CynicalScouter

True, but I will say that there is a responsibility of adult leaders to make scouts aware of the opportunities. For example, I know one troop (not mine) that the SM in his newsletter once a month to parents and scouts has an "award of the month" that describes the award and requirements.

Yes, because it is Council that is the incorporated entity, not the district. It is the Council that has a charter from National, not the district. It is Council that is required to provide an accounting to the IRS and various state and/or local entities in order to maintain their status as a charity. Not the district. So you darn right, if I were the accountants and/or legal counsel for a Council, I would absolutely tell people to make checks payable to XYZ Council, not the district. And just as a reminder... Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America

Except, and this is the key, there's no such thing as a "district surplus". Districts have no budgetary or financial authority. What you want to achieve (districts financially independent of councils able to keep and spend their own money) would require the amendments to the Charter, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations I previously mentioned. Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America LOCAL COUNCILS control the raising. LOCAL COUNCILS control the expenditures. Not Districts which (as I noted) exist at the will and the whim of the Council. What you want to do is amend this I guess to or

This was announced at the National meeting last year. Long term ALL BSA publications will be online/print on demand.

Because legally and financially speaking, BSA does not recognize any such program as permitted. That money belongs to the COUNCIL. Any funds belong to the COUNCIL (or National, depending on the context). Districts are appendages of the Council and it is the Council that sets and approves expenditures. Not districts. Districts do not exist as independent entities for such purposes and they have NO authority to save, collect, or spend. Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America Moreover, and I know a few councils that have done this, they have simply eliminated districts outright. Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America So, for this plan to work, you would need to amend at least 4 sections of the Boy Scouts of America Charter and Bylaws and rewrite the District and Council segments of the Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America.

Which would require 1) the outright liquidation of Boy Scouts of America and 2) the rescinding by Congress or court-ordered dissolution of the Congressional Charter. Until that time, that Congressional Charter prohibits what you are considering unless you want to completely create a new organization (e.g. the Baden-Powell Association).

I can see SOOOOO many problems with this. First, if you can couch it as a "gift" exempt from taxes, they would still have to declare it on their income taxes. Second, secretly giving money to a council employees for their work would likely a) be considered tip income and not a gift b) a violation of their employment status as a council employee c) appear like a bribe and/or d) create an insane competition and/or animosity among council employees.

BSA already has this in place if Councils and Districts would use it. https://www.scouting.org/council-support/finance-impact/financial-planning/budget-building-materials/

Districts don't exist. They are appendages of the Councils for legal and financial purposes. To allow districts to function this way you'd have to amend at least 4 provisions of the BSA Charter that specify that the authority to raise and posses funds in the name of Scouting is extended to districts (right now it is limited to National and Councils). They would also be required to become their own independent charities and register as such under IRS requirements. In other words, it is never going to happen.

This is to my understanding not a Council issue but BSA. Districts are not allowed to have their own accounts/fund or to keep/retain money. ALL funds are directed or revert to Council. To confirm yes, all funds raised in the name of Scouting are Council's (other than unit fundraising) or National's. You therefore are not permitted to maintain your own accounts/"pot of money."

No accounting system? At all? Then how do they report their IRS 990s? If they have no accounting system at all, then your Council is in violation of at least half a dozen state and/or federal laws regarding charities/not-for-profits. Pick up the phone. Call the police. Call the state secretary of state and/or whoever has oversight over charities in your state.. Call the IRS.

