The Orphan Fund was established in 1933 under the Constitution and Bye-Laws of the Benevolent Fund. The Craft Lodges were assessed 25¢ per member for each Fund. The Benevolent Fund provided relief for Masons of the Jurisdiction or the widows and orphans of deceased Brethren. The Orphan Fund was created for “the maintenance and education of Masonic orphans.” (Constitution of the Grand Lodge Benevolent Fund, 1933, Section 1) In 1963 the Board of General Purposes recommended that part of the revenue of the Orphan Fund be used as bursaries to assist deserving Grade Twelve students. (Proceedings, 1963, p.33) The two Funds were consolidated in 1967 under a new Constitution. Currently the Grand Lodge Benevolent Fund provides benevolence and bursaries and is administered by three Trustees.

Masonic Scholarships and Bursaries
In 1964 Grand Lodge approved guidelines for the granting of bursaries. The Terms of reference were prepared by a Scholarship Committee comprised of R.W.Bro. H.L. Palmer, R.W.Bro. G.L. Bennett and M.W.Bro. G.E. Full. Initially the Grand Lodge offered four scholarships annually in the amount of $250. Masons or the sons, daughters, brothers or sisters of Masons were eligible to apply.

The first Scholarships were awarded in 1964 for the 1964-65 Academic Year. The Selection Committee awarded five scholarships in the first year because two applicants were considered tied for the fourth award.

Since 1964 Grand Lodge has been able to increase the number of Scholarships awarded annually and the value has been increased to $400. In 1970 eligibility was extended to the wives and widows of Masons. The selection of recipients is made by the Committee on Bursaries which is a Standing Committee of Grand Lodge. Fifteen bursaries were awarded in 1999-2000.

In 1970 The Board of General Purposes announced the establishment of the Dawson Memorial Scholarship Foundation. M.W.Bro. T. Arthur Dawson was a member of True Brothers Lodge No. 8 and was elected as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge in 1943. In 1970 he donated $30,000 to institute the Foundation. M.W.Bro. Dawson deceased in 1977. The Foundation is administered by the Inspectors General Scottish Rite on Prince Edward Island. Since 1971 income from the Foundation has been used to provide at least three scholarships to the value of $600 to the sons and daughters of Masons in this Jurisdiction. Under terms of reference for the Scholarships, the sons and daughters of Masons from True Brothers Lodge, Mount Moriah Lodge and Hiram and Lebanon Lodge are given preference by the Selection Committee.

In 1983 the C. Gordon Lord Scholarship Fund was established through a bequest of $30,000 from M.W.Bro. Lord’s estate. The Fund is also administered by the Inspectors General Scottish Rite in the Province. Interest from the Fund has provided a minimum of three scholarships annually in the amount of $600.