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Treasury Year End Surplus


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Hold it over to the next year and keep on using it ... just don''t it get to big ... other may be able to give you a better idea what is to much... but it doesn''t have to be 0 at the end of each year...

 

Also make sure you bank account DOES NOT SAY "BSA" or "Boy Scouts of America" else the Council or National will be able to access and empty it out. I do not know anyone this happened to but I have hear the horror story a few times. Like one Troop was working their tails off to save some huge amount to take an amazing trip (as I recall it was to Hawaii or something like that) and just about the time they finally had enough raised (it was like 30-40k as I recall) BSA took it.

How true all of this is, I don''t know ...

 

Jokingly I suggest you donate it to InsaneScouter.... ok that was a dumb joke ignore my late night babbling ...

 

Hope my 2 cents helps some....

 

Scott Robertson

http://insanescouter.org

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Great job of having money in your account. One surefire way of giving it back to the troop is subsidizing the camping trips rather than covering costs you could reduce the price to the scouts. The other thing is to set up accounts for the boys and credit those accounts with a certain amount when they work a fund raiser and let them spend account money on uniform parts, camping equipment, as well as expensive trips.

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Our troop always has a surplus as far as I can recall.

 

Our fundraising does fairly well because we offer the incentive that for every Scout who sells $100 of popcorn gets their rechartering all paid for. Otherwise, the troop has annual dues of $16 along with Boys Life and BSA registration.

 

This has allowed us to buy high quality camping equipment. In the last 18 months we have bought 18 Eureka Timberline 4 outfitter tents (retail $230 or so) and 9 2-person backpacking tents ($150 retail I think). Also we have recently obtained a canoe trailer and I would expect to see the troop buy a couple canoes in the next year or so. Right now we have access through adult leaders to 6 so this summer on the float trip the troop rented two canoes and a trailer from the council. Saved a bunch of money:)

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I agree with Hops. You have a surplus? Good for you! Save it and use it wisely. Eventually troops tents wear out and have to be replaced. The trailer is now too small. We need two more dining flys for summer camp. A new patrol was formed? New cook kits and chef kits are needed.

 

Running a troop takes money, and troop equipment is expensive. Don''t leave yourself short by finding frivolous things to use it on at the end of the year in order to show a zero balance.

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Budget Planning!!!

 

Current operations (current year)

 

Capital replacement (year to year and longer term)

 

I promise you, the day will come when that money will be sorely needed.

 

DO seek guidance from your Chartered Partner about how to set aside funds for the future. Remember, they own the unit.

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They own the unit AND the money. Be careful that they don''t decide that they need new choir robes or something. Don''t you need a troop trailer?

 

The others are correct, you don''t need to be at zero at the end of the year, but you should shoot for some modest "reserve" to be carried over. I know that all councils want you to sell a million units of popcorn every year, but the truth is, most units don''t need that much money. Your unit budget plan should reflect anticipated income and outgo, with the reserve left over for emergencies. If you are fundraising for a special thing (new tents, trip to Sea Base, etc), I would set up a special account kept separate from operating expenses.

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You really should have a budget that shows where money is coming in from and where it''s going out to. If you had this, the question would be easier to answer. I would certainly look to see how the money could be used to lower the cost of scouting for everyone involved. However, I wouldn''t just go out and pay every scout''s summer camp cost just to get the surplus down. How about saving for a rainy day?

 

I''ve been told that any organization (not business) should have at least six months budget in your account at all times. It sounds like you have more than that. But think about this. If you lost everything the troop owned - tents, stoves, lanterns, flag, trailer, etc. How much would it cost to replace it all? When you think of it that way, that surplus probably won''t sound so large. And yes, I know of a couple of troops that have lost almost everything they owned.

 

Bottom line - I''d use some of it for the boys, and save the rest for future needs.

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