Gun Owners of America

What Gun Owners of America does

Gun Owners of America is a 501(c)(4) non-profit gun rights advocacy organization founded in 1974 and headquartered in Springfield, Virginia. The organization serves more than 300,000 members across the United States through legislative lobbying, litigation, and grassroots mobilization. Its primary constituencies are individual gun owners and politically active conservatives, and GOA positions itself as "the only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington." The organization tracks legislation across all 50 states, with 543 bills actively monitored, and concentrates its litigation efforts in jurisdictions such as Virginia, California, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

GOA's product portfolio centers on advocacy tools and information resources rather than technology platforms. Core offerings include a membership program with Annual, Patriot, and Life tiers; a Congressional Scorecard grading all 435 House seats and Senate races; voter guides for federal and state elections; a state legislation tracker; and action alert systems distributed via email and the website. The organization operates the Caliber Club, a partnership program linking GOA with gun stores and ranges across the country, displayed through a Mapbox-powered locator. State-specific chapters (GOA Florida, GOA Texas, GOA Pennsylvania, Gun Owners of California) and demographic-focused programs (Empowered 2A for women, Fuerza 2A for Hispanic communities, Second Amendment Hunters, 2A Defenders) form a federated ecosystem. The annual GOALS conference, in its second year as of 2026, represents the organization's primary in-person gathering.

Revenue derives from three streams: membership fees, donations (including earmarked funds such as 2A Hunters), and merchandise sales through shop.gunowners.org. The organization maintains a lean staff of 11-50 employees, suggesting heavy reliance on volunteer-driven grassroots mobilization. GOA's legal arm operates in close coordination with the affiliated Gun Owners Foundation, with the two entities jointly filing challenges including the preliminary injunction against Virginia's assault weapons ban, the ATF "Engaged in the Business" rule, and the pistol brace ban. Marketing and distribution channels are predominantly digital — website, email, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram — supplemented by in-person events and the e-commerce store.

Name

Gun Owners of America

Legal name

Gun Owners of America

Website

https://gunowners.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gun Owners of America is a non-profit gun rights advocacy organization serving 300,000+ members nationwide through legislative lobbying, litigation, voter scorecards, and grassroots mobilization, supported by state chapters and demographic-focused programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gun Rights Advocacy Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gun Violence Prevention & Public Safety Policy Advocacy (BPAGAFAM)

Keywords

• Gun rights advocacy
• Second amendment lobbying
• Firearms policy advocacy
• Congressional scorecard ratings
• Grassroots legislative mobilization

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: GOA generates revenue through various membership tiers including Annual Membership, Patriot Membership, and Life Membership. Members receive benefits such as email alerts, access to resources, and the ability to participate in advocacy campaigns.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations through its donate.gunowners.org platform, with separate funds for general support, 2A Hunters, and other specific initiatives.
3. Merchandise Sales: GOA operates an online store (shop.gunowners.org) selling branded merchandise to supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gun Owners of America is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocacy organization that defends Second Amendment rights through legislative lobbying, legal challenges, voter scorecards, and grassroots mobilization. The organization offers a tiered membership program (Annual, Patriot, and Life), produces educational resources such as Congressional Scorecards, Voter Guides, and a State Legislation Tracker, and operates an affiliated legal arm (Gun Owners Foundation) that files lawsuits against restrictive gun laws. Revenue is generated through membership fees, donations, and branded merchandise sales to over 300,000 supporters nationwide.

