how does your pack handle this

[SSScout]

We always had a few parents who wanted a strict accounting of where the money came from and where it went. I made sure the treasurer and committee obliged.

Things to remember:

 

*Popcorn sales support the District and council activities (camp, newsletter, etc.) too.

*When a unit only sells/washes cars/does service for pay and keeps the $$ to itself, the District and Council are short changed

* A portion of the dues paid go to Insurance, National, Council and District, but a small portion each.

*Boys Life is only Boys Life.

* most other activities are self supporting, "Pay as you Go" (Camporee, Webelos weekend, Cub Activity Day, CSDC,etc.).

* As the Cub progressed,The Pack provided the Cub with the awards, beltloops, rank patches,neckerchief, new rank book, and some stickers for fun and PR. This was for convenience and accountability and wow, look at all the neat new stuff at the awards ceremnoy, small as it might be, and we had awards at every Pack meeting. The family provided the uniform. Going to the Council Store was seen as a hassle for the parent, so the Pack Committee kept up a reasomable store of stuff in the Pack closet.

 

So our income came from PopCorn sales (yeah, it's expensive and doesn't seem to have the panache of GS Cookies, but the boys learn alittle about sales and responsibilty along the way if it's pursued right. "It supports the Cub Scouts"), dues, and the occassional car wash and bake ssale. We always seemed to have enough in the treasury but never too much.

[DanKroh]

We set a goal for each Cub to sell $250 worth of popcorn. If he reaches that goal, he gets two rewards. First, he gets a "campership" of $50 that he can use toward summercamp or any overnight activity that the pack goes on that year. The other reward (and of more interest to the boys) is that they get to throw a pie at an adult leader of their choice. If they sell more than $500, they get to throw 2 pies, but that's the upper limit.

 

The pie throwing is really quite an event among the boys, as they cajole and bargain with each other over which leader/parent each will pie. Now, THAT's an incentive!

[evmori]

for those who didn't participate in any fund raising for the pack - they paid about 41 cents to the pack for the award (we didn't have a tax id number from the CO). those who participated (and helped to make the pack go...) didn't buy awards.

 

Why does the pack get the 41 pennies from those who don't participate but those who do pay 41 pennies less? The awards cost the same regardless.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[JeffD]

Why does the pack get the 41 pennies from those who don't participate but those who do pay 41 pennies less? The awards cost the same regardless.

 

are you suggesting that scouts should just pay their $10 BSA fee and us leaders just buy awards and such for them out of our pockets? every pack doesn't have the luxury of a robust savings account.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

JeffD,

 

YOU BUDGET. Remember Personal Management Merit Badge from Boy Scouts? You BUDGET.

 

Determine your expenses, then set your per capita revenue requirements. How the Scout and his family (any of the programs) meets the requirement is their business. The job of a select few in the unit is to know who can afford it, and who cannot. You help (A Scout is Helpful) those who cannot. IF you like The Pack helps the Cub Scout Grow... same principle.

 

As it is, you're now running a FOR PROFIT BUSINESS by selling the BSA merchandise over cost. I actually hope someone from National Supply Division reads this. I would hope they have terms and conditions of sale.

 

And Heavens to Betsy, yes, I've opened my checkbook to help out my Pack, and the Troop, and the Crew, when extra $$$ were needed. I don't know of too many of us who have not.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[evmori]

are you suggesting that scouts should just pay their $10 BSA fee and us leaders just buy awards and such for them out of our pockets? every pack doesn't have the luxury of a robust savings account.

 

No. Just wondering why you are charging more for awards to some people than others. They cost the same regardless of who participates in the fund raisers. John-in-KC is right on the money! You are making a profit by selling BSA merchandise over the price you are paying for it. And the tax reason doesn't fly. Awards from a Scout shop for units are tax free.

 

If an award cost $1.49 then everyone who earns the award pays $1.49.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[JeffD]

[And the tax reason doesn't fly. Awards from a Scout shop for units are tax free. ]

 

- not without a tax exempt number/certificate. and the tax wasn't given as a reason for the money - it was given b/c without a tax exempt certificate - we pay tax on every purchase.

 

[Determine your expenses, then set your per capita revenue requirements. How the Scout and his family (any of the programs) meets the requirement is their business. The job of a select few in the unit is to know who can afford it, and who cannot. You help (A Scout is Helpful) those who cannot. IF you like The Pack helps the Cub Scout Grow... same principle.]

 

- this is pretty much what was done. as stated earlier this amount was $50... with over half of our scouts NOT participating in fund raising last year. there is only so much that any person can be expected to give

 

[As it is, you're now running a FOR PROFIT BUSINESS by selling the BSA merchandise over cost. I actually hope someone from National Supply Division reads this. I would hope they have terms and conditions of sale.]

 

- you're right - and with all of the profits we made, i was almost given 1/10th of the $500 or so i pulled out of my pockets to buy the pack rockets and engines and other equipment to have a fun launch day. and if national supply does read this - maybe they can tell me why they were much more expensive than other places for buying the rockets... i was thrifty and bought elsewhere.

