December 2025:
New Programs Coming to Lodges and Halls
We asked, you’ve spoken, and now it’s time to implement changes to guide Freemasonry into the future.
The Keystone Initiative, which was introduced at Annual Communication this fall, is made up of three pillars, or themes, aimed at strengthening the fraternity for years to come. These were developed through extensive surveys with current lodge leaders, everyday members, and the general public. Many of the programs and tools called for in the Keystone Initiative will be rolled out over the coming weeks, months, and years.
Others, however, are already here—and right at your lodge’s door.
Here, get to know a handful of lodge-related efforts that are taking effect immediately, all of which are designed to nurture and strengthen our lodges and halls so they can thrive as vibrant spaces and serve our mission and our communities.
What: After 12 years of managing tax preparation for 412+ lodges and halls, the Grand Lodge Financial Services team will partner with tax preparation company Crowded beginning with 2025 filings. Crowded is a financial technology company that provides tax filing, financial management, and compliance services for nonprofit and chapter-based organizations nationwide.
When: Beginning January 1, 2026.
Benefit to the fraternity: Having an outside provider handle tax preparation and ensure compliance brings added efficiency, allowing staff to focus on support, training, and other strategic initiatives.
What to Know: Lodges and halls will continue managing their own financial records and submitting required reports, while the Grand Lodge will keep reviewing financials, providing support, and forwarding validated information to Crowded, which will prepare and file the tax returns. The tax preparation and filing services for lodges will remain free, while hall associations will be charged a tax preparation fee. Additional details, including timelines and instructions, will be shared as we approach the new tax year. No action is required at this time.
Questions? Contact vice president of finance, controller Maribel Pasamic at mpasamic@freemason.org or the Financial Services team at financialservices@fremason.org.
What: Over the past year, iMember has introduced a major new feature: a built-in accounting system. Previously, most California lodges handled accounting through Intacct, which required basic accounting knowledge. The new system is designed to be far simpler and more user-friendly for lodge officers.
When: Transition from Intacct to iMember Accounting by December 20, 2025.
Benefit to Fraternity: Major cost savings and provides lodge leaders with simple tools to manage finances that don’t require a background in accounting to use.
What to Know: The finance team has been working with lodges throughout the year to transition off Intacct, which will no longer be covered by the Grand Lodge. Starting in the new year, lodges that remain on Intacct will need to cover the full cost themselves—up to $10,000—or switch to the new iMember 2.0 accounting system. On-demand training is available to help transition files to the new system. (link to On24 platform)
Questions? Contact Financial Services at financialservices@freemason.org or by calling (415) 292-9170.
What: Two programs aimed at simplifying dues payments and improving retention. The first, Centralized Dues Billing, involves lodges opting in. If they do, the Grand Lodge will handle dues-billing on their behalf. Payments are routed to the lodge and logged in iMember—no invoices or reminders for your lodge to send. The second program, Automatic Payments, is an option for members to pre-pay the next year’s dues either yearly, monthly, or quarterly.
When? Centralized Dues Billing is happening now. Automatic Payments is also live: Members can opt into the program via iMember while paying their 2026 dues. (They will have the option to begin pre-payments on their 2027 dues, with partial payments starting in January 2026.)
Benefit to Fraternity: Better retention of current members. Suspensions for nonpayment of dues is the largest single source of membership loss. Centralizing dues payments through the Grand Lodge also frees up lodge leaders for business other than notification and collections; prepayment offers members a way to break up their payments into manageable monthly or quarterly chunks.
What to Know: Already enrolled in centralized dues billing? No action needed. For Auto Payments, when you pay your dues online through iMember, you’ll have the option to sign up for automatic payments. Just click the link at the end of the dues process to set up auto payments.
Questions: Contact Member Services at memberservices@freemason.org.
