Grants

Background
​As of 2020, Clan MacKinnon Society now offers three grants awarded annually. Thanks to contributions from many generous supporters during a fundraising campaign in late 2019 and early 2020, over $6,000 was raised to support Clan MacKinnon Society's grants and clan tent stipend fund into the future. As a result of the funds raised, the Society can now award more grants and each can be given at a larger amount than in years past. 

Award Amount
Each grant applicant can apply for up to $400 in funds. The funds awarded are based on strength and merit of the application, and cost of the endeavor for which the applicant is seeking funds. 

Grant Ideas 
Each grant application should seek funding to support an endeavor that is in some way MacKinnon-related or Scottish in nature. 
  • Interested in learning Gaelic? How about lessons, or purchasing some language training software or other resources?
  • Attending workshops related to Scottish history, culture, music, cooking?
  • Interested in genealogy research? How about a DNA test kit, an Ancestry.com membership, or the services of a professional genealogist?
  • Working on your heraldry and coats of arms and in need of some extra funds to help you?
  • Hosting a local Scottish or MacKinnon event like a Burns Supper, potluck, or other type of social get-together? (Other than hosting a clan tent at a Highland Games as we have clan tent stipends to support you in that.)
  • Learning the bagpipes? Participating in Highland dance?
  • Looking for whisky tasting club start-up funds?
  • Want to give back by organizing a Scottish/MacKinnon-related service project such as a trail clean-up, refurbishment of historic signage, sprucing up a local meeting hall, etc.? Need some clean-up or painting supplies for the project?
We hope some of the ideas above might inspire you to apply for a grant. And, of course, maybe you've come here to apply because you already have a special project, personal endeavor, or something else in mind. We look forward to reading your application!

Eligibility & Requirements
  • All Society members and their immediate family members (spouses/partners and children younger than 18) are eligible to apply. 
  • Members of any age are encouraged to apply.
  • If awarded, you should plan to use the funds by December of the year in which you are awarded.
  • Awardees will be required to write about how they used their grant for an article to be published in the winter edition of the Shank Bone (Clan MacKinnon Society's quarterly e-newsletter).
  • Recipients will return, in full, any grant received if they do not utilize it for which it was intended or have not used it by December of the year in which it was awarded. In case of injury or illness, an exception may be made upon petition to the Grants Committee with full explanation of the circumstances.

Deadline
The 2020 deadline to submit an application was June 30, 2020. Our next application cycle will open in spring 2021. 

Questions
If you have any questions, please contact the Grants Committee by email.

Past Award Winners

Year
Recipient Location
Endeavor
2007
Unknown
Piping lessons
2007
Minnesota, USA
Highland dance competition
2008
Minnesota, USA
Highland dance costuming
2008
Minnesota, USA
Highland dance costuming
2009
NO APPLICANTS
n/a
2010
North Carolina, USA
Piping lessons
2011
NO APPLICANTS
n/a
2012
Minnesota, USA
Highland dance
2012
Washington State, USA
Highland dance lessons
2013
Washington State, USA
Piping workshops
2013
Minnesota, USA
Tin whistle lessons
2014
Ohio, USA
Highland dance costuming and competitions
2014
New York State, USA
Celtic music classes
2015
Washington State, USA
New Highland dance shoes and hoisery
2015
Ohio, USA
New Highland dance costuming
2016
Washington State, USA
Private Highland dance lessons
2016
France
Bass drum with clan crest for pipe band
2017
Germany
Purchase of a bagpipe
2017
Ohio, USA
New Highland dance costuming
2018
Germany
Purchase of a bagpipe
2019
Washington State, USA
New Highland dance costuming
2019
Colorado, USA
Ancestry.com membership for genealogy
2020
Colorado, USA
Genealogy research
2020
Washington State, USA
​Learn Gaelic using Duolingo
2020
Netherlands
Tenor drumming training
2020
Germany
Drum Major training