 

and the profits for me were having all of my scouts telling me how much fun they had - telling me how they want to do more events that i ran. the profits i received from the pack cannot be deposited in ANY bank.

 

[And Heavens to Betsy, yes, I've opened my checkbook to help out my Pack, and the Troop, and the Crew, when extra $$$ were needed. I don't know of too many of us who have not.]

 

- agreed... i know how much i have opened mine and helped the pack. having been involved in the finance part of the pack for about the time of this thread now - i was simply looking for how other packs handle things. you dont need a merit badge to know that you cannot spend more than you take in.

 

ideally, leaders wouldn't have to dip into their personal funds to finance most all of the events - scouts would benefit from a program where they didn't have to hock their wares at every opportunity. with year-round sports (3 seasons per sport on average - even at the youngest ages), and multiple school fund raisers every year - i think everyone is sick of being hit up to buy something from little johnny next door.

[ScoutNut]

"i was simply looking for how other packs handle things."

 

Actually you asked for input on we felt about charging more.

 

"does anyone else think we should be charging more to create more incentive for scouts to participate in helping the pack go?"

 

 

The fact that only about HALF of your Pack participates in your fundraising is your biggest problem. Charging over what an award costs at your Scout Shop is only an incentive for families to bypass you and purchase direct from the Shop or to find another Pack, not to do more fundraising.

 

We had 45 boys last year and only 1 boy did not sell, although his brother participated in a Booth Sale.

 

Your Pack needs to concentrate on getting the families to feel like they have a stake in the Pack. They need to feel like it truly is THEIR Pack. They have to be revved up and excited about selling.

 

Yes, I know that most families are involved in numerous other fundraisers. Ours are too. Our school has mandatory fundraising. Families must fundraise or pay out of pocket. So they are fundraising all year long. Then there are special fundraisers for school service projects, school music program fundraisers, school sports fundraisers, park district sports fundraisers, etc, etc. Not to mention that many of our families also have girls in Scouts. Fall (at the same time as our popcorn) is the GSUSA candy/nut/magazine program, then comes the cookie program and then fundraising for their spring camping trip. It never stops.

 

Yet, out of 45 boys, only 1 did not sell any popcorn. Yet, we sell enough at our one and only fundraiser to pay for everything.

 

Making a profit on those families who do not fundraise will not help fix your problems or improve your Pack.

 

 

[CNYScouter]

Its been about 5 years since Ive been in Cubs but it the Pack we were in it was suggested that every Cub sell $200 in popcorn (which gave the Pack about $65) no one was ever told they had to sell.

 

We would tell parents that running a Cub Scout Pack cost money and if we could meet this goal that no dues would be charged. (Registration and Boys Life was collected separately).

We always seemed to have 2 or 3 families that never sold any popcorn but always had a few that sold way more than $200 and as a whole always averaged more than $200 per Cub.

I think what really helped was a handout that was made up showing where this money was spent.

It had a cartoon of a Cub Scout on it and it gave a rough estimate on how much we spent per Cub on awards, pinewood derby and other events the Pack had.

I was amazed at how many parents had no idea that the Pack had to pay for the awards that were given out.

 

 

 

 

[evmori]

not without a tax exempt number/certificate.

I know at my Scout shop they ask if the purchase is for the unit & if it is we can use the council tax exempt number.

 

Yup you sit down at your annual planning meeting & figure out your budget. Then you divide that by the number of Cubs in your unit & there is your cost/Cub! They either participate in the fundraiser(s) & raise that much or the pony up with the cash. It's really pretty simple.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[John-in-KC]

For the record,

 

When the kids do the fundraising, I generally melt in an instant. Our HS Jazz Band does an annual Cappucino Night. The dining commons overlooks downtown Kansas City ... it's a killer view! The band plays three hours one Saturday night each autumn. Yes, I gladly open my checkbook.

 

Ditto when Mary and Billy come by in assorted scouting uniforms with popcorn and GS cookies.

 

No, I am not tired of being hit up... unless it's a parental hitup without the kiddlets.

[Locust Fork Leader]

IMO, I think the popcorn is priced way too high. I know a lot of people will disagree with me. Each year the boys sale it gets harder and harder to find people to buy it.

 

Our Pack does a $2 a meeting due. I know that might seem like a lot but if you join any team it's really not. Around here joining football will cost you a couple of hundred dollars and then add the equipment and whatever else and you can see that for 1 season football will cost WAY more than scouting.

[FScouter]

"IMO, I think the popcorn is priced way too high."

 

You're free to sell it for any price you choose.

[evmori]

"IMO, I think the popcorn is priced way too high."

 

You're free to sell it for any price you choose.

 

HUH?

[Jeffrey H]

We set our Pack dues at a level that will provide funds to pay for awards and other things for the average Scout. The Pack dues are $25 per year at the time of annual registration.

 

Our fundraisers provide bonus funds for the Pack to pay for "extras", but we don't depend on fundraisers to pay for awards.