Get Support

Grants can be awarded to assist with ongoing costs such as sports coaching, advanced music lessons and the purchase of one-off items such as a musical instrument or sports equipment.

Support is agreed for a set period of time and subject to both an annual financial review and confirmation that the candidate’s talent continues to develop.

The scheme is competitive and has limited funds.

Eligibility

All applications are subject to the following criteria:

• The applicant must be the child, step-child or grandchild of a Freemason.
• A financial assessment of the family’s household income.
• Candidates must apply for all other sources of available funding such as grants, scholarships and sponsorship.
• Candidates must intend to pursue their talent as a career and must be able to demonstrate exceptional talent by passing recognised examinations, gaining entry to highly competitive schemes or by performing at regional and national levels.
• Grants are not available to fund a hobby or so that an academically gifted child can attend a better school.
• Assistance with school fees for performing arts students can only be considered if they attend a Dance and Drama Award (DaDA) accredited or Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) accredited establishment, see the DaDA list here and MDS list here.
• We are only able to consider assistance with school fees for other disciplines if the applicant attends a choir school, a specialist music school or a sports college based on their exceptional talent.

In most cases where grants toward fees are agreed, parents will be expected to make a contribution.

Deadlines

All TalentAid applications for each upcoming academic year will be considered the preceding July and you will be notified of the outcome of your application in August.

For those seeking support for the 2021/22 academic year: The TalentAid scheme has closed for this academic year so we are not accepting any further applications.

For those seeking support for the 2022/23 academic year: Applications will open in January 2022.

How to apply

There are three parts to the application:

1. Application form
2. Supporting statement
3. Tutor/Coach reference form

The Tutor/Coach Reference form and Supporting Statement must be completed for an application to be considered. They are used to help us identify the very best candidates. We will not accept alternative documents in place of any of the three TalentAid forms. The Tutor/Coach Reference form will be emailed direct to the nominated tutor/coach once your Application Form is received.

If we do not receive all three parts of the application, together with supporting financial documents, your application will not be progressed.

When the scheme re-opens in January 2022, each eligible application will be presented to our decision-making panel for a decision in July 2022. Any applications received before January 2022 will not be considered.

Further information

If you have any questions about TalentAid, please call 0800 035 60 90 or email talentaid@mcf.org.uk