Eagle Project Funding????

[ridges54 10]

My son is getting ready to do his Scoutmaster Conference and BOR for Life, he has thought through a few project ideas and is strongly leaning towards one that would cost around $2000. He wants to build a play area at the local battered women's shelter for the kids. This is not the average project that is completed around this area and is more costly and labor intensive than most of the Eagle projects I've seen. The question that I'm not able to get my brain around is what is acceptable when it comes to gathering the funds for this project? Can he solicit the local companies for donations, does he send letters, does he do something else? The information says fundraising is only allowable for the materials, but what does the term fundraising mean?

 

I'm so very nervous that he will get in over his head (he'll be 13 in April) and he won't get it finished because he doesn't have enough money. His heart is set on doing this project or something like it for the kids that don't have it as good as he does.

 

I will have all the answers by the time the other 3 boys get done with their projects (still a long time coming) but, right now I need someone to walk me through the things that they don't tell you in all the books and information.

 

Thanks-

 

[SemperParatus 1]

First, I might suggest a little time to pass before settling on a project. Your son is not yet Life, and he has already identified his Eagle project? That is a little unusual, but it is certainly possible, expecially if it is a project that your son identifies strongly with. While I am sure your son is an excellent young man, very mature for his age, I would offer the caution that a 12 year-old going on 13 is young to be tackling an Eagle project. In a year or two, he may have a very different idea as to what he wants to accomplish with his project. Now, having said that, your son may be really keyed on this idea and this is the one. If that's the case, he needs to make doubly sure by mapping out (pre-workbook writeup) what it will entail in terms of leadership, time and money to ascertain if he is up to the challenge now (or maybe a year down the road). He needs to decide not only that this is a good project to do, but also that it is a project that he can accomplish.

 

Hopefully, your district has a Life-to-Eagle Seminar where the process is explained in detail and where things like fundraising issues are discussed. If not, he should schedule some time with the District Advancement Chair or District Eagle Project Coordinator to get these kinds of questions answered.

 

In our district, the advancement committee has a rule that a scout cannot solicit donations from the usual material purveyors (Home Depot, Lowes, etc) because several years ago, the local manager of the Home Depot complained that he was getting too many requests. Your district may be different and may allow direct requests for material donations from local businesses. If that's the case, a personal visit by your son to the business with a nice request letter in hand will work much better than a letter sent through the mail. Our district does allow a scout to solicit 'grants' from non-profit organizations and your son could have success with that. Identify local churches that may have an interest in the shelter, possible county/state health agencies, other organizations with ties to family/abuse issues. Again, a personal interview will work better than a letter through the mail. Fundraising for the project could include the typical product sellers, carwashes, pancake breakfasts, etc. or you may come up with more interesting ideas that tie into the project concept (e.g., a mini carnival with paying participants and children invited from the shelter who are free).

 

My own son's Eagle project has a budget of $4,000 - half is being raised through fundraising with the other half coming from grants from non-profit organizations. It can be done, but it does take time, effort and the help of others who can direct him to those who may have a strong interest in supporting this effort.

 

 

 

 

[ManyIrons 10]

First of all, congratulations to your son for being on the doorstep to Eagle at only 12 (Wow!) and kudos as well for wanting to pursue such a worthy project.

 

My only advice for you is to take a deep breath and wait for him to discuss this with his Scoutmaster, or Eagle mentor if your troop uses one. Your troop/councils Life to Eagle process will help him to develop his project to include suggestions on how to obtain the funds hell need. All of his (and your) questions should be answered before he starts the project.

 

I do have the following comments/observations (offered with all due respect -- and yes I know good things seldom follow those words)

 

It is unusual to have a Scout go into his Life Scout SM conference with ideas for his Eagle project, but every Scoutmaster I know would gladly welcome it. I counsel all my Scouts to start thinking early. Theres certainly no reason to rush the project, but if hes motivated to do this, theres no reason to wait. The process of conceiving and developing the project will normally take a few months, and will cause the Scout to examine every aspect of the project and his abilities.

 

As for him possibly being too young for this, well if he has the initiative to reach Life rank by 13, then he has the ability to tackle this as an Eagle project. Dont worry about his ability to finish the project, because he wont be starting it until he has all the details worked out and materials on-hand. The project is as much a learning process as it is a leadership exercise. He will learn a great deal about project management, leadership -- and about himself.

 

Best of luck to him and you. Keep us posted on the outcome of his SM conference and his project development

 

[acco40 95]

Fundraising may be done for materials, supplies, etc. This may include traditional stuff like lumber, nails, etc. but also feeding the workers, transportation expenses, etc. What the BSA does not want is Eagle projects that raise money for the sake of the Eagle project alone. For example, while worthy, a proposed Eagle project may be to donate $1,000,000.00 to the tsunami relief fund. The Life Scout could draw up a plan and show great leadership and organizational skills in managing such a project but a project such as this should not be approved. This is what is meant by your phrase "fundraising is only allowable for the materials."

