Scottish Rite Of Freemasonry

What Scottish Rite Of Freemasonry does

The Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A. is a private, nonprofit fraternal organization headquartered at the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1801, it administers 29 advanced Masonic degrees (4°-32°, with the 33° conferred every odd-numbered year) to Master Masons in good standing through a hierarchical network of local Valleys organized by state-level Orients across 35 states and several overseas jurisdictions. Core operational assets include a library of more than 250,000 books and manuscripts, two online retail storefronts (the Scottish Rite Bookstore on Shopify and the Gift Shop on MerchOrders), a member portal, and the bimonthly Scottish Rite Journal. Revenue is generated from member dues, bookstore and gift shop sales, subscriptions to the Scottish Rite Journal and the Scottish Rite Research Society's Heredom and Plumbline publications, philanthropic donations (including the Acacia Guild at $1,000 and Adopt-a-Book at $250), and named scholarships. The organization is supported by two affiliated 501(c)(3) foundations — the Scottish Rite Foundation and the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation.

The Scottish Rite operates a diversified philanthropy portfolio. The RiteCare Scottish Rite Childhood Language Program operates clinics treating speech and language disorders across the Southern Jurisdiction; the National Scholarships Program supports undergraduate, graduate, and vocational students with Masonic family ties; disaster relief is delivered through the Scottish Rite Foundation; and Scottish Rite for Children in Texas is a separately operated pediatric hospital. Education is delivered through the Master Craftsman Program online, the Masonic Book Club (revived in 2017), and the Scottish Rite Research Society, which has over 3,000 members worldwide and publishes the annual Heredom journal. The organization is governed by Sovereign Grand Commander James D. Cole, 33°, supported by a Grand Executive Director, CFO, and a management team of approximately 11-50 staff at the Washington headquarters, with regional delivery handled by Valley and Orient volunteers. Marketing spans podcasts (Tyler's Place, Scottish Rite Journal Podcast), social channels including TikTok, the Scottish Rite Journal, and grassroots Scottish Rite Friends Dinners.

Name

Scottish Rite Of Freemasonry

Legal name

The Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A.

Website

https://scottishrite.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1801

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Supreme Council, 33°, of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is a nonprofit fraternal organization administering advanced Masonic degrees (4°-32°) to Master Masons across 35 U.S. states and overseas jurisdictions, funded through member dues, donations, publications, and retail operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fraternal Membership and Masonic Education Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC)

Keywords

• Fraternal organization
• Masonic education
• Membership services
• Philanthropy programs
• Scholarly publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Member Dues: Members pay annual dues to maintain membership. The Supreme Council, 33°, SJ, USA manages dues through its membership portal. Outstanding dues result in loss of access to member benefits.
2. Scottish Rite Bookstore and Gift Shop: The organization operates two online retail stores: the Scottish Rite Bookstore (srbookstore.myshopify.com) selling books, journals, regalia, and Masonic supplies; and the Scottish Rite Gift Shop (shopsrgifts.merchorders.com). Revenue is generated from merchandise, publications, and gift sales to members and the public.
3. Scottish Rite Journal Subscriptions: The Scottish Rite Journal is the official bi-monthly publication of the Supreme Council. Annual subscriptions are $25 domestic / $50 foreign for 1 year, or $60 domestic / $135 foreign for 3 years. Individual copies are $3.00 each.
4. Scottish Rite Research Society (SRRS) Membership: SRRS operates on an annual subscription basis with memberships for USA residents at $60/year or $1,500 life membership; Canada/Mexico residents at $95/year or $2,375 life membership. Includes annual Heredom volume, quarterly Plumbline newsletter, and 10% bookstore discount.
5. Acacia Guild Contributions: Members join the Acacia Guild with a $1,000 cash contribution (or $83.33/month for 12 months). The gift is split between the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation and the Scottish Rite Foundation, supporting renovation and philanthropic programs.
6. Donations and Philanthropic Contributions: The organization raises funds through various campaigns including the Rebuilding the Temple Campaign, disaster relief donations, scholarship support, and general donations. 100% of disaster relief donations go to affected families. The Supreme Council accepts cash gifts, IRA gifts, matching gifts, planned gifts (wills/trusts), real estate and stock donations.
7. Scottish Rite Foundation Grants: The Scottish Rite Foundation, SJ, USA, Inc. awards annual grants ranging from $1,000–$10,000 to Masonic appendant bodies and youth organizations for leadership training, educational programs, technology improvements, and community relations.
8. Masonic Book Club (MBC): The revived MBC publishes classic Masonic books with no membership dues; members purchase books at pre-publication discounts. A 300-page 6"x9" book retails for approximately $40–$50, with MBC pre-publication pricing around $30–$40.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels20 records

