Patriot Guard Riders

What Patriot Guard Riders does

Patriot Guard Riders (PGR) is a 100% volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 to shield families of fallen US military heroes from disruptions at funeral services. The organization provides free honor guard services — flag lines, motorcycle processional escorts, flag-folding ceremonies, cemetery escorts, and memorial presentations — to families of military veterans and first responders across all 50 US states. Its operational backbone is a WordPress-based website (migrated from vBulletin in May 2018) featuring a mission calendar that coordinates volunteer deployments, supported by a regional and state-level leadership structure spanning 10 geographic regions (Capitol, Dixie, Four Corners, High Plains, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, New England, Northwest, Pacific, South Central).

The organization operates on a donation-driven model with no fees charged to families. Revenue streams include tiered direct donations (recognized at $50, $100, and $500+ contribution levels), merchandise sales through the PGR Store (challenge coins, patches, business cards), AmazonSmile referral fees (0.5% of eligible purchases), and dedicated fundraising for partner programs including Snowball Express. Membership is free and open to anyone showing respect, regardless of motorcycle ownership. Beyond funeral honors, the organization runs the Help On The Homefront (HOTH) program providing broader veteran and family assistance, and has formal partnerships with Wreaths Across America (2023), Snowball Express, NASCAR/Xfinity Series, AmazonSmile, and the Veterans Housing and Recovery Program.

Name

Patriot Guard Riders

Legal name

Patriot Guard Riders

Website

https://patriotguard.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Patriot Guard Riders is a 100% volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 that provides free honor guard, flag line, and funeral escort services to families of fallen US military veterans and first responders across all 50 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Memorial Honor Guard Services

NAICS

Security Guards and Patrol Services (561612), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services (BPAIAHAL)

Keywords

• Volunteer honor guard
• Funeral escort services
• Veteran memorial support
• Nonprofit veteran services
• Military funeral honors

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization operates as a 100% volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported solely through donations. Donors contributing $500 or more to the 'I Support the PGR' campaign are recognized on the national website welcome page. Donors contributing $100 or more receive a pin and plaque. Donors contributing $50 or more receive a limited edition pin.
2. PGR Store Merchandise: Proceeds from the PGR store selling merchandise including business cards, challenge coins, patches, and memorabilia support the organization's mission. The store had temporary closures in 2023 and 2024 due to operational issues.
3. AmazonSmile Program: Through the AmazonSmile program, Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchase prices to the PGR at no additional cost to donors.
4. Wounded Warrior Challenge Coins: PGR sells brass challenge coins at supplier cost, with each coin purchased presented directly to a wounded warrior in the hospital.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Patriot Guard Riders is a 100% volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free honor guard services at funerals of fallen military veterans and first responders. Services include flag lines, motorcycle and vehicle processional escorts, cemetery escorts, flag folding and presentation ceremonies, and the Help On The Homefront (HOTH) veteran assistance program. The organization is funded through donations and proceeds from its merchandise store.

Product overview

Patriot Guard Riders is a 100% volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering honor guard and funeral escort services to military veterans, first responders, and their families. The core offering consists of Honor Guard Services (flag lines, motorcycle/processional escorts), supported by the Help On The Homefront (HOTH) program providing veteran assistance. Additional services include a PGR Store selling merchandise (challenge coins, patches, business cards) and membership program. The organization partners with Snowball Express for children's programs and accepts donations through various channels. Services are provided at no charge to families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Help On The Homefront (HOTH): A program that provides assistance to veterans and their families.

