BPO Elks

What BPO Elks does

BPO Elks (Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America) is a 501(c)(8) non-profit fraternal benefit society founded in 1868 and headquartered at 2750 North Lakeview Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The organization operates through a federated network of more than 1,800 local lodges spanning all 50 U.S. states, with a stated membership of nearly 800,000 men and women. Its go-to-market is community-led: prospective members must be sponsored by an existing member in good standing and proceed through a lodge-level application and voting process, and demand generation relies on word-of-mouth referrals, community visibility, and lodge-sponsored events.

The organization's revenue model rests on three streams: (1) prorated annual membership dues paid by individual lodge members, characterized as recurring subscription-style revenue; (2) tax-deductible charitable contributions to the Elks National Foundation (ENF) under Section 501(c)(3); and (3) disaster relief donations to a dedicated fund also operating under Section 501(c)(3). Detailed financial information is not publicly disclosed, and membership dues vary lodge-by-lodge.

The product portfolio is dominated by charitable and community service programs rather than commercial products. Core offerings include the Community Investments Program (CIP) administered through the Elks National Foundation with multiple grant tracks (Beacon, Spotlight, Gratitude, Impact, Freedom Grants); a Veterans Services suite anchored by VA Voluntary Service, the Veterans Leather Program, Welcome Home Kits, Adopt-a-Veteran, the Emergency Assistance Fund, and Focus Grants; youth-facing programs (Hoop Shoot, Drug Awareness, scholarships); and the Elks Care Disaster Relief initiative. Operationally, the organization supports lodges with two proprietary tools: the Virtual Home Page (VHP) platform for lodge web presence and CLMS2 (Chicago Lodge Membership System) for membership record management, both designed for integration across the lodge network. Strategic partnerships include a formal VA VAVS arrangement with the Department of Veterans Affairs, a HUD-VASH collaboration on veteran homelessness, and coordination with VFW and American Legion on veteran outreach. The national headquarters staff is small (1-10 employees), with the bulk of program delivery executed through the decentralized lodge system.

Name

BPO Elks

Legal name

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America

Website

https://elks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BPO Elks is a 501(c)(8) fraternal benefit society founded in 1868, operating 1,800+ lodges across all 50 U.S. states with nearly 800,000 members, delivering veterans services, youth programs, disaster relief, and community grants via the Elks National Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fraternal Organization Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

Keywords

• Fraternal organization
• Veterans services
• Community service
• Youth programs
• Charitable grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The organization generates revenue through annual lodge dues paid by its nearly 800,000 members across over 1,800 lodges nationwide. Members pay prorated annual lodge dues upon initiation and renewal.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Elks National Foundation (ENF) accepts donations to support various community programs including scholarships, veterans services, and community investments. Tax-deductible contributions under Section 501(c)3.
3. Disaster Relief Donations: The organization collects tax-deductible donations for its Disaster Relief Fund to support communities affected by disasters, operating under Section 501(c)3.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BPO Elks operates a fraternal membership organization that delivers community service, charitable programs, veterans services, and youth programs through a national network of more than 1,800 local lodges. Revenue is generated through member lodge dues and donations supporting programs such as Community Investments Program grants, veterans support (Adopt-a-Veteran, Welcome Home Kits, Veterans Leather Program, VA Voluntary Service), scholarship and youth initiatives (Hoop Shoot, Drug Awareness), and disaster relief.

Product overview

The BPO Elks operates primarily as a fraternal organization rather than a technology company. Its core offerings consist of charitable and community service programs administered through the Elks National Foundation (ENF) and the Elks National Veterans Service Commission (ENVSC). The main product portfolio includes the Community Investments Program (CIP) with multiple grant types (Beacon, Spotlight, Gratitude, Impact, and Freedom Grants), comprehensive Veterans Services programs (VA Voluntary Service, Veterans Leather Program, Welcome Home Kits, Adopt-a-Veteran, Emergency Assistance, Focus Grants), membership management services (inquiry processing, reinstatement, CLMS2Web lodge management system), and web services (Virtual Home Pages for Lodges, Lodge Directory Locator). Additional services include the Disaster Relief donation system and ENF/ENVSC newsletters. The organization maintains presence in all 50 states through approximately 1,800 community Lodges serving nearly 800,000 members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Investments Program (CIP) Comprehensive grant program administered by the Elks National Foundation that provides funding to local Elks Lodges for charitable community projects through Beacon, Spotlight, Gratitude, Impact, and Freedom Grant types.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership through the VA Voluntary Service (VAVS) program where Elks serve as certified volunteers in VA facilities. Elks are part of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) for the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE).
• HUD-VASH (HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to address veteran homelessness through coordinated outreach and housing assistance programs, including Welcome Home Kits for veterans moving into new homes.
• National Veterans Wheelchair GamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElks provide free wheelchair gloves at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games through the Veterans Leather Program, supporting adaptive sports for veterans.
• Veteran Service Organizations (VFW, American Legion)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCoordinate with other veteran organizations for community outreach and support services. Donations to these organizations must be specifically designated for projects serving veterans in need.
• Local Casinos and RiverboatsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCasinos donate decks of playing cards which Elks distribute to VA homes and hospitals for recreational activities with hospitalized veterans.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fraternal Order of Eagles: American fraternal organization operating local aeries (chapters) with similar charitable mission, membership dues model, and community-service programs including veterans support, youth activities, and disaster relief. Closest direct analogue to the Elks' lodge-based fraternal structure.
• Knights of Columbus: Catholic fraternal benefit society with similar federated council structure, member dues revenue, insurance/fraternal benefits, and charitable programs (scholarships, disaster relief, community service). Comparable scale and operating model with comparable member demographics.
• Lions Clubs International: Service-oriented fraternal organization with 1.4M+ members in local clubs worldwide. Operates nearly identical federated structure, community programs (youth, vision, disaster relief), and recurring dues model. Direct competitor for member mind-share in the fraternal space.
• American Legion: Veterans-focused fraternal organization with local posts, federal VA partnership, and similar veterans-services program portfolio. Direct competitor for veteran-volunteer engagement and VA partnership positioning.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Veterans service organization with comparable VA partnership, local post structure, and veterans-support programs. Already a coordination partner but also a competitor for VA-facility volunteer slots and veteran-member recruiting.
• Rotary International: Global fraternal/service organization with local clubs, membership dues, scholarship programs, youth leadership development, and humanitarian grantmaking. Comparable federated structure and community-service orientation.
• Kiwanis International: Service club with local chapters, membership dues, youth-focused programs (similar to Hoop Shoot/Drug Awareness), and scholarship programs. Operates a directly comparable community-service fraternal model.
• Shriners International: Fraternal organization with local temple structure, membership dues, and signature charitable programs (Shriners Children's hospitals). Comparable federated fraternal model with charitable-grantmaking arm.
• Masonic Fraternal Organizations (e.g., Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons): Historic fraternal organizations with similar lodge structure, member dues, charitable giving, and community presence. Comparable governance model and 150+ year institutional history.
• Independent Order of Odd Fellows: One of the oldest American fraternal organizations with local lodge structure, similar charitable mission, and recurring membership model. Operates with comparable member-demographic and programmatic profile to the Elks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/glmembmarketing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/benevolentandprotectiveorderofelks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BPO Elks