Donation Jar Ban

[Gold Winger 9]

"BW writes, that you can take a donation but you can't ask"

 

Hey! I said that. BeeDubya said, "Taking funds without exchanging it for a product or service is a violation of the BSA money earning policies for units."

 

The inference in BeeDubya's statement is that you can only accept money in exchange for goods or service.

[Lisabob 13]

Hmm in that case we'd better all scrupulously turn down the 10% discounts or what not that some outdoor supply stores give to scouts too. After all that's a donation of sorts.

[SSScout 1615]

Oh the tangled webs we weave...no that's not right...

Do as I say, not as I do... nope, not quite...

Danged if'n I do and danged if'n I don't... mmmmm, getting closer...

Because I'm the daddy, that's why... mmmm. no.

Is you is or is you ain't my baby?...

 

I agree we would rather our Scouts earn their way. Sell something of worth, do a service for a price and not go around with their hand out saying please.

 

However, what do we say when someone points to our United Way connection, or the DE's duty to "fund raise" or even the (shudder) FoS campaign? I know for a fact that many a DE solicits (and that is the correct term) the communiy business leaders. And howbout the Jamboree Troops that enlist "sponsors" to help buy the new equipment and trip tickets? I seem to remember a Troop in '05 that proudly posted the name of a local Pizza Restaurant on their gateway. And the corporate sponsors (who provided the Official Jamboree cars and trucks? Dare I say donation? And tax deduction?) that were in, admiitedly low key, attendance.

 

District leader came to me and said his company was considering their corporate contributions for the upcoming year. Would we accept a donation toward our CSDC park rental fee? What do you think I said to him?

 

So the division seems to be between Unit/Youth and District & Council/Adult.

 

Is that about right?

[Gold Winger 9]

I believe that youth can solicit funds if they are doing so to feed the troop llama. However, if the troop has a lama, he's on his own and has to feed himself.

[Nike 94]

What I got from Council was that in order to maintain 501 © 3 status, Scouts could not just sell stuff. Conducting a fundraiser is part of the program method to help boys set goals, plan, and implement a project; their soliciting donations in any way or form endangers/negates non-profit status. This was what I was looking for.

[Nike 94]

BTW, anyone offers us donations, we happily accept.

[Bob White 20]

GW you do yoursekf futher disservice by quoting people oyt of context. My resonse was specifically to Nike regarding the use of a donation jar. Setting out a jar does not offer a product or service in return and so it is prohibited by the policies of the BSA for unit money earning.

 

This would includie begging for money to feed the troop llama.

 

SSScout, the rules for what the Council can do are different then what units can do. Councils use the name and images of the BSA, for which they are the representatives, to raise funds used to benefit ALL units in the community. Where as a unit needs permission to use the name and images of the BSA if they are raising money that only benefits that unit.

 

 

[Gold Winger 9]

BeeDubya, I didn't quote you oyt of context. You've pontificated but still haven't answered a direct question which doesn't surprise anyone but that means that all we have to go on are your actual unqualified words, which were "Taking funds without exchanging it for a product or service is a violation of the BSA money earning policies for units."

[Gold Winger 9]

"This would includie begging for money to feed the troop llama."

 

Boy BeeDubya, you accuse me of misquotational activites but I have a hard time believing that you would stoop this low.

 

Come on, you know that the troop's llama could just graze, I'm more concerned about the troop's lama.

[SSScout 1615]

GW: Llikely, BW llooks to describe the lliscensing rulles the llocal units need to folllow. Often, I don't think llocall lleaders reallly consider the "officiall" rulles when they pllan their fund raising. After alll, when you're concern is paying the billls and sending the boys to camp, one might not stop at merelly sellling popcorn.

Then too, other non-Scout follks might take it on themsellves to help raise a llittlle money from the spare change that comes into their store, and then pass that on to the Scouts.

 

More worms in the can! They put the sign on the bottlle tht says ""FOR THE SCOUTS"" and then pass on the unsollicited funds to the llocal Scout Unit, which has not asked the llocal merchant to colllect for them. This is bad?

 

Q: How many highlly paid llawyers does it take to sue the merchant to make him stop colllecting the dolllars that he passes on to the Scout unit?

 

Anyone out there named Lloyd?

[Bob White 20]

The local units cannot put out a can that says "for the Scouts" without the knowledge and permission of the local council. They especially cannot give the appearance that that thay are collecting for all scouts and then give the money to only one unit.

 

The BSA unit fundraising policies state that the a product or service must be offered. There are no exceptions.

[evmori 11]

OK. So your unit is selling popcorn at the local Food King & someone comes up & gives the unit $5 but doesn't want any popcorn. Do you accept it of have one of the Scout chase him down to return it?

[Gold Winger 9]

Ev,

 

BeeDubya won't answer that question, just like he avoided the one about a third party collecting money for the Scouts.

[SSScout 1615]

(Justice Scalia): Counsel, let's posit the following situation. A church sponsors a Scout Troop and Pack. Scout Sunday comes up, and the Troop and Pack participate. Lovely uniformed Scouts sit in the up front pews. Previously unexpectedly to the Scouts, the Pastor gets up and announces that the collection today will be "dedicated to our Scout units". Question: According to BSA regulations, may the Scout units accept the collected plate donations? It seems to me that the church, being the sponsoring organization, represents the Scout units and may not solicit on their behalf. Am I mistaken in this?

 

(Counsel BW:)

 

 

[Bob White 20]

While the unit may not solicite for donations the charter organization can certainly fund the unit. What fundraising the charter organization does is up to their rules and the laws of the State or local community and how they distribute those funds is up to their administrators.

 

However they should still have the permission of the local council to use the names or images of scouting for fundraising. As the legal respresentative of the BSA in the council area, the Scout executive should be informed of anyone who is using the name or images of Scouting to raise money from the public.

 

The more appropriate thing for the minister to say is that they are taking a collection to support a youth program within the church, then they can direct the funds to whatever youth program or programs they choose.

 

In the same vein, if the charter organization wanted to put out donation jars to support their youth programs, the BSa has no say in the manner. It is when they put the BSA names or emblems on the can that they violate the fundraising policies since no product or service ios being offered.

 

As for evmori's question, I block his posts, for obvious reasons, which is why I do not know or answer his questions.