Tools & Downloads

Work through the guide online or use the resource library below when you need a presentation, example, template or outside reference. Existing download names from the current site are retained.

Elevate Your Lodge’s Impact

The complete offline workbook is the printable companion to this website in Microsoft Word so you can edit as you go through the exercises. It is designed to be worked through as a committee guide or used as source material for planning your Lodge communications. The website is the guided online version; the workbook is intended for offline use, committee discussion and planning.

Free Educational Downloads

Marketing, PR & Communications

• A Simple End-to-End Guide for a Lodge Web & Tech Committee – Practical step-by-step guide for building or refreshing a Lodge website while reducing long-term maintenance. Most lodges can start here!
• GL Ohio Open Published House Marketing Checklist v1 – A simple checklist running up to a lodge open house to ensure a fresh and vibrant presentation of your lodge online and off.
• Connected Lodges – The original 2016 presentation by WB Matt Johnson.
• Masonic Marketing Prompt for AI Bots – Ready-to-use setup prompt to help free AI chatbots provide more useful, Masonic-appropriate marketing guidance.
• Public Relations – Masonic public relations resource by Bro. & Dr. Dean Palmer.
• Social Media and the Lodge – presentation by WB Paul Bathgate on social media and Lodge communication.
• Marketing, Recruitment, Retention – Actions – Summary – Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire resource retained from the existing library.

Event & Lodge Examples

• Blendon 339 brochure – a real Lodge introduction and public-facing brochure example.
• Marketing the Annual Charity Fish Fry – Real-world example of how Blendon 339 plans and promotes its annual fundraiser for Westerville Special Olympics.

Free Stock Masonic Videos

Two original stock clips from the current site are retained for Lodge video projects.

• S&C light bulb clip – Download the HD file.
• Masonic & American flag clip – Download the HD file.

External Masonic PR & Marketing Resources

These resources are produced by Grand Lodges, Masonic writers and other organizations. Their existing titles are retained.

Do you know of resources that could be useful here? Send us an email!

• Every Man is a PR Man for Masonry
• Innovation and Masonry
• The Winds of Change
• Non-solicitation
• Membership Initiative Implementation Guide

Grand Lodge & Jurisdictional Resources

• Grand Lodge of Indiana
• Grand Lodge of Kentucky
• Grand Lodge of Minnesota
• Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
• Grand Lodge of Virginia

Free & Open-Source Working Tools

You do not need an expensive software stack to communicate effectively for your Lodge. Many of the same jobs handled by commercial marketing, design and office programs can be accomplished with free or open-source tools.

These are modern working tools for the digital age. Use them to create flyers, edit photographs, produce newsletters, build a website, create videos, manage documents and find quality media for Lodge communications.

Free plans and software offerings can change over time. Always review the provider’s current terms before adopting a tool for your Lodge.

Office, Documents & Lodge Administration

• LibreOffice – A full free and open-source office suite. Includes word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, diagrams and more. A strong alternative to Microsoft Office for Lodge documents, minutes, reports and committee work.

Graphic Design, Flyers & Photography

• Canva – A very easy browser-based design platform with a useful free plan. Excellent for social media graphics, event flyers, presentations, signs and simple printed materials.
• GIMP – A powerful free and open-source image editor. Useful for photo editing, image cleanup, resizing, compositing and more advanced graphics work.
• Krita – Free and open-source graphics software built for illustration and digital artwork. Also useful for creating or editing custom graphics.
• Inkscape – A free and open-source vector graphics editor similar in purpose to Adobe Illustrator. Particularly useful for Lodge logos, emblems, signs, banners and graphics that need to scale cleanly to any size.
• Scribus – Free and open-source desktop publishing software. Useful for newsletters, brochures, programs, pamphlets and other print-ready Lodge materials.
• RawTherapee – Free and open-source photo processing software. A useful option for improving photographs from Lodge events before using them online or in print.

Video Editing

• Shotcut – A free, open-source video editor for Windows, Mac and Linux. Useful for event recaps, promotional videos, interviews and social media content.
• OpenShot – A free and open-source video editor designed to be relatively easy to learn. A good starting point for basic Lodge video projects.

Website Building & Publishing

• WordPress.com – Build and host a basic website for free using WordPress. A good option for a Lodge that needs pages for events, contact information, charitable work, history and public information without maintaining its own web server.
• Google Sites – A simple website builder that works well with other Google tools such as Forms, Drive and Calendar. Useful for Lodges that want something straightforward and easy for multiple officers to maintain.
• Wix – A visual, no-code website builder with a free option. It can be useful for a Lodge that wants drag-and-drop website editing without learning WordPress.

Email Newsletters & Member Communications

• Mailchimp – Offers a limited free plan for smaller contact lists. It can be used to create formatted Lodge newsletters, manage subscribers and see basic information about whether emails are being opened.

Free Stock Photography & Video

Not every post or flyer needs a custom photo shoot. These sources can help fill visual gaps when you do not have an appropriate Lodge photograph available. Whenever possible, however, use real photographs of your Lodge, your building and your own community activities.

• Pexels – Free stock photography and video that can be used in websites, social media, newsletters, flyers and other marketing materials.
• Unsplash – A large collection of high-quality photography available for many personal, editorial and commercial uses.
• Wikimedia Commons – A massive collection of photographs, illustrations, video and historical media. Licensing varies by individual file, so always check the license and attribution requirements before use.

For the More Technical Brother

• Notepad++ – A free and open-source text and code editor for Windows. Useful for editing HTML, CSS, website files and other technical material when you need more control than a visual editor provides.

Start Simple

You do not need all of these programs. Choose the smallest number of tools necessary to accomplish the job and make sure someone else in the Lodge knows how to access and use them.

For many Lodges, a basic toolkit of LibreOffice + Canva + Pexels + a simple website platform + an email newsletter service is enough to handle the majority of day-to-day communications without building an expensive marketing technology stack.