Who Pays for Scouting?
Youth Members
Assisted by their parents or guardians, boys in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting,
and Varsity Scouting and young men and women in Venturing pay their share from
personal savings and participation in money-earning projects.
Members buy their own uniforms, handbooks, and personal equipment and pay
their own camp fees.
Packs, Troops, Teams, and Posts
Weekly or monthly dues and funds from approved money-earning projects meet
expenses for supplies and activities in the Cub Scout pack, Boy Scout troop,
Varsity Scout team, and Venturer crew. These monies help pay for camping
equipment, registration fees, Boys' Life magazine, uniform insignia, special
activities, and program materials.
Community Organizations
Each chartered organization using the Scouting program provides a meeting
place and adult volunteer leadership for its BSA unit(s). The chartered
organization and local council must approve unit money-earning projects before
the launch of the project.
Local Council
Financial resources for the local council (the local nonprofit corporation
chartered by the National Council) come from an annual Friends of Scouting (FOS)
campaign, local United Ways, foundation grants, special events, project sales,
investment income, trust funds, bequests, and gifts of real and personal
property.
These funds provide for professional staff supervision, organization of new
Scouting units, service for existing units, training of volunteer leaders, and
maintenance of council camps. They also finance the operation of the local
council service center, where volunteer leaders can obtain literature, insignia,
advancement badges, and other items vital to the program. In addition, the service
center maintains advancement and membership records.
National Organization
Funds to support the national organization of the Boy Scouts of America come
from registration fees, local council service fees, investment income,
Scouting and Boys' Life magazines, sale of uniforms and equipment,
contributions from individuals, and foundation grants. These monies help to
deliver the program of the BSA (through four regional service centers and more
than 300 local councils) to chartered organizations that use the Scouting program
to meet the needs of their youth.
The National Boy Scouts of America Foundation also provides funding for both
local council needs and national organization initiatives. Most of this funding
comes from specifically designated gifts made to the foundation by individuals,
corporations, and foundations.
The national office
- Provides local councils with program development and evaluation
as well as camp and office planning, extensive financial
counseling, planned giving and fund-raising information, and
professional personnel support
- Coordinates a communications network through magazines and
literature (handbooks, merit badge pamphlets, brochures,
training materials, and professional development training)
- Creates a climate of positive understanding and support
- Makes available uniforms, equipment, and program supplies
- Administers national high-adventure bases and national events
(jamborees, National Eagle Scout Association and Order of the
Arrow conferences, and National Council meetings)
- Maintains communication with chartered organizations that use
the Scouting program (religious institutions, PTA, civic
organizations, labor unions, professional organizations,
business, and industry)
- Maintains liaison with Scouting associations in other countries
as a member of the World Scout Conference