Knights of Pythias of Ala

What Knights of Pythias of Ala does

The Knights of Pythias is a non-profit, non-sectarian fraternal organization founded on February 19, 1864 in Washington, DC by Justus H. Rathbone, and is the first American fraternal order ever chartered by an Act of Congress following review by President Abraham Lincoln. Operating under the principles of Friendship, Charity, and Benevolence — drawn from the Greek story of Damon and Pythias — the organization serves adult male members aged 18 and older who believe in a Supreme Being, with auxiliary bodies extending membership to women aged 16+ through the Pythian Sisters, girls aged 8-20 through Sunshine Girls, and young men aged 10-17 through the Junior Order. Its governance structure is hierarchical: a Supreme Lodge (currently headquartered in Los Angeles) oversees state and provincial Grand Lodges, which in turn coordinate hundreds of subordinate lodges across the United States, Canada, Italy, and the Philippines. The Supreme Lodge's primary charitable focus is the American Cancer Society, supplemented by a network of Grand and Foundation donations to organizations such as the Golden Circle of Champions, Hiway 80 Rescue Mission, Met Council, and the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange.

The organization offers no proprietary technology products; its digital footprint consists of a Squarespace-hosted central website (pythias.org), individual lodge and Grand Lodge websites and Facebook pages, the seasonal Pythian International magazine, and a recently adopted Square-based online payment service at certain lodges (such as Tucson Lodge #9) for dues and donations. Revenue is generated through locally administered membership dues (subscription/recurring in nature) and charitable fundraising, with specific dues amounts varying by subordinate lodge. The go-to-market model is community-led: prospective members contact the Supreme Lodge or approach a local lodge directly, are connected with a brother in their state, and are inducted through traditional ritual ceremonies. Marketing relies on word-of-mouth referrals, community event participation, and the official Scouting USA partnership that creates a youth pipeline into adult membership.

The business model is operationally modest: the organization has 11-50 employees per firmographic data, no externally disclosed financials, and no funding rounds (consistent with its non-profit, membership-funded structure). Recent strategic activity is incremental rather than transformational — a 2025 $10,000 combined Foundation donation to Golden Circle of Champions, a 2025-26 Poster Contest, the Winter 2026 issue of the Pythian International magazine, and the adoption of Square for digital dues collection at select lodges. There are no acquisitions, no new geographic launches, no technology platform investments, and no leadership changes disclosed in the input.

Name

Knights of Pythias of Ala

Legal name

Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias

Website

https://pythias.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1864

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Knights of Pythias is a 161-year-old non-profit fraternal organization chartered by Act of Congress, offering membership-based community service, ritual programs, and charitable activities to adult males and affiliated auxiliaries (women, youth, and girls) across the United States, Canada, Italy, and the Philippines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fraternal Organization Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Fraternal organization
• Lodge membership
• Community service
• Charitable donations
• Benevolent society

Headquarters

HQ city

Stoughton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The organization generates revenue through annual membership dues paid by subordinate lodge members. Specific dues amounts are determined at the local lodge level.
2. Charitable Donations and Fundraising: Lodges raise funds through various community fundraising events and activities, with proceeds supporting local charitable causes and the organization's philanthropic missions including the American Cancer Society.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Knights of Pythias is a non-sectarian fraternal order that offers lodge membership to individuals believing in a Supreme Being, organized around the principles of Friendship, Charity, and Benevolence. It operates through a hierarchical structure of subordinate lodges, Grand (state/provincial) Lodges, and the Supreme Lodge, delivering fraternal fellowship, ritualistic ceremonies, and organized community volunteer service. The organization supports charitable causes—primarily the American Cancer Society—and engages members in volunteerism and civic activities across the United States, Canada, Italy, and the Philippines.

Product overview

The Knights of Pythias operates as a fraternal membership organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offering is lodge membership, supplemented by auxiliary organizations including the Pythian Sisters, Sunshine Girls, Junior Order Knights of Pythias, and the Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan (DOKK). The organization also supports Scouting USA through Eagle Scout recognition, publishes the Pythian International magazine, and manages community service programs including support for the American Cancer Society. A Square-powered online payment service enables members to pay dues and donations digitally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Knights of Pythias Lodge Membership A membership-based fraternal offering for individuals over 18 who believe in a Supreme Being. Members participate in ritualistic meetings, community service, and social activities through subordinate lodges across the United States, Canada, Italy, and the Philippines.
• Pythian Sisters Independent auxiliary of the Knights of Pythias offering membership to women aged 16 and older who believe in a Supreme Being. The order is based on the principles of Purity, Love, Equality, and Fidelity.
• Sunshine Girls A junior order of the Pythian Sisters for girls ages 8-20, teaching service, purity, and community involvement, with the motto of doing good in all ways possible.
• Junior Order Knights of Pythias Youth auxiliary for young men ages 10-17 providing preliminary training in the principles of Fraternity through the cardinal principles of Friendship, Leadership, and Citizenship.
• Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan (DOKK) An auxiliary of the Knights of Pythias providing theatrical and ceremonial activities, with local Temples across the United States and Canada governed by the Imperial Palace.
• Scouting USA Partnership Program A partnership program with Scouting USA through which Pythian lodges sponsor Scout units and recognize Eagle Scouts with certificates and patches.
• Online Dues and Donations (Square) An online payment service enabling members to pay lodge dues and make charitable donations through the Square payment platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Oregon Foundation donated $5,000 with matching funds from Supreme Foundation for a total $10,000 donation to Golden Circle of Champions in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered primary, core and notable.

