Star Council Award Information and Status

Star Council Team Members 

Rick Guzman, Director - skrickguzman@gmail.com and number, Texas State Council Knights of Columbus Star Council Director El Paso & Laredo Diocese 

Star Council Award

Understanding the Star Council Award: The Pinnacle of Fraternal Excellence

The Star Council Award represents the highest honor a Knights of Columbus council can achieve each fraternal year. It is a prestigious recognition of a council's outstanding dedication to the core pillars of our Order: membership growth, the promotion of our fraternal insurance benefits, and impactful charitable programming. Achieving this award is a testament to a council's vibrant faith in action and its commitment to leaving a lasting, positive impact on the parish and local community.

The Council must be in good standing/current with per-capita assessments. The council must submit the online Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity (#1728), Report of Officers Chosen for the Term (#185), Service Program Personnel Report (#365), and Annual Audit (#1295). Councils must also be fully compliant with applicable safe environment requirements.

Requirement 1

Donate at least $500 as part of one of the following Faith in Action programs:

ASAP, Food for Families, RSVP, or Coats for Kids.

Requirement 2

Complete 4 Faith in Action programs, one in each of the following categories:

Faith, Family, Community, Life. You cannot claim programs / activities already submitted for

requirement 1. To qualify as Faith in Action programs, the council must run programs similar to those described in the Faith in Action Program Guidebook.

Requirement 3

Complete 3 programs / activities: one to bring men closer to Christ, one to

build fraternity (strengthen the bonds of friendship between the men of your council and/or parish) and one to support your parish or community. These programs / activities can be unique to the council and do not need to be Faith in Action programs. You cannot claim programs / activities already submitted for requirements 2 and 3.

OR

Conducting Cor satisfies all three of the program/activity criteria for requirement 3.

Councils must implement and sustain Cor gatherings that feature prayer, formation, and fraternity at least once per month. To qualify, Cor must be implemented starting on or before April 1 with plans for long-term sustainability. Cor may be held in conjunction with an additional men’s ministry and pull from non-KofC content.

For more information click the following link:  Star Council Award 2026 - 2027 Fraternal Year

To earn the coveted Star Council status, a council must successfully fulfill a series of benchmark achievements, which include qualifying for three foundational sub-awards:

Father McGivney Award

The Father McGivney Award recognizes excellence in your council’s membership growth. To earn this award your council must meet or exceed its yearly membership quota. The quota is a 6% increase in the council’s membership as of July 1 (intake only, minimum of five and maximum of fifteen). Your specific council quota can be found under the Membership tab in Officers Online. There is no application for the Father McGivney Award. Eligibility is automatically determined by the Supreme Council.

All membership transactions must be received, processed, recorded, and released at the Supreme Council office by June 30.

Reaching Higher: Double & Triple Star Recognition

For councils that go above and beyond in their recruitment efforts, the Supreme Council offers premier designations for exceptional growth in tandem with overall excellence.

• Double Star Council Award: Earned by councils that achieve Star Council status AND reach 200 percent of their membership gain goal.

• Triple Star Council Award: Earned by councils that achieve Star Council status AND reach 300 percent of their membership gain goal.

Thank you for your dedicated leadership and your continued efforts to strengthen your council, your parish, and our brotherhood.

Founders' Award

The Founders’ Award recognizes excellence in the promotion of our insurance and fraternal benefits. To earn this award, a number equal to 10% of Associate members on the July 1 council roster must meet individually with a field agent for a financial review (minimum of five and maximum of fifteen). A financial review with an insurance agent is a personalized check-in to evaluate your current financial protection, identify gaps or changes in your needs, and ensure your insurance and long-term financial strategies still align with your goals, family, and future plans.

Lone Star Awards

Texas offers additional awards for excellence beyond Star Council:

• Lone Star Award for Excellence: Meet Star Council criteria, submit Form 185 by July 1, pay State Per Capita by March 1, meet State Charity Goal by June 30, and have at least one delegate at the State Convention.

• Lone Star Award for Excellence with Distinction: Meet Star Council criteria with additional requirements, such as safe environment compliance, participating in an FBE, and submitting Special Olympics Form 10784 by January 31.