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How to motivate the scouts to fundraise


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We annually sell mulch for fundraising but this year, only 3 scouts have bothered to sell.  How do you motivate them to try?  

Don't. 

Buy less.

Charge more.

Go over the list of stuff the unit pays for. Ask what should be cut.

If you have a committee member that's skilled in rallying a sales force, suggest the boys ask him/her to coach them. Otherwise: file under "not my problem."

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Explain the financial goal/need.

 

Allow scouts and their families flexibility  - scout pays (has jobs), family pays (opt-out), and/or scout participates in troop fundraisers.

 

Fundraising fatigue is real. Many of our unit parents want one upfront unit fee/year and pay as you go for activities and awards. Can't understand them, our unit has only six different fundraisers a year, oops forgot FOS, seven. :unsure:

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Explain the financial goal/need.

 

Allow scouts and their families flexibility  - scout pays (has jobs), family pays (opt-out), and/or scout participates in troop fundraisers.

 

Fundraising fatigue is real. Many of our unit parents want one upfront unit fee/year and pay as you go for activities and awards. Can't understand them, our unit has only six different fundraisers a year, oops forgot FOS, seven. :unsure:

In our unit parents under 40 can't be bothered and just write a check. Parents over 40 force their kid to sell or get a job.

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The Scout promises to follow the Scout Law, yes?   Scoutmaster Minute about number  nine... What does that mean?   Is The Bank of Mom And Dad going to be there tomorrow?  How do YOU want to pay for your camp out?  Summer camp?  How important is Scouting to YOU , the Scout?   How do YOU pay for the stuff you like?  Is it really dependent on TBoM&D?  

 

Back in the day, I agree with the previous poster that , it seems we often got together and raised our money thru part time jobs, car washes, selling donuts, ...

It has been often observed of late that our kids today seem not to have a grasp of how we keep score in this game.  Money is exchanged for time and talent, and then exchanged for "things" we want and need.  Food, shelter, adventure, health, fun, travel, knowledge.   TBoM&D is too often assumed.    Our family early on had the conversation with our kids about this.  Scoutson wanted a model tugboat. Remote control , fun to be had in it's construction and operation.  He collected his birthday and Christmas checks from Gmam and Uncles and worked for a local farmer (he works for him even now!  Made that connection!) took a small loan (he signed the papers to us!) from TBoM&D and bought it himself.   That tug could actually tow our canoe!   Many hours of enjoyment, until it was attacked and nearly sunk by a jealous Canada Goose on the local pond. 

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Fundraising fatigue is real. Many of our unit parents want one upfront unit fee/year and pay as you go for activities and awards. Can't understand them, our unit has only six different fundraisers a year, oops forgot FOS, seven. :unsure:

 

Plus the same family is also being asked to sell other stuff to raise money for the PTA (or whatever).

 

And sports teams.

 

And other activities.

 

Multiplied by however-many children you have.  And of course if one or more of those is female, Girl Scout Cookies!

 

It got to be a little too much for me.

 

Of course now that my children are adults, nobody is asking me to help sell anything anymore.  It is easier to say no to buying things than selling things... until of course my grandson becomes one of the sellers, then I will have to buy. He is in the 2nd Grade so it can't be too far away.  (He's not in Cub Scouts though.)

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Plus the same family is also being asked to sell other stuff to raise money for the PTA (or whatever).

 

And sports teams.

 

And other activities.

 

Multiplied by however-many children you have.  And of course if one or more of those is female, Girl Scout Cookies!

 

It got to be a little too much for me.

 

Of course now that my children are adults, nobody is asking me to help sell anything anymore.  It is easier to say no to buying things than selling things... until of course my grandson becomes one of the sellers, then I will have to buy. He is in the 2nd Grade so it can't be too far away.  (He's not in Cub Scouts though.)

 

Don't have your kid in everything. Pick 1-2 things and be done with it. 

 

Maybe those other groups are doing too much. Does the orchestra really need a ski trip. Not your example, I know. This is one that happened locally.

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Plus the same family is also being asked to sell other stuff to raise money for the PTA (or whatever).

 

And sports teams.

 

And other activities.

 

Multiplied by however-many children you have.  And of course if one or more of those is female, Girl Scout Cookies!

 

It got to be a little too much for me.

 

Of course now that my children are adults, nobody is asking me to help sell anything anymore.  It is easier to say no to buying things than selling things... until of course my grandson becomes one of the sellers, then I will have to buy. He is in the 2nd Grade so it can't be too far away.  (He's not in Cub Scouts though.)

Understood about too many fund raisers, we have 2 popcorn with isn't pushed to hard and mulch.  I sent out a message to the boys reminding them of all the equipment they use and what the troop has to pay for and that we are only 25% of the way there for our budget.    At the next meeting, I will ask them which of the campouts they want to cancel, shooting, climbing, or canoeing or all of them because we can't afford them.

 

In our area, everyone needs mulch and the price is the same as the store but they get free delivery and can even pay for the boys to spread it.  it is a great deal and I know from my son's experience it takes 1 hour to sell a ton of it.  They just won't get off the coach to walk there street.  :-(

 

NJCubScouter, your grandson isn't in cub scouts?  you need to have a discussion with his parents about that!

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NJCubScouter, your grandson isn't in cub scouts?  you need to have a discussion with his parents about that!

 

I have tried to get my daughter to put her son in Cub Scouts.  This is when one learns the difference between being a parent and being a grandparent.  If they lived near me I would volunteer to take him to the meetings myself, but they live 3,000 miles away from me.

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I have tried to get my daughter to put her son in Cub Scouts.  This is when one learns the difference between being a parent and being a grandparent.  If they lived near me I would volunteer to take him to the meetings myself, but they live 3,000 miles away from me.

sorry :-(  That sucks.   We have a granddad that takes his son to scouts and I think it is an awesome bonding time for them.  Give us her contact info and we will all call/email her to do the right thing :-)

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I tell my parent during orientation of new scouts that finances are the responsibility of the parents.  I can pay my own way and so can your son.  If not he needs to get a job or work as a group/patrol to raise the money from the community, it's up to them.  After that it's not my problem.  What I see happening is the motivation comes from the parents, not the unit and if Momma ain't happy, nobody's happy.

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