National Council Membership Fee

[SeattlePioneer 144]

The BSA membership fee has been rising rapidly in recent year,  to $24 for 2015.

 

That suggests a NEW,  HIGHER membership fee for 2016.  Who wants to make a prediction?

[Stosh 3452]

A buck two-eighty and worth every penny.

 

Making bets against BSA policy changes is a fruitless effort.  Someone could make the guess $100 and be embarrassingly under guessing.....

Edited August 23, 2015 by Stosh

[skeptic 995]

Very poor title; suggests this is a reality when it is simply another stoking of rumor that will upset people to some degree.  What is the reason, other than to make more waves?  Sorry; but get tired of the constant tendency for some to LOOK for problems and conjecture things to cause friction.

[Gone 435]

A fee hike and a policy change. Sure I bet they're just that silly to do so.

[Miami_Chief 30]

The last increase when into effect in January of 2014, and that only bumped us up from $15 to $24.

 

Here's the full FAQ that was released during the last change:  http://scout-wire.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2014-BSA-Membership-Fee-Increase-FAQ.pdf

 

"4. Does the BSA increase membership fees often?

 

There have been nine fee increases in the organization’s history. On average, the fee increase has been 68 percent. Since 1969, the BSA has increased its fee every two to eight years, but averaging every five years."

 

Will costs go up in the future?  Of course they will.  But I wouldn't be betting on an increase just two years after the last.    

[qwazse 4344]

Probably too late for '16. Maybe next year.

@@SeattlePioneer, you get a -1 from me for a crappy title. We don't need more BS in the organization than we already have!

[JasonG172 244]

I believe our Renewal was 35$

[NJCubScouter 1389]

I think councils add on their own fees. I know that at one point out total charter fee was $25 per person, and that did not include Boys Life. I do not know whether it is still that amount - probably not, if the national fee by itself is $24.

[Gone 435]

Probably too late for '16. Maybe next year.

@@SeattlePioneer, you get a -1 from me for a crappy title. We don't need more BS in the organization than we already have!

 

The 2014 increase was announced in September 2013, wasn't it?

 

http://www.ncacbsa.org/news/138293/Membership-Fee-Increase-in-2014--UPDATED.htm

Edited August 24, 2015 by Bad Wolf

[skeptic 995]

Recharter fees, on the charter, are $24 per person; Boys Life at $12 (I think still) per; a general charter fee of $20.  Other fees would normally be council level insurance, which does not show on the actual charter paperwork, and possibly advance payment for unit honor recognitions.  Do not believe councils can add local charges on top of the National fees, though could be wrong.  So, theory would say a scout would pay $24 basic, possibly $12, and in our council just under a dollar per scout for insurance.  We order JTE patches separately after the fact and do not specifically charge the scout.  Scouters are similar.  Dual registered in more than one position within the same council only requires one fee, though separate recharter listings.  So district or council positions held by unit members are only paid in one charter fee, usually the primary unit, then listed as dual.  Same goes for youth who may be in both a crew and troop.

 

We have one dual registration though that is paid twice.  One of our adults who is a SB recipient while in our troop, and whose son is an Eagle from the troop, wants to remain on our charter for personal reasons; but she now lives in another state and is active there.  She has to send me separate YP verification to manually enter, and she pays in both councils.  

 

In our council, we have many units that simply charge a flat fee to cover it all, including padding of various amounts.  But, minimum one year fees for recharter should be between $24 and $36, plus local insurance in most cases, about a dollar.  The "charter fee" is only applied to the whole unit.

[walk in the woods 888]

Recharter fees, on the charter, are $24 per person; Boys Life at $12 (I think still) per; a general charter fee of $20.  

Charter Fee (Now Unit Liability Insurance Fee) went up to $40 a couple years back.  About the same time as the membership fee increase I believe.

[John-in-KC 311]

Topic title edited by a Moderator.

[T2Eagle 902]

  Do not believe councils can add local charges on top of the National fees, though could be wrong.  

I've always been puzzled by this.  It would save a lot of nickel and diming along with at least some of the push to sell popcorn if the Councils could just charge some of what it actually costs to run the council.

[00Eagle 32]

Recharter fees, on the charter, are $24 per person; Boys Life at $12 (I think still) per; a general charter fee of $20.  Other fees would normally be council level insurance, which does not show on the actual charter paperwork, and possibly advance payment for unit honor recognitions.  Do not believe councils can add local charges on top of the National fees, though could be wrong. 

I've seen councils charge an activity fee per enrolled youth with the recharter packet.  I'm not sure it's "legal" with BSA national, maybe they just haven't been called on it.  It is hard to find publicly available contact information for BSA higher-up's (e.g. the Area Director's office number) for anyone to report it up the chain. 

 

At least the FOS pitch is modified to include the amount rather than lie and say all of the registration money goes to National.

[Gone 435]

I've always been puzzled by this.  It would save a lot of nickel and diming along with at least some of the push to sell popcorn if the Councils could just charge some of what it actually costs to run the council.

Lord no! Not until there's accountability to run councils properly.