eagle scout project grant money?

[Trevorum 24]

OK, sorry. Not the first time I've given bad advice on money matters!

[EagleInKY 14]

I don't think I could put it any better than FScouter, so let me just re-iterate his points.

 

There is nothing in the requirements about fundraising being mandatory. In fact, the only mention of fundraising is that the project cannot be "just" a fundraiser. There are many quality Eagle projects that can be done without the need of fundraising. My project, for example, was completely funded by the church (our CO). But I saved them many $$$ on labor. I had to handle invoices and get them to the church treasurer, but I never had to worry about funds.

 

Consider this. Which is a more "worthy" project. Raising $500 to build a few picnic tables that will be weathered and worn in a few years. Or, building a fireplace, walking path, flower bed, etc., that may costs $1000s of dollars, but is paid for by a doner or the recipient. The first can be done in a weekend with a few friends after receiving donatins. The second requires learning skills, sourcing materials, putting together a rather large team, etc. I contend that the second is a much more challenging project, even though no fundraising is required.

 

Fscouter said it best, "If Mom and Dad write a check, that shows nothing and he will have to demonstrate leadership and responsibility through other aspects of the project. "

 

The fundraising requirement in your council is misguided and technically wrong (as in violates BSA policy).

[theheff 10]

All,

I know this is an old post, but many folks like me may just now be running across this info.

Here's what we learned in 2008 with our first son, and what we're finding this go around with our second son in 2010. Our first son built an outdoor classroom for his high school, and he was very successful in gaining donations for any food provided during work days at Kroger, Ingles and Publix. He got very little from Home Depot and Lowes. They truly were not interested. He was very fortunate to stumble across a gentleman that pushed him on to a company that does insurance claim work, and they donated a large portion of the material. My son was also told local community banks were required by law to donate x amount of money to their local communities, but when he tried they said they had reached their quota for the year.

Now, in 2010 things are very tight, and our second son has made all the rounds and come up completely dry except for the small donations for food from the local grocery stores. He is building cabinets for the local high school band, and if they cannot come up with the funds he will need to start over from scratch with a new project. Times are tough, and he is finding companies are just not willing to donate.

[Twocubdad 665]

Just about everything our council does related to Eagle projects is backwards.

 

They have a very, very strong inclination toward construction projects. No added requirements about the "permanence" of projects, but that's the net effect. If your project doesn't include the use of pressure-treated lumber, you're going to have a hard time getting it though -- not impossible, but difficult.

 

Consequently, projects tend to be material intensive. In our troop the LEAST expensive project I seen in the past few years was $800. One was over $1500.

 

Here, we are completely backwards from the rest of you guys on fundraising. While there is no prohibition or limit on family contributions, Scouts MAY NOT include any time spent raising money as part of the project. (And yes, the time matters as they still insist that an Eagle project should include a minimum of 100 manhours, exclusive of planning and funraising). The council justifies this citing the national policy that ESLPs may not be a fundraiser. Of course the result of that is that most projects are family-funded. If parents are willing to write a check, there is no reason or incentive for a Scout to otherwise raise the money.

 

That's becoming a problem, given the economic situation. Personally, we could afford to make the same contribution to my older son's project if it came up today. I'm seeing a lot more Eagle project fundraisers, not just for out troop, but all over town. That's not a bad thing, but I believe the council needs to change it's attitude about projects. We need to get a handle on this from the cost side or the fundraising is going to get out of hand.

 

If you assume a decent fundraiser (carwash, donut sale, etc.) nets $250-300, our troop would have been involved in OVER 20 ADDITIONAL fundraisers in the past two years. That's just too many trips to the well. While I know the Eagle candidate would be doing the work, the troop leadership would still have some peripherial involvement and at minimum it would be an extra activity for the other boys in the troop would be expected to attend.

[ghermanno 11]

One word of caution on fundraising/donations. Be sure that the Council/Distict knows that you are doing this (if doing this as "Scouting"). It has happened in the past that someone would get a donation for some small item (camporee/project/training) and not realize that the donor would consider that the companies donation to Scouting vice the normal $$$$ that they would donate to either Council or District. May not seem like much but could definately increase the cost of/decrease the frequency of camporees/summer camps...

 

This is another reason they reccomend you ask for the donation in the recipients name vice Scouting.

 

Just a heads up. Sorry to be the wet blanket. I personaly like the project and wish the Scout well. I would try for normal fundraisers and talk to the District DAC or Council about where/what I can ask for in whose name.

 

My $0.02

 

YiS,

Rick

[Twocubdad 665]

That is absolutely correct for unit fundraisers and why units aren't permitted to ask for direct contributions. However, at best, I would call an Eagle project a grey area.

 

As has been discussed, contributions should be solicited in the name of the benefactor organization, not Scouting. But let's be realistic. Even if a Scout is clear the funds will benefit XYZ organization, a big selling point (and no small point of pride, either) is this is for the young man's Eagle Scout project. Does anyone think a boy is going to do their fundraising in street clothes and never mention Scouting? And what would you think of some random kid asking you for money to build picnic tables with no other context?

 

I ask my Scout to be clear to contributors that their money is benefitting another organization, but it's a bit unrealistic to think they will leave Scouting out of their pitch entirely.

[scoutingagain 20]

In our District, the direct solicitation of cash is frowned upon, if not out right prohibited. Sat in on one EBOR, when asked how the project was funded, the scout anwered honestly and indicated that most of the material was donated, but realized towards the end he would be a couple of boxes of screws short, so he went to the store and used his own money to pay for them. The District rep, basically said, "Well your really not supposed to do that". The scout did pass his EBOR.

 

While the direct solication for cash is not allowed, asking for donations of materials is done quite frequently. The expectation was that the scout would make an appointment with a store, or business manager, show up in uniform and explain what he wanted and why. And yes, with the uniform and a statement of "Eagle project" for school, church, town etc. The fact the donation was to support an Eagle project was very much included in the presentation.

 

Theheff,

 

My son did basically the same project for his HS Band. He salvaged materials from an old set of wood cabinets/lockers, got a local lumber yard(using the approach above) to donate about $500 worth of plywood and 2x4s and by using a similar approach as described above with local businesses to discuss the project with the school principal, got the school to use some maintenance funds to purchase screws, nails, stain and polyurethane.

 

He made sure when the article about his project was written up in the local paper that the local lumber yard was appropriately thanked.

 

SA