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SCOUTER Feature:

Any Active Scout Group Needs Operating Capital

by Ed Henderson

Dues alone can't cover it, and while some sponsors do provide partial funding (and many do not, it is not a requirement for a Chartered Organization to provide any operating funds to a scout unit), nearly every scout unit must still consider other avenues of raising capital.

Questions and Issues

In considering how a Pack, Troop or Post should set about raising funds many questions and issues need to be examined. First, the council MUST be informed PRIOR to the start of any unit fundraising. A UNIT MONEY EARNING APPLICATION must be filled out and approved by the Scout Executive. Sometimes a council will ask a unit to wait on starting a project if a major council event is underway like FOS kickoff or Pop Corn selling. Sometimes what may seem a great fundraising idea to a unit might need closer scrutiny from the local scout office. Raffles, scouts being in uniform, and other games of chance are all items that will not be approved.

Accounting is Necessary

Keeping excellent paperwork is another concern. Scouts will work hard on these efforts, especially if they know they are going to personally benefit from it with a unit account or special trip. Proper accounting should proceed all the way to the end of the campaign when vendors must be paid in a timely fashion and any unsold merchandise returned. The BSA has some great reference material including a Unit Budget Plan that can aid Troop Treasurers in their rolls. Unit Management Software providers like Troopmaster have computer programs that can help a troop manage their assets as well as track individual scout accounts.

Local Laws

Local laws are another matter that needs attention. Is door to door selling legal & safe for a particular area? Will your scouts get in trouble at school if they carry around a box of candy all day? Are permits required? Have you as a leader done everything to insure that any selling is done in a safe environment?

Is It Worth It?

Even out of uniform, scouts represent the good name of Boy Scouting in their fundraising activities. Is the product or service you are selling worth the price being asked? Is the fund raising effort going to involve the scouts in a meaningful way or is it a gimmick to get the parents to cough up more money. Will the scouts be enthusiastic about the project, is it something they are comfortable selling.

No adult joins Scouting to raise funds all day but this need will occasionally become an issue with every unit. Rather than being a dreaded event to be endured, it can be exciting and fun. Scouts can earn a variety of Merit Badge requirements for Salesmanship, Communication, & American Business as a part of the effort. At SCOUTER.com we have found many great ways for a unit to raise money. All of the ideas presented are just that, we make no endorsement of any of the commercial fundraising programs that we list. Our links have been broken those down into three sub categories:

TRAILS END POPCORN - In just over the past decade Trails End has become as much identified with the Boy Scouts as the great Cookie sales of the Girl Scouts. Most councils now look to the annual Trail's End Popcorn Sell as a major event for the council, as well as the units which also share in the revenues. Depending on the rewards program developed by the council, scouts can often earn prizes or pay their way to summer camp. Because this single event has grown to such great importance in the Boy Scout community, we have come across many web pages developed by everyone from the Unit or District "Kernel" (the person in charge of quarterbacking the event) all the way up to the official Trail's End Popcorn site. If a unit is really willing to get excited about this effort, a lot of money can be raised and that makes Scouting better for everyone in your area.

TROOP FUNDRAISING REPORTS & COMMERCIAL FUNDRAISERS - We wanted to break down the other links we came across into two groups so that the reports and success stories of individual units could stand out separate from the dozens of companies that exist to aid units in various commercial fundraising programs.

Good Unit Fundraising Ideas

There are many good unit fundraising ideas that come from the leaders themselves. Let's face it, no company is going to produce a web site promoting Spaghetti Suppers & Yard Sales as good fundraisers but thousands of units do those kinds of things each year. Others leaders can benefit from those experiences and knowledge by checking out this sub category which is free of commercial fund raising companies. This site only contains reports, ideas, and issues raised by other Scouters and Units on their successes and concerns.

Finally, there are the commercial fundraising sources. In every issue of SCOUTER & Scouting Magazines there are no end of companies that are offering all manner of candy, wreaths, light bulbs, and other items to sell. Many units have gone on fantastic trips or purchased all new equipment on the strength of $1.00 packets of M & M sold on school yards & buses or going door to door with calendars or taking orders for mail order fruit.

Tell Us Your Story

Do you have a fund raising story to tell or a new site to list? Use the "Submit a Link" form at the bottom of this page. We would be delighted to share with other Scouters around the country your fundraising message.

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