The primary purpose of the Order of the Southern Cross is Confederate philanthropy.

When the Order was revived in 1979, its one purpose was the upkeep and maintenance of Beauvoir, the last home of President Jefferson Davis, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Since that time the Order of the Southern Cross has expanded its mission to cover any worthy Confederate historical or preservation project being done by an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) organization. Such organizations may include historical societies, Military Order of the Stars and Bars chapters, Sons of Confederate Veterans camps, museums, governmental entities, and United Daughters of the Confederacy chapters.

Once a year, the Order dispenses monetary grants to charitable organizations who have applied for financial help in their mission of Confederate preservation. A grant application (available on this website) is completed and returned by the appropriate deadline to the Grants Chairman.

The Grants Committee reviews all applications and will announce the successful applications at the Annual Meeting, usually in late summer or early fall. A check is sent shortly after to the successful applicants and they keep the Order of the Southern Cross advised on the completion of their projects.

Typical grants awarded by the Order are in amounts from $500 to $3,000.00 (five hundred to three thousand dollars). As a general rule, the Grants Committee looks more favorably on applicants who have already raised a substantial portion of the needed funds for their project. This is done because the Order feels this type of donation gives more bang for the buck and allows the completion of worthy projects. For example, the local historical society in Smith, Georgia is building a new Confederate museum and has raised $120,000.00 of the needed $500,000.00. Another applicant, the Jones, Alabama MOS&B Chapter is restoring the battleflag of the 4th Alabama Infantry at a total cost of $6,000.00 with $4200.00 already raised. The Order of the Southern Cross will look favorably on the battleflag restoration because a grant of $1800.00 will allow this project to be completed, while a similar, or even larger donation to the museum building will have little or no effect on the final amount needed.

Examples of actual grants given by the Order of the Southern Cross in the last few years include:

    Beauvoir, the last home of Jefferson Davis to aid in the restoration due to damage from Hurricane Katrina

    Confederate Memorial Hall of New Orleans for damages and financial losses due to Hurricane Katrina

    Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, to help offset the financial losses due to the growth of the adjacent medical complex

    UDC, New Orleans Chapter 72, for the placement of a bronze marker at the grave of General

    P.G.T. Beauregard’s second wife, Caroline D. Beauregard

    UDC, Arkansas, for the restoration of the Capitol Guards monument in Little Rock

    Military Order of the Stars and Bars, Birmingham, AL for the restoration of the restoration of the battleflag of the 2nd Alabama Battalion of Hilliard’s Legion

    Sons of Confederate Veterans, Marion, MS for the restoration of the Marion Confederate Cemetery