The
mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical
and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the
Scout Oath and Scout Law.
To
do this — while delivering the nation’s foremost youth development program —
the BSA must remain vigilant in controlling costs. Although we have been
successful in reducing our expenditures in many areas, it has become necessary
to evaluate our annual membership fees.
Based
on feedback from both volunteers and employees, the BSA membership fee will
increase to $33 for all registered youth and adult leaders, effective December 1, 2017.
Membership
fees support the services that are necessary to provide Scouting to youth from
7 to 21 years of age. From education to high-adventure experiences you can’t
get anyplace else, the BSA provides unique growth opportunities at a great
value.
Services
include primary liability coverage for all volunteer leaders and chartered
organizations, ongoing advances in technology, fundraising support, new program
development and membership recruiting strategies, and support materials. In
2016 alone, the BSA served 2.3 million youth members through approximately 270
local councils across the United States and its territories.
With
the help of all of our volunteers and Scouting parents, we will continue
accomplishing incredible things for young people and the communities we serve.
Questions and Answers:
1. Why are you increasing the membership
fee? What is the additional money from the fees going to be used for?
To deliver the
Scouting program to our 2.3 million youth members, it is occasionally necessary
for the organization to increase membership fees to offset rising costs. As a
result, the BSA is increasing our membership fee to $33 for all registered
Scouts and adult members effective December 1, 2017.
Membership fees
support the services that are necessary to provide Scouting programs to a
growing number of youth. Services include ongoing advances in technology,
council visits to assist in fundraising, program development and membership
campaigns, liability insurance costs, and administrative costs. It is important
that we continue to maintain a strong financial position in the future to
support and grow Scouting.
2. What is directly contributing to the
need for this increase?
There are a
variety of factors taken into consideration, all of which have led to an increased
cost of doing business.
3. When will the increase go into
effect?
The membership
fee change for all registered youth and adult leaders will go into effect December
1, 2017. This change will affect Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, Venturing
crews, Sea Scout ships, and Exploring posts/clubs. However, it will NOT apply
to LDS-sponsored units, nor to those units with council-paid memberships. Note:
All November and December 2017 recharters will have to renew at this new rate
(since November recharter renewal actually spans from December 1, 2017, to
November 30, 2018).
4. Does the BSA increase membership fees
often?
There have been
10 fee increases in the organization’s history. Since 1969, the BSA has
increased our fee, on average, every five years. The last membership increase
took effect on January 1, 2014, and, prior to that, in 2010.
5. How much does it cost to be a Boy
Scout?
All youth and
adults who wish to become a member or leader of the Boy Scouts of America must
pay the annual membership fee. Beyond that, families incur additional costs
related to uniforms and the activities of their individual units.
6. Will the fee for Cub Scouts, Exploring,
and Venturing/Sea Scouts increase as well?
Yes. This
change will affect Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, Venturing crews, Sea
Scout ships, and Exploring posts/clubs. However, it will NOT apply to LDS-sponsored
units, nor to those units with council-paid memberships.
7. Who gets the membership fee?
Local councils
collect — and forward to the National Council — membership fees from each youth
and adult who wishes to become a member of the Boy Scouts of America.
8. How is the National Council funded?
The National
Council is funded through membership and service fees, investments, Boys’ Life magazine subscriptions, sales
of uniforms and equipment, fees from national high-adventure bases, and
contributions from individuals.
