Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association logo

Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association

Private foundation · Grantmaker Littleton, CO EIN: 84-0406813 Website
Economically disadvantaged peopleLow-income peopleEducationHigher education

Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association is a private foundation based in Littleton, Colorado. Its 2024 filing reports grants for scholarships, vocational education, and benevolence, with all reported grant dollars going to Colorado recipients.

Key facts about Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association

In short: Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association gave $313K across 49 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Colorado. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
84-0406813
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$313,104
Grants made (2024)
49
Average grant
$6,390
Median grant
$1,500
New grantees (estimate)
33% first-time grantees (16 of 48, 2024)
Total assets
$11,200,230
Primary geography
Colorado (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The association says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$11.2M

+17.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$313K

+11.6% YoY

Grant Count

49

+6.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6K

+4.7% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association reported a distributable amount of $48K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association open to new grantees?

33%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 16 of 48 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $8K. How we count

Medians: $637 first-time, $3K repeat.

  • 63% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 33% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The available information describes the association’s funding through its awards rather than stating a broader organizational mission. Its 2024 grants included scholarships and vocational education awards, as well as grants identified as benevolence.

The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the kinds of organizations supported. CSU STRATA says it aids Colorado State University System institutions in their research and educational efforts. Colorado Mesa University says its foundation administers property and makes expenditures for the university’s benefit. Western Colorado University’s foundation says it aids the university in fulfilling its educational purposes.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the association reported 49 grants totaling $313,104. Awards ranged from $250 to $55,250, with a median grant of $1,500. The largest awards included $55,250 to Colorado State University for scholarships, $34,630 to Pueblo Community College for education, $32,500 to Colorado School of Mines for scholarships, and $24,000 to Century 190 for benevolence. Other notable awards included $22,000 to the University of Northern Colorado for scholarships and $21,250 to Colorado Mesa University for scholarships and vocational technology.

The association’s scholarship program is for graduating seniors from Colorado public high schools pursuing higher education at Colorado institutions. Scholarships have recently been described as $7,000 per year, renewable for up to four years, for a total of up to $28,000. The program also offers one-time vocational grants, usually around $1,000, for education at Colorado schools. Its matching grant program matches up to $500 of grant money presented by local lodges to graduating public high school seniors attending Colorado institutions. These are awards to individual students, not organizational grant opportunities.

How to Apply

The association says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its scholarship information describes eligibility and selection criteria but provides no application instructions here. Scholarship selection is based primarily on leadership, maturity, need, and scholastic ability, without reference to race, creed, color, sex, or Masonic relationship.

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2 open opportunities from Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado. The scholarship and vocational programs described are for students attending Colorado institutions or schools.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 49 itemized grants.

Cities

DenverColorado SpringsGreeleyGrand JunctionPuebloSterlingAlamosaDurangoGoldenRangelySalidaBoulderCentral CityFort CollinsGunnisonLake CityFairplayHotchkissLimonTrinidad

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K35 grants2020 41 grants2021 39 grants2022 46 grants2023 49 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $235K (2021) to $313K (2024). In 2024 it made 49 grants totaling $313K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Colorado State University: $55KColorado State University$55KPueblo Community College: $35KPueblo Community College$35KColorado School of Mines: $33KColorado School of Mines$33KCentury 190: $24KCentury 190$24KUniversity of Northern Colorado: $22KUniversity of NorthernColorado$22KColorado Mesa University: $21KColorado Mesa University$21KAdams State College: $15KAdams State College$15KUniversity of Colorado Denver: $12KUniversity of Colorado Denver$12KFort Lewis College: $11KFort Lewis College$11KUniversity of Colorado Boulder: $11KUniversity of Colorado Boulder$11K

The largest 2024 recipient was Colorado State University ($55K). Together the top 10 received $238K.

Organizations only. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($7,250), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

210 grants across all recorded years

209<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 209 grants of 210 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Colorado State University Fort Collins, COScholarship$55,250
Pueblo Community College Pueblo, COEducation$34,630
Colorado School of Mines Golden, COScholarship$32,500
Century 190 Greeley, COBenevolence$24,000
University of Northern Colorado Greeley, COScholarship$22,000
Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction, COScholarship Vocational Tech$21,250
Adams State College Alamosa, COScholarship$15,000
University of Colorado Denver Denver, COScholarship$11,500
Fort Lewis College Durango, COScholarship$11,000
University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, COScholarship$11,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $11,200,230 $144,381 $368,689 $313,104
2023 $9,534,285 $89,863 $401,929 $280,608
2022 $9,440,850 $83,269 $368,732 $260,265
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$5M$10M$15M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$11,200,230$9,534,285$9,440,850
Revenue$144,381$89,863$83,269
Expenses$368,689$401,929$368,732
Qualifying Distributions$9,418,336$9,228,457$1,190,018
Net Investment Income$469,010$264,671$111,090
Distributable Amount$48,367$42,241$46,730

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Ralph E Hardy as president, Ronald Birely as vice president, Marvin Feldman as secretary, Wayne Arner as treasurer, and John J Harrington as assistant secretary-treasurer.

Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association is led by Ralph E. Hardy, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Ralph E. Hardy

    President

    President → Presdent, 2022

    Presdent → President, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John J. Harrington

    Assistant Secretaryttreasurer

    Assistant Secretarytreasurer → Assistant Secretaryttreasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marvin Feldman

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ronald Birely

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Wayne Arner

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: PO Box 632029, Littleton, CO 80163-2029
Website: https://www.cmbfa.org

Frequently asked questions about Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association

How much does Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association give each year?

Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association gave $313K across 49 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $281K across 46 grants.

What is Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association's typical grant size?

Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association's median grant in 2024 was $1,500, and its average grant was $6,390, across 49 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association that year got $3K on average.

Where does Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association give grants?

Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association gives mostly in Colorado: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (5 grants), Pueblo, CO (3 grants), Grand Junction, CO (3 grants) and Greeley, CO (2 grants).

Does Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 49 grants with a stated purpose on Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational Grant" (22 grants), "Scholarship" (14 grants) and "Benevolence" (8 grants).

Who are Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association's largest grantees?

Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association's largest 2024 grantees include Colorado State University ($55,250), Pueblo Community College ($34,630) and Colorado School of Mines ($32,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($7,250), which are not listed by name. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association?

Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association reported $11.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $9.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $48K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association fund?

The available information describes the association’s funding through its awards rather than stating a broader organizational mission. Its 2024 grants included scholarships and vocational education awards, as well as grants identified as benevolence. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association?

The association says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association's EIN?

Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-0406813. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Colorado Masons Benevolent Fund Association accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

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