[ridges54 10]

Thanks for all the answers--I'm just a nervous nelly. Probably because I know that this will take time and I'm staring down another Eagle Project from son #2 in about 6 months. If I do blow our own horns here-he is a good kid with a lot of determination and I think he'll do fine.

 

The Scoutmaster conference went well and his scoutmaster was thrilled he had an idea and had thought about his project. In making contacts with the YWCA we found that they didn't need a playground but, a renovation/rejuvenation of the basement to provide an indoor rec area for the older kids (more his age) and storage space for personal belongings that don't fit in the rooms the people are assigned. He has a lot of great ideas on how to make this area turn into an awesome place for the kids to relax and chill out. Anyways, he's at his Board of Revue tonight so, we'll see what happens.

 

By the way, his scoutmaster is so impressed with him and his accomplishments that he is recommending that he goes to the NYLT training this summer with the two other boys that are Life rank. He has big plans for these boys and can't wait to see how the training helps them.

[scouterfly 10]

From what I understand, if a project requires a large amount of money for materials, say $1000-2000, and the scout needs to come up with the funds, he can conduct a fundraiser such as a carwash to come up with the money.

My question is: can the hours spent doing the fundraising count towards the recommended/suggested/hypothetical 100 hours minimum for the project? If the fundraising hours can count, is there a recommended percent that needs to be from doing the project vs. fundraising to help pay for the project.

 

Other related questions:Can a boy use money he earns at Burger King to help pay for the project? Can he collect money for a future project before he has a project plan?

[Region 7 Voyageur 10]

I am all for young scouts having motivation and working hard toward earning Eagle at an early age. If they complete the requirements they qualify as Eagles.

 

However it sounds from your posting that quite a bit of thought and possibly planning has gone into this potential project before your son is a Life Scout. It sounds like contact has been made with a benefactor organization and details and costs have been figured already. These things are part of planning for the project. The Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project is to be planned and carried out while a scout is of the Life rank.

 

Be careful.

 

[LPC_Thumper 10]

Sounds like things are progressing well... Now let's review what the handbook says...

 

"5. While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project should benefit an organization other than Boy Scouting.) The project idea must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and troop committee, and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook, BSA publication No. 18-927B, in meeting this requirement."

 

Notice the time frame? Your son is jumping the gun. No big deal, but don't get too much done, or in good faith he may disqualify himself since work started before it should. And would be a shame that such a great project will be left for someone else to do, since he started early.

 

There were some questions about fund raising, yes those hours spent fund raising can be included. No there isn't a formula that only 25% or any percent of the time should be used in fund raising. Just keep in mind that Eagle Projects are NOT fund raising projects (as was so wonderfully pointed out earlier with the comment about raising money for disaster relief would not be an approvable fund raiser.)

 

Perhaps one of the hardest things about chairing Eagle Boards is that there really isn't a check list from National that says anything resembling "An Eagle Scout is..." or "A Proper Project consists of..." or is it one of the best things about chairing Eagle Boards is there really isn't a check list? That way kids get to be creative, and what they come up with is amazing. I still think about the young man that the night he finished Life (about the same time as he was sitting for his Board) his dad was dieing of a heart attack. His project was to build a reflective walk for the cemetary, it took forever (over 2 years), but he did it, and it was his, and it helped him heal.

[zetcat 10]

Is it appropriate for the scout to use his own personal money, as well as soliciting donations mainly from family members, to purchase supplies that are not donated?

[lvolo 10]

Does anyone have an answer to Zetcat's question below?

 

Is it appropriate for the scout to use his own personal money, as well as soliciting donations mainly from family members, to purchase supplies that are not donated?

 

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Simply yes, there is no provision against the scout or scouts family funding the project. If someone says there is, ask to see the rule in writing. The Eagle Leadership Project Workbook makes no such statement and i dont think you will see it anywhere else

[scouterfly 10]

At a recent Life to Eagle seminar, I heard the question asked "Can family contribute to the project?" and the answer was no. Parent wanted to front the money for the project so that it could be done over the summer, and then in the fall the scout would hold fundraisers. Ultimately, the family $$$ contribution would be zero. It was still not allowed.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Scouterfly, I have no doubt you heard what you say, but I would challenge that person to produce a reference in a BSA publication that supports that statement. If it aint written, its not true

[ljnrsu 10]

Scouterfly, I wonder if the timing of the fundraising could be the problem in that scenario.

Raising funds after the project is over in order to remburse donors could be the problem. At least that is how I interpret your scenario.

 

According to a copy of the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook(2003)Pg2 "Fund-raising is permitted only for securing materials or supplies needed to carry out your project"

 

 

[evmori 11]

I'm with OGE on this one. Depending on the project, the materials are usually donated or the Scout or his family cover the cost.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10