Products and services

• Honor Guard Services Free volunteer honor guard services at funerals for military veterans and first responders, including flag lines, motorcycle and vehicle processional escorts, cemetery escorts, flag folding and presentation ceremonies. Provided to grieving families at no charge to shield them from disruptions and ensure dignified military-style honors.
• Help On The Homefront (HOTH) Program Assistance program providing support to veterans and their families through donations of supplies, gift cards, nonperishable food, personal hygiene products, and clothing items. Includes holiday gift donations to homeless veterans through partner organizations such as the Veterans Housing and Recovery Program (VHRP).
• PGR Store Online merchandise store selling PGR-branded items including challenge coins, patches, business cards, and commemorative memorabilia. Proceeds support the organization's mission.
• PGR Membership Free volunteer membership program allowing individuals to register and participate in honor missions, with no riding requirement — cars and trucks are welcome alongside motorcycles.
• Snowball Express Support Fundraising and volunteer support efforts for Snowball Express, which provides experiences for children of fallen military heroes. PGR conducts fundraising campaigns and collects donations specifically for Snowball Express programs supporting Gold Star families.

Quantifiable outcome

• Services provided at no cost to families - free membership, free services
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wreaths Across AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2023Patriot Guard Riders and Wreaths Across America entered a formal partnership in 2023. The partnership supports WAA's mission of laying wreaths on veterans' graves at national cemeteries. PGR members participate in wreath-laying ceremonies and support WAA events including efforts for Arlington National Cemetery.
• Snowball ExpresscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPGR supports Snowball Express efforts through national fundraising campaigns. Snowball Express provides experiences for children of fallen military heroes. PGR has conducted fundraising campaigns and collects donations specifically for Snowball Express programs supporting Gold Star families.
• Veterans Housing and Recovery Program (VHRP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPGR donates Christmas gifts and supplies to homeless veterans through the Veterans Housing and Recovery Program. Donations include gift cards, nonperishable food items, personal hygiene products, and clothing items.
• NASCAR/Xfinity SeriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPGR has partnered with NASCAR/Xfinity Series, with the organization riding alongside NASCAR events to raise visibility for their mission of honoring fallen heroes.
• AmazonSmileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough AmazonSmile program, Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchase prices to Patriot Guard Riders when customers select PGR as their charitable recipient.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Snowball Express: Nonprofit serving children and families of fallen military heroes — directly comparable as a Gold Star family support nonprofit that PGR actively fundraises for and partners with.
• Honor Flight Network: Nonprofit that transports U.S. veterans to visit memorials in Washington, D.C. Highly comparable as a volunteer-driven, donation-funded veteran honor organization with a similar patriotic, non-political stance and reliance on word-of-mouth community engagement.
• Wreaths Across America: National 501(c)(3) that lays remembrance wreaths on veterans' graves at cemeteries including Arlington. Directly comparable as a volunteer-driven veteran remembrance nonprofit with which PGR has a formal 2023 partnership, serving overlapping donor and volunteer audiences.
• Gold Star Mothers: Nonprofit organization of mothers who have lost a son or daughter in military service. Directly comparable as a Gold Star family-focused nonprofit serving the same end-customer segment PGR supports at funerals and memorials.
• Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association: Motorcycle-riding veteran organization running honor rides, veteran support, and memorial events. Closely comparable to PGR in its use of motorcycles as a vehicle for veteran remembrance and community mobilization.

Broad incumbents

• American Legion: Largest U.S. veterans service organization with a broad portfolio of advocacy, benefits support, and community programs. Comparable as a membership-based veteran nonprofit operating across all 50 states with state-level leadership structure analogous to PGR's regional model.
• USO: Major nonprofit supporting active-duty service members and military families. Comparable as a national military-family support organization with high brand recognition, donor-driven funding, and ongoing (not one-time) service programs.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Major congressionally chartered veterans service organization providing advocacy, benefits assistance, and community programs. Comparable to PGR as a national veteran-focused nonprofit with state-level command structure and donor-supported mission delivery.
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV): National nonprofit providing benefits assistance and support to disabled veterans. Comparable as a large, established veteran service nonprofit with state chapters and a donor-supported funding model parallel to PGR's structure.
• Marine Corps League: Federally chartered veteran service organization for Marines and FMF corpsmen with detachments nationwide. Comparable to PGR in operating a national volunteer honor-guard function with state/local detachments serving military families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/patriot-guard-riders

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Patriot Guard Riders