What: The Grand Lodge is launching its own insurance captive. That’s a private insurance company, owned by us and designed to insure our own property risks. So instead of purchasing insurance from a typical insurance carrier, the captive will provide casualty coverage for our hall properties, the California Masonic Memorial Temple in San Francisco, and the buildings and real estate associated with our Masonic Homes and Acacia Creek campuses. Over time, we hope the captive will lower insurance premiums and offer us more control and flexibility than traditional insurance markets.
When: Spring 2026
Benefit to Fraternity: Providing insurance for the fraternity’s hall buildings has been challenging in recent years, given the rise in wildfires and other natural disasters. “In light of the ongoing instability of the property insurance market, we wanted to offer flexibility and affordability to our lodges and their halls,” says Carol Hunter, Chief Financial Officer for Grand Lodge. Right now, around 90 percent of California’s Masonic lodges and halls go through Grand Lodge for insurance. Says Khalil Sweidy, Director of Fnancial Planning, “There’s been a seismic shift in the property insurance landscape in California. We hope that this captive will make it easier for lodges to find property insurance for their halls without having to deal with ever-increasing premiums.”
What to Know: More information, and steps for signing up, will be presented this spring at the Leadership Retreats.
Questions? Contact Financial Services at financialservices@freemason.org or by calling (415) 292-9170.
What: To help hall leaders identify and triage hall maintenance issues, the Grand Lodge has partnered with the engineering firm SnapRISK to offer free assessments for every hall. “This type of assessment, which will give you a snapshot of the condition and needed maintenance of your building, would ordinarily cost lodges thousands of dollars each, and we’re offering it for free,” Sweidy says.
When: Beginning December 2025, continuing for 36 months.
Benefit to Fraternity: Conducting a building assessment is important because it provides your hall with information to address critical maintenance issues and help formulate a long-term capital plan to address improvements.
What to Know: Assessments will be done over time and will start in specific areas of the state. Grand Lodge and SnapRISK will reach out to each area and each hall to schedule assessments. An engineer will conduct the survey to determine maintenance issues associated with your property. The property survey will likely take no more than 3 to 6 hours. A final report will be issued a few weeks later, which your hall association will receive a copy of. This is entirely free to the lodge or hall.
Questions? Contact Grand Lodge Real Estate at realestate@freemason.org or (415) 292-9111.
Use this content to spread the word about resources provided by the California Masonic Foundation, the Masonic Homes of California, and more.
Masonic Health Services:
Services at MCYAF Across the Lifespan
The Pavilion at the Masonic Homes
Masonic Homes of California Resources
Masonic Philanthropy:
Stay on track of lodge business and prepare for important deadlines. Here’s your December checklist.
Executive Committee
- Hold the installation of officers or continue to prepare for installation.
- Meet with the inspector to review your plan for the year.
- Prepare to attend the 2026 Leadership Retreats. Registration will begin in January.
Senior Warden, along with Executive Committee
- Urge the presumptive master, wardens, and senior deacon to perform their Master Mason’s proficiency soon, if not already completed.
- Prepare the 2026 budget to present to the lodge in January.
- Budget for, and prepare to attend, 2026 Leadership Retreats.
- Ensure that all committee assignments have been determined. After installation as master, confirm audit, charity, and membership retention committee appointments.
- Review all candidates’ progress toward advancement.
Secretary
- Continue sending out dues notices and collecting member dues.
- Begin preparing the secretary’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.
- Review the list of suspended members sent to you by Grand Lodge and determine if your lodge wants to participate in the 2026 Restoration Campaign.
- Budget for, and prepare to attend, 2026 Leadership Retreats.
Treasurer
- Begin preparing the treasurer’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.
- Budget for, and prepare to attend, 2026 Leadership Retreats.
- Ensure that the lodge financial records are up-to-date and bank accounts are reconciled.
Questions? Contact Member Services at memberservices@freemason.org or (415) 776-7000.
Last month, we asked you to complete the Keystone Initiative survey.