Core offering

The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A. is a private fraternal organization that confers 29 advanced Masonic degrees (4°–32°) to Master Masons in good standing, alongside the honorary 33°, through a network of local Valleys and state-level Orients governed by the Supreme Council, 33°. Its core offering is structured moral, philosophical, and ritual education paired with fellowship, supported by the bimonthly Scottish Rite Journal, the scholarly Scottish Rite Research Society, the Master Craftsman online program, and the Masonic Book Club. It is sustained by annual member dues, publication subscriptions, bookstore and gift shop sales, philanthropic donations, and a portfolio of charitable programs including the RiteCare Childhood Language Program, Scottish Rite for Children hospital, national scholarships, and disaster relief.

Product overview

The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A. operates a comprehensive membership-based organization offering fraternal services, educational programs, and philanthropy. The core product portfolio includes the Member Dashboard for member engagement, the Scottish Rite Journal (bi-monthly publication), and the VMAP program for Valley management. Educational offerings encompass the Master Craftsman Program, Masonic Book Club, and the Scottish Rite Research Society with its Heredom and The Plumbline publications. Digital engagement includes Tyler's Place and Scottish Rite Journal podcasts. The organization's philanthropy spans the RiteCare Childhood Language Program, National Scholarships, Disaster Relief, and Scottish Rite for Children hospital. E-commerce operations include the Scottish Rite Bookstore (Shopify) and Gift Shop (MerchOrders). The Grand Commander's Fellows Program provides leadership development. The organization leverages technology platforms including FreeWill for planned giving, Zoom for virtual gatherings, YouTube, and social media channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scottish Rite Membership
• Scottish Rite Bookstore
• Scottish Rite Gift Shop
• Scottish Rite Journal Subscription
• Scottish Rite Research Society (SRRS) Membership
• Heredom
• The Plumbline Newsletter
• Masonic Book Club
• Master Craftsman Program
• Grand Commander's Fellows Program
• RiteCare Scottish Rite Childhood Language Program (SRCLP)
• Scottish Rite for Children
• National Scholarships Program
• Disaster Relief Program
• JROTC/ROTC Awards Program
• Acacia Guild Membership
• Adopt-a-Book Program
• Member Dashboard