• American Cancer SocietyprimaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe primary charity supported by Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias. The organization has made this their signature charitable cause, with fundraising efforts directed toward cancer research and patient support.
• Scouting USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner organization. The Fraternal Order of Knights of Pythias is a partner of Scouting USA, with subsidiary lodges encouraged to sponsor Scout units. The organization provides certificates and patches to Eagle Scouts in recognition of their accomplishments.
• Golden Circle of ChampionsnotableOthersPediatric cancer support organization. The Oregon Foundation donated $5,000 and Supreme Foundation matched with $5,000 for a $10,000 donation in 2025 to support families of children battling pediatric cancer.
• Massachusetts Adoption Resource ExchangenotableOthersWelcome Lodge #158 supports this organization through their annual Golf Fore Youth Tournament, providing charitable donations and community support.
• Pythian SisterscoreOthersThe independent auxiliary organization of the Knights of Pythias for women, organized in 1888. Provides a pathway for women to participate in the Pythian mission through their own fraternal structure.
• Sunshine GirlscoreOthersJunior order of the Pythian Sisters for girls ages 8-20, established in 1930. Many Sunshine Girls go on to join Pythian Sister Temples at age 16.
• Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan (DOKK)coreOthersPythians are eligible for membership in this dramatic/ceremonial branch of the order. Local organizations are known as Temples, with the governing body called the Imperial Palace meeting every two years.
• Junior Order Knights of PythiascoreOthersRecognized auxiliary providing preliminary training in fraternity principles for youth ages 10-17. Chapters can be formed with 9+ young men and an Adult Adviser from a sponsoring lodge.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lions Clubs International: Lions Clubs International is a much larger global service organization operating on a similar local-club model focused on community service (vision, hunger, environment). Comparable in GTM (local clubs, word-of-mouth, community service-led acquisition) and member demographic, though substantially bigger and more secular.
• Rotary International: Rotary International is a global service organization of business and professional leaders organized into local clubs. Comparable in local-club governance, charitable mission (e.g., polio eradication), and adult professional member profile, though materially larger and more professionally oriented.
• Kiwanis International: Kiwanis is a global service club organization with a similar community-service mission and local-club structure. Comparable in member demographics, volunteerism focus, and youth-development partnerships, though generally more secular and family-friendly in eligibility.

Direct peers

• Independent Order of Odd Fellows: The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a 19th-century fraternal benefit society with a virtually identical structure to KoP: three-tier governance (Grand Lodge / subordinate lodge / members), ritualistic traditions, charitable missions, and auxiliaries (Rebekahs). It is the closest direct analogue for member demographics, lodge-based operations, and historical trajectory.
• Fraternal Order of Eagles: The Fraternal Order of Eagles is a 19th-century American fraternal organization structured around local aeries with charitable fundraising (e.g., diabetes research, heart disease). Directly comparable in membership dues model, local-aerie governance, and community-service orientation.
• Shriners International: Shriners International is an appendant fraternal order to Freemasonry with a signature charitable focus (Shriners Hospitals for Children). Comparable in fraternal identity, men's-only criterion, ritualistic tradition, and centralized charitable brand, though with much larger healthcare philanthropy.
• Freemasons / Ancient Free and Accepted Masons: The Freemasons are the world's largest and oldest fraternal order, sharing KoP's ritualistic ceremonies, belief-in-Supreme-Being membership criterion, lodge-based governance, and charitable foundation. Comparable in operating model, lifecycle stage, and digital modernization challenges.
• Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPO Elks): The Elks are a parallel American fraternal order founded in 1868 with a similar lodge hierarchy, charitable mission (Elks National Foundation), Americanism programs, and community-service focus. Highly comparable in scale, member profile, and organizational challenges.
• Knights of Columbus: The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal benefit society offering insurance products alongside charitable and fraternal programs. Comparable in fraternal mission, multi-tier governance, charitable giving scale, and emphasis on community service, though more financially integrated and significantly larger.
• WoodmenLife (Woodmen of the World): WoodmenLife is a fraternal benefit society offering insurance alongside fraternal and charitable programming, similar in age (founded 1890), lodge-style governance, and reliance on community-based membership recruitment.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Supreme_KoP
• Facebookfacebook.com/supremekop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knights-of-pythias

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries12 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 Knights of Pythias of Ala