66.See, e.g.ARK.CODE ANN.§4 -28-403(2018);MASS.GEN.LAWS CH.12,§8F(2017);N.C.GEN.STAT.§55A-16-24(2018);OR.REV.STAT.§128.670(2017);TEX.BUS.ORG.CODE ANN.§22.353(2017). 67.See, e.g.ALA.CODE §§10A-2.13,2.32(2018);ALASKA STAT.§§10.20.116,131(2018);ARIZ.REV.STAT.ANN.§§10.3820,11601(2018);ARK.CODE ANN.§4-28 -218(2018);CAL.CORP.CODE §6320(WEST 2018);COLO.REV.STAT.§§7-128-201,136-101(2018);CONN.GEN.STAT.§§33-1095,1235(2018);DEL.CODE ANN. TIT.8,§224(2018);D.C.CODE §§29-406.20,413.01(2018);FLA.STAT.§§617.0820,1601(2018);GA.CODE ANN.§§14-3-820,1601(2018);HAW.REV.STAT.§§414D-143,301(2018);IDAHO CODE §§30-6-1101,30 -612(2018);ILL.COMP.STAT.805ILCS105/§§107.75,108.20(2018);IND.CODE §§23-17 -15-1,27-1(2018);IOWA CODE §§504.821,1601(2019);KY.REV.STAT.ANN.§§273.223,233(2018);KAN.STAT.ANN.§§17-6301,6514(2018);LA.STAT.ANN.§§12:223,224(2018);ME.REV.STAT.ANN. TIT.13-B,§§705,715(2018);MD.CODE ANN.,CORP.&ASS’N.,§2-409(LEXISNEXIS 2018);MASS.GEN.LAWS CH.156B,§§32,56(2017);MICH.COMP.LAWS §§450.2485,2521(2017);MINN.STAT.§§317A.231,461(2018);MISS.CODE ANN.§§79-11 -255,283(2018);MO.REV.STAT.§§355.376,821(2018);MONT.CODE ANN.§§35-2-427,906(2017);NEB.REV.STAT.§§21-1980,19165(2018);NEV.REV.STAT.§§82.181,266(2018);N.J.STAT.ANN.§§15A:5-24,6- 10(2018);N.M.STAT.ANN.§§53-8-22,27(2018);N.Y.NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORP.LAW §§621,710(2018);N.C.GEN.STAT.§§55A-8-20,16 -01(2018);N.D.CENT.CODE §§10-33-39,80(2018);OHIO REV.CODE ANN.§§1702.15,31(2018);OKLA.STAT.TIT.18,§§1027,1069(2017);OR.REV.STAT.§§65.337,771(2017);15PA.CONS.STAT.§§1508,1703(2018);7R.I.GEN.LAWS §§7-6-27,30(2018);S.C.CODE ANN.§§33-31-820,1601(2018);S.D.CODIFIED LAWS §§47-23-21,24 -1(2018);TENN.CODE ANN.§§48-58-201,66-101(2018);TEX.BUS.ORG.CODE ANN.§§22.220,351(2017);UTAH CODE ANN.§§16-6A-812,1601(2018);VT.STAT.ANN. TIT.11B,§§8.20,16.01(2018);VA.CODE ANN.§§13.1-864,932(2018);WASH.REV.CODE §§24.03.120,135 (2018);W.VA.CODE §§31E-8-820,15-1501(2018);WIS.STAT.§§181.0820,1601(2019);WYO.STAT.ANN.§§17-19 -820,1601(2018) Trautman, Lawrence J. and Ford, Janet (2019) "Nonprofit Governance: The Basics," Akron Law Review: Vol. 52 : Iss. 4 , Article 2. Available at: https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/akronlawreview/vol52/iss4/2

Depends on the state. Texas says yes copies, but you have to pay a "reasonable fee". But again, the idea is that if you want to go to Council during regular business hours and ask for the "records, books, and reports" of the Council, you are entitled to do so in a majority of states. And while they don't have to provide copies (or in states like Texas must provide for a "Reasonable fee") go grab your cell phone camera and start taking pictures of the documents.

Again, have you asked your council? As I noted in at least 1/2 of states you are allowed to inspect their books and/or audited financial statement BY LAW. You want to get into budget line items? Go right ahead. But the problem is we have people who say a) I don't want all the details but b) I want assurances that the money is not going somewhere I, personally, don't think it should be going to (camp wifi). You can't have it both ways. You want the information, file a request under your state laws and show up at council (the laws say you can inspect, it does NOT say they have to mail it to you).

Tidewater Council: $24 per person. This is down from $42 thanks to a strong FOS showing in 2020. http://tidewaterbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Bayside-2021-Recharter-Process-Flyer.pdf It technically worked out as two fees: $12 insurance and $12 council activity (down from $30). Tidewater has made it absolutely clear: what they cannot get out of FOS they will get out of this council activity fee. When/if FOS comes in strong, the council activity fee will decrease. https://tidewaterbsa.com/ek-july15-4/

The $55 National Camping School fee is set by and goes direct to National. Not only does your local Council not get a dime, the local Council has to then add in another $100 as a hosting fee. https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/camping/short-term-camp/

So then what exactly is the complaint. "I want the information." Sure, here it is. As required by law. "Well, I don't want THAT information." Etc.

