need some advice

[Snow_White]

Best of luck, bear dad, you are doing a great thing for the boys in helping to get this pack up and running. You have gotten some good advice from this thread. A couple of points that I strongly agree with:

-Pay dues once a year (a little more painful for the families at the time, but easier on the leaders to deal with). Also, parents have a little more buy-in once they've paid for the whole year up front.

-For right now, things have to be on a pay-as-you-go basis, PWD kits, advancement, etc. Let them know that this can change after a few successful fundraisers.

-A Scout is thrifty (sounds like you are doing a good job with this already). Borrow PWD track from nearby pack, if you can. Do a potluck B&G to keep costs down, but have an activity to make the event fun for the boys - make it something that they will look forward to for next year.

 

Try to come up with a fundraiser that can also be a FUN-raiser - make it something that Scouts and parents will want to participate in and will bring the pack together in a common goal. Check out the Cake Bake thread here - that sounds like fun. Maybe invite the members of your CO or others in the community, so that you are not trying to raise funds from within the pack. (Make sure that appropriate permissions are obtained.)

 

FWIW, popcorn is our pack's only fundraiser, and all money goes to the pack - no individual scout accounts. Most participate, a few don't, luckily we've never had anyone complain that its not fair. I like it this way, think it teaches the scouts a little bit about doing something not directly for your own benefit. Pack dues are collected once a year, at rechartering; when new scouts join, they pay pro-rated for the rest of the current year, and next rechartering upfront. The amount is minimal, Boys Life is extra if you want it. No den dues, den expenses (and they are not much) paid out of pack funds. Pack pays for all advancement, neckers each year, PWD kits, location rentals for pack events; most field trips/district events are pay as you go, some partly subsidized. Dues and uniforms are subsidized for needy families at the discretion of CM and CC. We are an established pack, your mileage may vary as you are in a very different situation.

 

Sorry for the dissertation-length post.

 

 

[Basementdweller]

The problem with cake bake sales is the money comes from the pack's families. To my mind raising money from the Cub Families is not a good thing and often counter productive. I like to raise funds from the public and not our families. You will be surprised how quickly they tire of being asked for money for a fund raiser.

 

The Garage Sale is a great thing.....we have done it and raised some good $$$.

 

[Eamonn]

Getting to where you want to be when you are a new unit is really tough.

Don't give up! There is a light at the end of the tunnel and once you get to the end? There will be something else to worry about!

 

Scouts and Scouting is really wonderful.

When I was trying to push units into recruiting more Scouts, I talked about happy smiling faces. Believe me I was being 100% sincere.

Still, like anything that's worth doing it comes at a cost. - I think you know that.

There is no such thing as a free lunch and sadly there isn't a Fairy Cub Scout Mother.

Some things you might want to think about and maybe discuss with the other adults who are involved in the pack might be.

Stop using the word dues!

Use the word cost or costs.

Maybe a meeting with all the adults who serve the pack, that is to say Youth Leaders and Committee Members, where you all sit down and plan the next years program.

Themes for each month, trips the entire kit and caboodle any and everything that is going to cost anything. Break this down into a cost per boy.

Back when I was a CM the cost was something like $120.00 per Cub Scout, not including the cost of resident camp. (Add about 15% to this number.)

Don't be afraid of the numbers! Parents are willing to pay for what they see as being a quality program.

This $120.00 became the "Magic Number".

Parents were informed that this was what it was going to cost to be a member of the pack.

(Yes we had plans in place to help families that needed help that's where the 15% came in.)

Parents were told very clearly that if the money wasn't there the Pack would cut back on activities.

They were also given a couple of options.

They could write a check for the entire amount. They could fund raise the entire amount or pay some and raise some. Fact was that we didn't care as long as the "Magic Number" was paid in full.

Parents who chose to fund raise the money were told that any money above the magic number would go toward the cost of resident camp.

When you have the meeting with everyone make plans and have dates for fund raising events. We got by with the popcorn sale and two frozen pizza sales a year.

Being as many of the Cub Scouts went to the local Catholic School which always seemed to have one fund raising event after another! Many of the parents were happy to just write the check and not have to keep pestering their family and co-workers.

At events like the PWD, a few parents and committee members would set up a refreshment stand, selling soda-pop, hot-dogs and the like. This of course didn't pay for the event! But this money went into the Pack funds.

I really think that when it comes to paying for the program everyone needs to know that nothing is free and everyone has to pay their way.

Ea.

[bear dad]

Eamonn,

Thanks we have as a pack (leaders and c. members) started to get a year down, but we got the first 6 months, we thought at least it was a start, we have a PWD, Regatta, B&G, even a pack campout scheduled so far, in fact we have put down for a garage sale to help both the pack and either keep cost down, or eleminate it for food for campout.

