the evidence provided. If the evidence meets the criteria detailed in FAQ 10, it will award a bursary. See also FAQ 6.

You will receive a telephone call around a month after the application deadline. The telephone call will be followed by an email. If you have been successful in being awarded a bursary, the email will have attachments including the terms and conditions of the award and an acceptance form. 

The scheme’s Awards Panel will consider resubmissions if they contain new information on the merit of the application and / or your financial circumstances.

Fees for educational, vocational or performance programmes will be paid direct to the institution in termly instalments by bank transfer. Payments direct to beneficiaries will be paid in monthly instalments or on receipt of an invoice. Receipts will be required for expenditure above a defined level.

You will be paid in monthly instalments from the start of the programme, or on receipt of an invoice covered by the bursary.

If your expenses are lower than anticipated, you will be expected to refund the difference to the G.M.K.F. for the benefit of other applicants. If your expenses are higher than you anticipated you may write to the Bursary Scheme Administrator with full details, requesting an additional amount. The Awards Panel will consider your request but has full discretion as to whether or not it will grant an additional amount.

You will be expected to: 

 1. Achieve a good standard of performance in the area for which your bursary is awarded. 

2. Report your progress to the scheme’s Awards Panel via the Bursary Scheme Administrator. 

3. Acknowledge the G.M.K.F. as a source of financial support and consent to the M.B.F. making the award public.

You will be required to: 

 1. Submit a quarterly report to the Bursary Scheme Administrator to demonstrate continued good performance in the area for which your bursary is awarded.

2. Submit a final report to the Bursary Scheme Administrator detailing the benefits you have gained from the programme, the difference it has made and how it has helped you to achieve your next goals (eg, next course of study, appointment to an appropriate or relevant job, sports competition entered, etc).

3. In the case of bursaries awarded for more than one year, submit annually evidence of continued financial need.

4. Co-operate with any reasonable request for information, and with any enquiry or investigation undertaken by the M.B.F.

The scheme’s Awards Panel reserves the right to suspend, withdraw, reduce or defer the payment of awards if it believes you are not making satisfactory progress or not complying with the terms of the award. In making such decisions, the panel may seek evidence from you, from a responsible person, such as a tutor or supervisor, and from the institution providing the programme. 

Please keep receipts for all expenditure. The scheme’s Awards Panel will require receipts to be submitted for expenditure above the level defined in the scheme’s terms and conditions.  

Yes, you can. It will be considered on its own merit. However, if the programme you are following is longer than one year, you should state that in your application. Bursaries can be awarded for a maximum of four years, subject to continued good progress and continued financial need. If you wish to extend an award for additional years beyond the number for which you originally applied, you must submit a new application.

Yes. The scheme’s Awards Panel will consider resubmissions if they contain new information on the merit of the application and / or your financial circumstances.

The names of applicants, and the details provided, will be confidential to the members of the Awards Panel, the M.B.F. Board of Trustees and the staff who process applications and awards. In its management of the scheme, the M.B.F. will at all times comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) currently in force and the Data Protection Act 2018.

You can go to the scheme’s webpage here.

The Bursary Scheme Coordinator, Ruth Drury, on gmkfbursaries@mmh.org.uk