Which again, required to be disclosed by IRS regulation and state law. 990 Schedule C. Political Campaign and Lobbying Activities. And state lobbyists have to list who the are lobbying on behalf of. Here's Texas since 2016. https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/search/lobby/loblistsREG2016-2020.php And again, if you know when your council's budget is set, have you ever bothered to ask to see the next year's projected budget? As I said, in a good number of states, the "ask" carries with it the requirement of law (they HAVE tell you what the expenditure is for/what the budget is prior to approval). Then you can call and complain that you don't think it should be spent, but it is still up to the board.

First, I know of no local not-for-profit that does 3-5 year projections. BSA might as a large national organization, but a local council doing 3-5 YEARS out? No way. Given that membership organizations are notoriously hard to budget for (e.g. associations), I cannot imagine a 3 year projected budget being anything more than mere guesswork and THAT becomes a problem when projections are way, way off. Then everyone gets mad at Council for missing budget targets. Second, as for reductions, again, all that information is in the 990s. They record total employees (and that number dropping as layoffs happen), reduction in salaries, reduction in revenues. Ironically, the layoffs are making it LESS likely councils can get the message out. I know some councils have advertised/broadcast that they have laid off XX or YY number of staff, but some opt to not make a show of it because a) they have no one to write the council newsletter anymore or b) there's a fear that it sends the "we're dying" message.

I never, ever understood this argument that council is "hiding" how they spend money or not being "transparent". 1) Federal law: All Councils have to file IRS 990s. By law. These are easily available either direct from the Council for the asking (prior 3 years + the Council's not for profit application) or from the IRS (COVID has created a lag time of 6-9 months before they go online). There's also places online (Guidestar) that post these. 2) 28 states require that a not-for-profit or charity file annual audit statements if they take in revenue over a set amount a year (e.g. Arkansas = $500,000). Most councils are over the thresholds. https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/nonprofit-audit-guide/state-law-audit-requirements 3) Most states require the not-for-profit or charity file an annual report with their secretary of state or similar. https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/state-filing-requirements-nonprofits 4) Depending on the state, certain board and financial documents are available for public inspection and copying. Texas Business Organization Code §22.353 for example I know with my council I was told by all the old timers that council was "hiding" its spending and "where's the money going"? I was new to scouting but NOT not-for-profits. I did something horrifying: I ASKED. I got copies of the prior two years of budget documents emailed within a day and the IRS 990s a few days later (there was a weekend or holiday, I can't remember which). EDIT: Forgot Sarbanes Oxley! It was targeted at for-profits, but TWO sections include not for profits. Whistleblowers are protected and document destruction under Section 1102, which makes it a crime for nonprofits to alter or destroy documents that should be maintained for use in official proceeding. https://nonprofitquarterly.org/sarbanes-oxley-ten-years-later/ So, if your Council is doing all the bad, nasty things they are rumored to be doing, there's a slew of state and federal laws that require disclosure and/or subject the organization and/it its leadership to civil and criminal penalties.

Depends on the council. For councils that do not have facilities and camps (mine doesn't) FOS is for basic council operations.

Tidewater Council: $24 per person. This is down from $42 thanks to a strong FOS showing in 2020. http://tidewaterbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Bayside-2021-Recharter-Process-Flyer.pdf Colonial Virginia Council: $12 per person https://www.cvcboyscouts.org/bsacvc-membership-fees.html Heart of Virginia Council: $10 per person https://hovc.org/2020recharter/ National Capital Area Council: $0 https://www.ncacbsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2021-Charter-Renewal-Handbook-Final.pdf Virginia Headwaters Council: Council Youth Program Fee: $22 Council Adult Program Fee: $15 Insurance (Youth, Tiger/Lion adult partners and leaders): $12 https://www.vahcbsa.org/files/34609/2020-2021-Recharter-Fees Cape Fear Council: $3 per person https://www.capefearcouncilbsa.org/resources/recharter-online/ Central North Carolina Council: $16 Insurance Fee $18 Activity Fee http://www.centralnccouncilbsa.com/about-us/2021-fee-structure-/73334

Yeah, the insurance covers the actions in the years for which there was a valid policy. So if the abuse happened in 2000 then BSA's 2000 coverage policy still covers, even if LDS left in 2019.

Boy Scouts can't keep $667 million off the table, victims' group says The document mentioned in the article. They are also looking to liquidate Order of the Arrow. https://casedocs.omniagentsolutions.com/cmsvol2/pub_47373/868466_1913.pdf

IF this is accurate, the last time there was any kind of major overhaul was 1999? 1972? http://usscouts.org/usscouts/eagle/EagleHistory.asp