 

I speak for myself, but can't see how people are not getting the picture? As I stated earlier when boy goes to boys scout probaly be more??

Even if we figure out it will cost say $50 a year, if they pay $5 a month how can we expect them pay up front?

 

[Eamonn]

"how can we expect them pay up front?"

In as nice a way as you can you firmly tell them that you need the money.

 

 

Over the years my son has been involved in different activities.

When he signed up, I knew what he was signing up for.

Take soccer for example.

I knew that there was going to be two seasons per year, a spring season and a fall season. I knew when he games would be played and where they would be played.

I also knew that along with the fee I paid that there was an expectation that each family was expected to participate in the fund raising event that was planned.

Once you have your annual plan done you can pass this information on to the parents and let them know what's happening and when it will happen along with the cost.

I think even back then each soccer season cost me $70.00 ($140 for the year) I got a t-shirt and the club paid for the use of the field and paid the refs. We also got to attend a covered dish supper and the winning teams got a trophy.

My son along with about 350 other kids paid their way and had a great time playing soccer.

Why should Cub Scouting be any different?

Just tell the parents that this is what the cost isand when you (Or whoever!) is going to pick up the check.

Ea.

 

[bear dad]

Eamonn,

I agree with you that scouts should be no different with regards to cost associated to be in it, just like little league base ball, soccer,etc...

But is still amazes me that when parents know this upfront, cost for joing etc.. they still sign the kids up for it.Then wonder why things don't get done, or they get to this or that, when they have not fullfilled THIER requirments.

 

I am like all you are leaders and members are not paid, in fact we have to pay just be a leader or??, Not to mention OUR TIME.

 

Had a person call us the other night wanting to know when we was going to do a event we had scheduled, told her when we get some money in our pack. Our pack is been up for about 4 months now, and we have not as of yet got any $ from this group, we have been told they have some, but how much?? Why has it took so long and still be not what is should be.

I know we have some single parents with more than one kid, so it can be rough on them, thats why we tried to make it easy on them with dues each month, but to be honest I don't think that is the problem think it is they just don't care or want to??

 

[Eamonn]

I sweet-talked my wife into becoming the Pack Treasurer.

She isn't called Her Who Must Be Obeyed for nothing!

She ruled with an iron fist!

As a rule she is very shy (Outside of our home!) But she made it clear that when it came to everyone paying their way? That was the way it was.

It helped that we had a son in the Pack and many of the other parents were people we seen outside of the school or at church. This gave her the opportunity to do a little more arm twisting outside of the Scout meetings.

 

I hate to come off sounding harsh. But I don't buy into this single parent thing!

Many of the single parents I know have a lot more money than families with two parents.

Sure there are families that do face real challenges.

But a single Mum still pays the same for a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread that you pay.

Ea.

[bear dad]

Eamonn,

Thanks, no don't think you came across as harsh, I do know of a couple of parents that might be struggling a little nore than others. With that said I Do agree with you, we pay the same.

 

In fact was talking to wife about our UC coming to our pack meeting, she is getting the info on the rechartering, and we have told leaders and some parents at last meeting along with this one their fees for rechartering has to be turned in by end of this month. I realize that we have a little more time, but I know if we give the inch, they will take the mile and some.

 

As wife and I was talking she mentioned that she might wait on 1 person, I said no, they are no different than any other person in pack, WE ALL KNOW, BEEN TOLD, what to expect, like the scout saying "BE PREPARED".Every parent knows scouts have costs just like most things.

I think there are some who like to see what they can get by with.

[Mom2Scouts06]

In our pack we collect dues at the beginning of they year. $50 per scout due by the September pack meeting. If they have not paid dues by December when it is time to recharter then their son does not get rechartered and no longer earns advancements, belt loops, etc. We also have a policy in place where they can not pay for any trip or campout unless they have paid dues.

We started last year passing out invoices in November for those few families that had not yet paid dues. No one is singled out or embarrassed but we can let them know they still owe. That usually works!

 

We also tell people from the start that if the dues present a hardship for you to please let us know immediately. The sooner we know the sooner we can help!

 

Our pack does individual scout accounts for our Popcorn Fundraiser and this year we included our 2 pack yardsale funds in the scout accounts. When our pack sponsors the District pinewood derby and our Cake Auction at Blue and Gold we put all money raised in the General Fund. Yardsales and Cake Auctions are awesome because the profit is 100%. We made $3000 this year on yardsales and a cake auction! Good Luck!