Product overview

Gun Owners of America operates as a nonprofit gun rights advocacy organization with a membership-based structure. The organization offers a unified portfolio of advocacy services including membership programs (Annual, Patriot, and Life tiers), a Congressional Scorecard for rating legislators, Voter Guides for elections, a State Legislation Tracker covering bills across all states, and a Caliber Club partner program for gun stores and ranges. Additional offerings include National and State Alerts for mobilizing member action, Fact Sheets for education, a 2A Sanctuary States resource, a Legislator Lookup Tool, an online store, and a regular newsletter. The organization hosts an annual GOALS conference and provides video content through YouTube and social media engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gun Owners of America Membership Program Tiered membership program (Annual, Patriot, and Life) providing supporters with access to exclusive content, advocacy tools, email alerts, and the organization's no-compromise gun rights mission. Targeted at individual gun owners and Second Amendment supporters.
• Congressional Scorecard Legislative rating system that grades Members of Congress on their support for or opposition to Second Amendment rights, covering all 435 House seats and Senate races to help voters make informed decisions.
• Voter Guide Electoral guides providing ratings and analysis of presidential and congressional candidates based on their gun rights positions, published for election cycles including 2022 and 2024.
• State Legislation Tracker Resource tracking gun-related legislation across all 50 states, with detailed information on 543 bills and legislative actions monitored by GOA.
• Caliber Club Gun store and range partnership program that partners with firearms retailers nationwide to reach new gun owners and spread GOA's 'No Compromise' Second Amendment message at the grassroots level.
• GOA Online Store Online merchandise store (shop.gunowners.org) selling GOA-branded items including apparel and accessories for members and supporters.
• Legislator Lookup Tool Online tool allowing members to find and contact their elected representatives based on zip code or geographic location for advocacy purposes.
• GOALS Annual Conference Annual conference for Gun Owners of America members and supporters, featuring special add-ons, activist training, and networking opportunities for Second Amendment advocates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully secured preliminary injunctions against Virginia's 'assault weapon' and magazine bans
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gun Owners Foundation (GOF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGOA works closely with Gun Owners Foundation on legal challenges. GOF and GOA jointly file lawsuits including challenges to Virginia's gun bans, ATF regulations, and other Second Amendment issues. The partnership combines advocacy with legal defense capabilities.
• Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGOA and VCDL have formed a coalition to challenge Virginia's gun control legislation, including SB 749 and HB 217. Together they secured a preliminary injunction against Virginia's 'assault weapons' ban. The organizations jointly pursue legal action and grassroots mobilization in Virginia.
• Gun Owners of CaliforniacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliated state-level organization extending GOA's advocacy network to California. Works on state-specific gun rights legislation and coordinates with GOA on national campaigns.
• Caliber Club PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGun store and range partnership program where GOA partners with retailers to reach new gun owners and spread its 'No Compromise' message at the grassroots level. Gun stores and ranges join the Caliber Club to support Second Amendment advocacy.
• California Rifle & Pistol AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlongside GOA, CRPA was one of four gun rights organizations that secured a preliminary injunction requiring California to allow non-residents to apply for concealed carry weapon licenses, effective April 22, 2025.
• Second Amendment FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAF joined GOA and other organizations in securing the California non-resident CCW preliminary injunction. SAF and GOA frequently collaborate on legal challenges to gun control legislation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Second Amendment Foundation: Nonprofit focused on Second Amendment legal challenges and advocacy; frequently co-litigates with GOA, making it a close peer in both mission and litigation strategy.
• National Association for Gun Rights: Membership-based, no-compromise gun-rights advocacy group directly competing with GOA for the same donors and grassroots activists.
• Firearms Policy Coalition: Grassroots gun-rights nonprofit combining aggressive litigation and member mobilization, closely mirroring GOA's no-compromise legal advocacy model.

Others

• Giffords: Gun-policy advocacy and litigation nonprofit; comparable advocacy/legal model in the same firearms policy space but with an opposing mission.
• Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: Advocacy nonprofit engaged in firearms policy and litigation; structurally similar membership/donation model on the opposite side of the debate.
• Everytown for Gun Safety: Membership-based gun-policy advocacy nonprofit operating in the same policy arena but on the opposing gun-control side of the issue.
• Gun Owners Foundation: GOA's affiliated legal-defense foundation that co-files its lawsuits; an ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• California Rifle & Pistol Association: State gun-rights membership and litigation group that partnered with GOA on the California non-resident CCW injunction; comparable model, different territory.
• Virginia Citizens Defense League: State-level gun-rights advocacy organization that coalitions with GOA on Virginia litigation, operating in a similar space but geographically focused.

Broad incumbents

• National Rifle Association (NRA): The largest US gun-rights membership and lobbying organization; directly comparable in mission, membership model, and legislative advocacy, but far larger and broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gunowners
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFJ2K2gUJJ1ecBU6Sxc3bCA
• Facebookfacebook.com/gunowners
• Instagraminstagram.com/gunownersofamerica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 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 Gun Owners of America