Order of the Arrow

What Order of the Arrow does

The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the national honor society of Scouting America, founded in 1915 and headquartered in Irving, Texas, with a stated mission of serving over one million Scouts nationally through a network of more than 300 local lodges organized under Scouting America councils. The OA operates as a youth-led, adult-guided service and leadership development organization, delivering programs such as the National Leadership Seminar (NLS), High Adventure programs at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, Operation Arrow at the National Jamboree, and the JumpStart orientation for new Arrowmen. Its core digital infrastructure includes LodgeMaster (a lodge management platform for tracking members, inductions, and events), the Inductions Portal supporting the new Inductions Experience, the Trading Post e-commerce storefront for OA-branded merchandise, the National Committee Portal for governance, and the Thrive platform for lodge support. The organization is funded through charitable donations to the National Endowment, merchandise sales via the Trading Post, and membership and service fees administered at the council and lodge level. Distribution is executed through a regionally structured lodge network (Eastern Region, Gateway Region) and national events, with no venture, private equity, or public ownership — the OA functions as a program entity within Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America).

Name

Order of the Arrow

Legal name

Order of the Arrow, Scouting America

Website

https://oa-bsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of Scouting America, founded in 1915 and serving over one million Scouts through 300+ lodges. It delivers youth-led service, leadership development, brotherhood, and outdoor adventure programs funded by donations, merchandise sales, and membership fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership Development

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Training, Enablement & Talent Development Summits (THAHAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Adventure Multi-Sport Camps & Skills Academies (THAAAKAM)

Keywords

• Youth leadership development
• Scouting honor society
• Service organization
• Lodge programs
• High adventure programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Irving

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. National Endowment / Donations: The OA accepts charitable donations through its National Endowment program, providing tax-deductible giving options for supporters of the organization.
2. Trading Post Merchandise Sales: The OA operates an e-commerce Trading Post (tradingpost.oa-scouting.org) selling OA-branded merchandise, apparel, and regalia to members.
3. Membership Fees (via Councils): OA membership is facilitated through local Scouting America councils, with lodge service fees supporting local OA operations. National-level membership fees fund national programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of Scouting America, providing youth-led service, leadership development, brotherhood, and outdoor adventure programs to over one million Scouts through a national network of more than 300 local lodges. The organization delivers inductions, training programs such as the National Leadership Seminar, high adventure experiences at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, and merchandise through its Trading Post. OA operates digital platforms including LodgeMaster, Inductions Portal, Thrive, and JumpStart to support lodge operations and member engagement.

Product overview

The Order of the Arrow operates a unified digital platform centered on its main website (oa-scouting.org) with multiple interconnected member-facing portals and programs. Core offerings include OA LodgeMaster (comprehensive lodge management), the Inductions Portal (supporting the new induction process), Thrive (lodge support and growth resources), and JumpStart (new member orientation). The Trading Post provides merchandise, while the National Committee Portal serves governance needs. Program offerings include High Adventure activities, the National Leadership Seminar training, and publications. All products operate under the unified Order of the Arrow brand within the Scouting America ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OA LodgeMaster A comprehensive online lodge management platform enabling Arrowmen to manage lodge operations, membership, inductions, events, and event coordination.
• Trading Post Online merchandise store for OA-branded apparel, insignia, regalia, and supplies, sold directly to members and supporters.
• Inductions Portal Digital portal supporting the new induction process and experience for OA candidates, including the New Induction Experience.
• JumpStart Orientation program for new Arrowmen to help them get started in the Order of the Arrow following their induction.
• Thrive Lodge support platform providing resources, tools, and guidance to help lodges grow and succeed.
• National Leadership Seminar (NLS) Annual leadership training event for section and lodge youth leaders designed to develop leadership skills within the OA.
• High Adventure Programs Adventure programs including OA High Adventure (OAHA) events at the Summit Bechtel Reserve and other high-adventure bases.
• National Endowment Charitable giving program providing tax-deductible donation options for supporters and alumni of the Order of the Arrow.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over one million Scouts nationally through the OA's lodge network and programs

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Scouting AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScouting America is the parent organization of the Order of the Arrow. The OA serves as the official national honor society of Scouting America, operating within its structure and under its governance. The OA represents over one million Scouts nationally and works closely with Scouting America on national programs including the Jamboree and Operation Arrow initiatives.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Young Life: US-based youth leadership and mentoring nonprofit with local chapters and camp programs. Comparable as a volunteer-driven youth development organization with similar age demographics and emphasis on leadership and outdoor experience.
• Key Club International (Kiwanis): High school student-led service leadership organization sponsored by Kiwanis. Comparable as a youth-led, adult-guided service and leadership program with chapter-based structure and national recognition events.
• Civil Air Patrol: US volunteer youth program with cadet and aerospace education missions operating through local squadrons. Comparable in member-based structure, leadership development focus, and outdoor/service programming, though aviation-focused rather than scouting-focused.

Broad incumbents

• Scouting America (Boy Scouts of America): OA's parent organization and the broader US scouting umbrella. Directly comparable as the host ecosystem in which OA operates, with overlapping youth development and outdoor programming though much broader in scope than the OA honor society niche.

Direct peers

• Girl Scouts of the USA: The largest US youth membership organization serving a parallel mission of leadership, service, and outdoor programming for young people. Highly comparable as a membership-driven national nonprofit focused on youth character and leadership development.
• National FFA Organization: National youth leadership organization with a membership structure similar to OA, providing recognition, leadership training, and conferences for student members across the US. Comparable as a member-based youth honor and development society with structured chapters and national events.
• 4-H (National 4-H Council): US youth development organization operating through local clubs and chapters with national leadership programming. Comparable in mission, distributed local-chapter model, and national training/event structure to OA's lodge network.
• National Honor Society (NHS): The premier US high school honor society recognizing student achievement and providing leadership development. Directly comparable as a nationally recognized youth honor society with chapter-based structure and induction rituals, though school-rather than scouting-based.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/oabsa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/order-of-the-arrow-bsa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Order of the Arrow