Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of is a private foundation based in Santa Monica, California. It funds local charities’ operating costs and provides support to local needy persons, according to its 2024 filing.
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of at a glance
In short: Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of gave $76K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in California. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $75,861
- +65.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +46.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,993
- +13.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $845,293
- +14.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (7 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests are made by letter to Santa Monica Lodge 906 BPOE of the. Awards are limited to local charities for operating funds and local needy persons.
- Review Cycle
- None, according to the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None, according to the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Santa Monica Lodge 906 Bpoe Of The
Mailing address: 1040 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: (310) 452-3557
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Scholarships ($12K). Together the top 10 received $60K.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 57 grants of 57 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went entirely to recipients in California. Its 2024 filing limits awards to local charities and local needy persons.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 19 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 315% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 73% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $18K (2022) to $76K (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $76K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarships Santa Monica, CA | Operational Assistance | $11,721 |
| Samohi Programs Santa Monica, CA | Operational Assistance | $8,200 |
| Elks Patriotism Activities Santa Monica, CA | Operational Assistance | $7,024 |
| Elks Needy Family Christmas Program Santa Monica, CA | Operational Assistance | $5,386 |
| Nourish LA Los Angeles, CA | Operational Assistance | $5,000 |
| Great Park Coalition Santa Monica, CA | Operational Assistance | $5,000 |
| Heal the Bay Santa Monica, CA | Operational Assistance | $5,000 |
| Gowing Hope Gardens Santa Monica, CA | Operational Assistance | $4,800 |
| Elks Family Assistance Santa Monica, CA | Operational Assistance | $4,676 |
| Local Homeless Project Santa Monica, CA | Operational Assistance | $3,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $845,293 | $187,432 | $81,669 | $75,861 | 19 | $75,936 | $185,432 | $104,162 |
| 2024 | $740,192 | $187,039 | $111,845 | $45,906 | 13 | $45,981 | $126,354 | $83,437 |
| 2023 | $666,475 | $141,417 | $98,628 | $27,437 | 8 | $27,507 | $80,732 | $57,697 |
| 2022 | $623,683 | $58,831 | $23,140 | $18,271 | 9 | $21,133 | $56,824 | $47,576 |
| 2021 | $588,537 | $58,988 | $33,261 | $27,550 | 8 | — | $56,988 | $46,434 |
| 2020 | $563,878 | $54,662 | $23,212 | $19,000 | 6 | — | $52,662 | $44,626 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of reported a distributable amount of $104K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes awards as limited to local charities for operating funds and local needy persons. Its 2025 grants included support for scholarships, youth activities, family assistance, food and garden programs, and environmental and community organizations.
Among its 2025 grantees, Heal the Bay describes its mission as making Southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy, and clean through research, education, community action, and advocacy. Santa Monica Arts Foundation Inc. describes its mission as developing support for the arts in Santa Monica.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $75,861. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $11,721, with a median grant of $3,000. Notable grants included $11,721 for Scholarships, $8,200 for Samohi Programs, $7,024 for Elks Patriotism Activities, $5,386 for the Elks Needy Family Christmas Program, and $5,000 each for Nourish LA, Great Park Coalition, and Heal the Bay.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Gloria Steck as president; Diedre Welborn as vice president; Raymond Beers as treasurer; Ilene Knebel as secretary; and Elizabeth Beers, Audrey McDonnell, Rosaa Randell, Nicole Blute, Gloria Halfacre, and Amber Spence as directors.
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of is led by Gloria Steck, President on the 2025 filing; none of the 11 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gloria Steck
President
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Beers
Director
Treasurer & Secretary → Treasurer, 2024
Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gloria Halfacre
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Irma Santiago
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amber Spence
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Audrey McDonnell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Blute
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rosaa Randell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Raymond Beers
Treasurer
Secretary → President, 2021
President → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ilene Knebel
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diedre Welborn
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Donald Checchi (2020–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Frank H. Frazier (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Audrey O'Donnell (2024) — Director
- Former: Michelle Vanlerberghe (2024) — Director
- Former: Rosita Rangel (2024) — Director
- Former: Ronald Robinson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Joseph Deering (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Margy Pickett (2021–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Jaynne Roshart (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Nancy Gundlach (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Robert Pickett (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Ann Scully (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Betty Ho (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Andy Carter (2020) — Director
- Former: Augden Roberts (2020) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of
How much does Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of give each year?
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of gave $76K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $46K across 13 grants.
What is Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of's typical grant size?
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $3,993, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of that year got $5K on average.
Where does Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of give grants?
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Monica, CA (16 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of's largest grantees?
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of's largest 2025 grantees include Scholarships ($11,721), Samohi Programs ($8,200) and Elks Patriotism Activities ($7,024), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of?
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of reported $845K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $76K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $104K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of fund?
The foundation’s filing describes awards as limited to local charities for operating funds and local needy persons. Its 2025 grants included support for scholarships, youth activities, family assistance, food and garden programs, and environmental and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of's EIN?
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-6099731. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/benevolent-and-protective-order-of-elks-of-morg_4e45ee1f974a44bebebd3503404164dc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_956099731_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Benevolent \& Protective Order of Elks of funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/benevolent-and-protective-order-of-elks-of-morg_4e45ee1f974a44bebebd3503404164dc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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