Jump to content

2012 Eagle Fundraising


Recommended Posts

Pappadaddy - CO doesn't have any say in where the extra money goes.. It belongs to the non-profit the donations were raised for. In my opinion, if a loan were made, the loan repayment also would not be something agreed upon between parents and son, because the money the parents loan will be given not to the son but the non-profit, and the agreement to pay back the loan would not be something the son the son would need to agree to (unless the pay back is done through work done by him personally and outside of the Eable project.) If it is being repaid back, that would be something the non-profit would have to agree to..

 

But that is just my take on the new Eagle workbook's new wording, others obviously interpret it differently.. And that is why it should not be interpreted by us, but by the District Eagle board mentor.. Because their interpretation can be anywhere from, "No way" to "sure no problem".. To something inbetween.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 34
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Remove the Eagle workbook......

 

 

What is the right thing to do?????

 

Fund raise and then by the material

 

or

 

 

Mom and Dad buy the material then raise money to cover the expenses after the fact

 

 

 

 

Move this situation to a work place. How is this young man going to do this at work or college???? What is he going to learn????? Mom and dad will bail me out?????

Link to post
Share on other sites

BD - AGREE which is why I said although we all like to see the Eagle scout do as much on his own as possible. The new Eagle workbook kindof now helps parents get more involved then they should..

 

(It means, I don't like it.. I don't agree with it.. But there you have it.. BSA working against the best intrest of the purpose and vision of scouting.. Or at least makeing changes to the vision (which in my opinion will hurt them as much as it did in the 70's..)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I really don't see an issue with the timing of the work vs. fundraising. If someone contributes to a project and then sees the Scout continuing ro raise money for the project, I think the vast majority of folks will assume he simply needed more money for the project -- not that he's raising money for personal gain.

 

What if a Scout were borrowing the money form his own college fund? Or what if the local lumber yard set up a credit account for the Scout and he's paying off the charges?

 

In our troop the Scouts have discovered that the council's Camp Card sale is a pretty easy to raise money for a project. But that only occurs in the spring. It hasn't come up yet, but if a Scout wants to use the camp cards as a fundraiser does that mean he has to put off this project until after the sale? Why?

 

And keep in mind there is nothing which prevents the parents for simply stroking a check and making a "donation" to the project. That Scout Mom's son wants to call it a loan and pay them back is a positive step.

Link to post
Share on other sites

And keep in mind there is nothing which prevents the parents for simply stroking a check and making a "donation" to the project. That Scout Mom's son wants to call it a loan and pay them back is a positive step.

 

There is the problem, the parents may see it a a check and a donation to the project.. But it is not.. It is a donation to the non-profit, which they wish the non-profit will use toward the project.. If the scout then gets a big donation for materials, the non-profit need not return the money to the parents.. If the scout nevers does the project, never uses the money to buy the material.. The non-profit need not return the money to the parents, they can use it for something else..

 

It is like you donating FOS funds to your council because in their FOS speech they discuss earmarking it to repave the roads at camp which you feel are in desperate need.. Then you find out, that the camp now is earmarked to be sold, and they ditch the road pavement project.. Do you get your money back?? Nope..

 

 

It was alot easier to understand the concept of the money raised was yours to run your project and any extra profit that was leftover was then donated to the non-profit..(This message has been edited by moosetracker)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Since I've already acknowledged that after reading this thread, I remain totally confused about the issue.

 

One point in particular: I thought units were not supposed to ask for donations ---something reserved for the council as I understand it.

 

On this thread I'm reading about all kinds and varieties of donations, some of them susceptible to abuse.

 

So what gives?

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

They are not suppose to solicit for money donations.. They are to run fundraisers. But, with some items you might know about donations given..

 

Example.. My husband delivers to and comes home with boxes of (I mean BOXES (moving box sized)) of Lindt chocolate.. Donated.. "Here hand it out to the scouts"..

 

He also got donated to Scouts a whole trunk full of bolts & bolts of material..

 

Someone might be building a retaining wall and know of a place that sell imperfect (as in not all the perfect color) retaining wall stone.. (My husband & I picked up some years ago.. I thought it would be a mix of all different colored cast-offs.. They were all of the same color.. Off color?? Couldn't tell.. They weren't different shades of gray either..

 

A relative who works at a landscaping buisness, and can get you donated the plants that will just be left to die, because the season is ending to sell it.

 

Don't know if it is now, but Walmart had some plan that any unit could go in when planning an event, to get 25 dollars off of in-store purchases..