Quantifiable outcome

• Tens of thousands of children treated for speech and language disorders through RiteCare SRCLP clinics across the United States
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Conference of Grand Masters in North America (COGMINA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOGMINA is the governing body of Masonic recognition in North America. The Scottish Rite requires all prospective members to first be Master Masons in a COGMINA-recognized lodge. COGMINA recognition is a prerequisite for Blue Lodge membership and therefore for Scottish Rite membership eligibility.
• The George Washington University (GWU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 1927, the Supreme Council gave $1 million to GWU to establish a School of Government. Scottish Rite scholarships are available through GWU for undergraduate and graduate students who can demonstrate a relationship to a Scottish Rite Mason. In 1956, the Fellowship Program was developed in partnership with GWU President Dr. Cloyd Marvin, 33°.
• Vanderbilt University Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Judge Luther A. Smith Scottish Rite Scholarship was established in 1965 through a trust agreement between the Scottish Rite Foundation, SJ, USA, Inc. and Vanderbilt University Law School. The scholarship honors Ill. Luther A. Smith, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander 1955–1969. The scholarship is awarded based on trust interest earned, with the corpus never touched.
• Masonic Youth Organizations (DeMolay, Rainbow for Girls, Job's Daughters)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Scottish Rite supports DeMolay International, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, and Job's Daughters International through JROTC/ROTC awards, Masonic Youth Performance Grants (up to $10,000), and youth engagement programs. The Supreme Council's Masonic Youth Committee coordinates this support. Scholarship programs also give preference to Masonic Youth Group members.
• Matching Gift Employer Partners (YourCause, GE Foundation, Boeing, Bank of America, Pfizer, etc.)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough the Matching Gift Program, employers double donations made by employees to Scottish Rite charities. Partner organizations listed include YourCause, LLC, Boeing, GE Foundation, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Union Pacific Railroad Company, Pfizer, Mobil, and Benjamin Moore & Company. Employees of these companies can have their donations matched dollar-for-dollar.
• FreeWillmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Scottish Rite has partnered with FreeWill to provide free online estate planning (wills and living trusts) and charitable giving tools (IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, stock donations). FreeWill integration appears across multiple giving pages, including Planned Gifts, IRA Gifts, and Stock Donations, offering donors a streamlined digital giving experience.
• Northern Masonic JurisdictionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Scottish Rite operates two separate Supreme Councils in the USA: the Southern Jurisdiction (formed 1801) and the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction (formed 1813). While administratively separate, both are part of the worldwide Scottish Rite fraternity. The Northern Masonic Jurisdiction is referenced as a related entity at scottishritenmj.org.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Knights of Columbus: The largest Catholic fraternal benefit society in the world; directly comparable to Scottish Rite as a membership-based fraternal organization that combines ritual/ceremonial heritage with charitable giving, insurance products, and a national (and international) governance structure.
• Shriners International: An appendant Masonic body (Shriners are required to be Master Masons) that operates a network of pediatric specialty hospitals (Shriners Children's), paralleling the Scottish Rite's operation of Scottish Rite for Children and RiteCare SRCLP clinics. Same fraternal DNA and same hospital/charity operating model.
• Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons (U.S.): The Blue Lodge Masonic body from which all Scottish Rite members must come. Operates as the foundational fraternal membership organization conferring the three Craft degrees, with parallels in lodge-level community, dues-based revenue, and philanthropic programs.
• Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE): A longstanding American fraternal organization that combines membership dues, local lodge community, and high-visibility charitable programs (Elks National Foundation scholarships, veterans services). Highly comparable membership-driven nonprofit fraternal model.
• Independent Order of Odd Fellows: One of the oldest fraternal organizations in the U.S., with lodges, ritual degrees, philanthropic giving (IOOF Home/Patriarchal/Mary Washington College), and membership dues. Closely parallels Scottish Rite's lodge-and-degree structure and 19th-century fraternal heritage.
• Knights of Pythias: An American fraternal order and order of knights with ritual castes/degrees analogous to the Scottish Rite system, plus charitable foundations. Closely comparable in ritualism, structure, and historical fraternal order positioning.
• Royal Arch Masons (York Rite): The principal companion Masonic Rite to the Scottish Rite in the U.S.; also requires Master Mason status and offers additional degrees through Royal Arch, Cryptic, and Templar bodies. Most directly comparable Rite-level peer in terms of membership eligibility and degree structure.

Broad incumbents

• Rotary International: A much larger and globally established service organization with similar membership dues, local chapter structure, scholarship programs, and a foundation model. Same fundamental operating model but at significantly greater scale and scope.
• Lions Clubs International: A global, well-funded service organization with comparable local-chapter membership, recurring dues, charitable foundation, youth programs (Lions Quest), and disaster relief operations. Same basic fraternal/community-service architecture at significantly larger scale.
• Kiwanis International: A service club organization with comparable local-chapter dues structure, scholarship and youth programs (Builders Club, Key Club), and grantmaking foundations (Kiwanis Children's Fund). Same operating model but oriented more toward community service than esoteric ritual education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TheScottishRite
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ScottishRiteMasons
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Scottish-Rite-Freemasonry/10285083467
• Instagraminstagram.com/scottishritesj
• TikToktiktok.com/@scottishritesj

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Scottish Rite Of Freemasonry