What is the policy on pack dues?

[Pack378]

My Pack does not collect dues at all. I was wondering, do I have to turn the dues over to the packs treasure? And can I go against pack policies about collecting dues if they are dead set on not collecting them? If you can find literature on this it would help too.

[Pack378]

just to clear things up DEN dues.............

[scoutldr]

So, it begs the question, how is the program financed? Den leaders are not expected to pay out of pocket for den materials. Normally, a pack will collect annual dues which pays for registration fees, Boys' Life, badges, Blue and Gold banquet, etc. Some packs will give each den leader an "allowance" for den materials (turn in receipts and get reimbursed up to a predetermined limit), or the DL collects weekly dues to finance the den. A dollar a week is common. If your Pack's policy is not to collect dues, I would ask the Cubmaster how you're supposed to conduct your den activities.

[Pack378]

The pack is financed thru funraisers. We are supposed to turn in receipts and get reimbursed. The problem I am looking at that some of my den meetings could cost up to 30 bucks and I have had some up to 50 (7-10 boys plus siblings). The parents have no problem forkin over the money because we do cool things but I would like to keep the money in the den and not have to wait a month or so for the reimbursement.

[scottteng]

When I was a den leader the weekly den dues were the den leader slush fund if copies of things or supplies were needed that's where they came from. I would get consent from your pack committee b4 starting. The other option would be for them to give you a petty cash fund say $50 or so which you spend then turn in receipts when you need more.

[ScoutNut]

$30 - $50 per den meeting sounds like an awful lot for your Pack to be covering, especially if that is covering siblings too.

 

If your den charged den dues, how much would you have to charge per Scout to cover these expenses? Asking for den dues of $100+ per Scout would, for me, cause me to look for a new Pack, FAST.

 

Since your Pack does not allow den dues, and covers all expenses out of Pack fundraising monies, does the Pack have a policy on what it will, and will not, cover? My Pack covers a LOT of things for the families, but except for Pack Family Camping, we do not cover the costs/expenses for non-scout siblings. That is the families responsibility.

 

As far as den meeting costs, in my Pack, dens decide for themselves the amount charged for den dues, if any. We all try to keep the amount for dues down as low as possible. Typically the dues are between $10-25 per Scout, per year. This comes out to between $0.50 to $1 per week. This is usually more than enough to cover any supplies needed for meetings. For den outings, the families attending cover those extra costs themselves as they come up.

 

If the outing is opened up to the entire Pack, the Pack will pay for each Scout, with the family paying for parents and non-scout siblings. Depending on the outing, the family will either pay at the event and turn in a receipt to their den leader to be reimbursed by the Pack, or payment for parents & siblings will be turned in to the event leader who will pay for the entire Pack with a Pack check.

 

If there is any money left from den dues at the end of the school year, the den will usually spend it on a special outing or treat (ie - taking a hike to the local ice cream parlor).

 

BTW - The only "literature" on Pack finances you will find is in your "Cub Scout Leader Book". BSA suggests some things (collecting weekly dues & turning them into the Pack Treasurer), but does not mandate it.

 

[Beavah]

Yah, no official rules or literature, eh? Packs are all over da place on this.

 

I personally am fond of havin' den dues, with the pack coverin' for any needy families out of pack monies.