 

Panara bread is famous for giving you donations of the unsold bread... We have used it for several scout breakfasts.. I don't know what our WB Quartermaster did, but she got donations every single weekend (and it was way too much to just consider it being cast-offs)..

 

Uncle Sammy owns a buisness and volunteers to donate $100 (unsolicited) in the name of his buisness.

 

Now.. We have Mom & Dad who can volunterily donate to your project. With other donations you do not return it.. With MoM & Dad either, it should not be returned.

 

Like if Walmart gave you $25 dollars for purchased food for your BSA camping event and the event is canceled.. Would you return the food or the $25? Or would you just eat the food??

 

Mom & Dad have to know they are not donating to son, they are donating to the non-profit org..(This message has been edited by moosetracker)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Has this project already been approved by someone on the district committee, usually the Advancement Chair or special Eagle project person? If so, the fundraising element should have been discussed when the scout met with them to get approval.

 

If not, the troop advancement chair should be able to give the scout the contact information for that person.

 

IMHO, doing the project first is putting the cart before the horse.

 

The Eagle Project Fundraising Application, and the Procedures and Limitations on Eagle Project Fundraising which follows will help clarify solicitation of donations. Asking for monetary donations for the project for x organization is ok, but only to secure materials. It must be made clear to donors that it is for x org. X org would be the one issuing tax deductible receipts.

 

Any leftover funds or items purchased but unused and/or unreturnable (such as hammers and shovels), are to be given to the benefiting organization.

 

Sounds like this unit needs to get someone trained as an Eagle Coach, or if coaches are at the District level in their council, to ask one to come talk to the SM, Adv Coord, and CC, to get them up to speed on the new processes. I know several districts here have held overview and Q & A sessions, some at roundtable.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

on the casual basis of getting reimbursed as mentioned -- probably not, but that is just my opinion.

On the other hand, if you keep all the receipts & invoices for the project so far, and have your son sign a notarized 90 day note, then maybe

Link to post
Share on other sites

Since I have served on the District advancement level, I would never approve a project that didn't show how it was funded. I'm not sure that I would deny approval if the funds were a contribution from the Scout's parents. However, if they stipulated that it was a loan, I would encourage the Scout to use his personal income or wages from a job to reimburse them. Using fundraising afterwards just gives a bad appearance and suspicion. It also doesn't teach the Scout how to manage a project if he just gets monies from his parents.

 

You could do it, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What about this:

 

Scout plans for fundraisers to pay for project but comes up short (bad weather, lower turnout than expected at fundraising venue, small-town environment where folks are just tapped out, whatever).

 

Scout covers the gap in funds needed partly with his own money, partly with parents' money, either as a match, or as a loan.

 

Scout completes project on time as a result of having the funds he needs to purchase material.

 

Alternative would be for scout to have to delay work days to schedule and get approval for another round of fund raising, and maybe (depending on how close he is) to age out without finishing as consequence.

 

I'm asking, why is the former (scout carries out planned & approved fundraiser but also uses some of his own money with a bridge loan or match from the bank of mom & dad) less acceptable than the latter (scout jumps through more bureaucratic hoops to get additional fundraisers approved and learn to be a fundraiser extraordinaire, or else fuggedaboutit.) Is effective fundraising such a key component of a boy's Eagle project, such that a boy who doesn't fully fund his project via fundraising hasn't shown sufficient leadership in your eyes? Is a scout on a tight time frame just out of luck if his fundraiser isn't 100% successful the first time?

 

Curious to hear your thoughts.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Since the new guide says parents can fund it, then that is what they can do.. As far as this project is concerned this is even more so a donation to the non-profit though.. If the Eagle project concludes with no time to finish fundraising, this example even looses the quibble we are having of if you can fundraise after.. There would be no time to fund raise after.. The Eagle project is done, the boy ages out of being a scout.

 

Now if the scout and parents work something out that the scout repays the loan through some summer job, that is their personal agreement.. Then it becomes a fact that all the extra money not raised by the fundraising would slowly become fully donated by the scouts personal income.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It is not unusual for fundraising to fall short. There is a place on the project report to explain how a shortfall in funds was made up.

 

If a fundraiser falls short, a scout may:

1. Push back work days to do additional fundraising.

2. Use his own money.

3. Ask if any of the following would be willing to help make up the shortfall- parents, relatives, troop, troop members and parents, chartered organization, and the beneficiary of the project.

 

No fundraising Application needed for # 2 & 3. All funds are donations to the beneficiary.

 

IMO, there are too many people who think that an Eagle Project has to be a large, complex, expensive construction project. I have seen few that aren't construction projects, even though that is not the only type of project suggested.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...