Pack Budgets: How Much Do You Spend?

[packsaddle]

Quite a few years ago I was a CM for the pack. Our annual budget was about $700 in round figures. That worked out to about $40 dues for each family but it was completely defrayed if they sold popcorn. The CO paid for leader registrations. PWD and similar events paid for themselves with entry fees. We didn't use the BSA awards but printed our own certificates and awarded actual engraved trophies to all who placed AND the winners for most original design. Trophies didn't cost much more than the overpriced medals and things sold at the scout shop, and they had a replica of a race car on top, plus the place I went to would do the engraving for free for the scouts. Fhe families were glad to pay the entry fee, we had so much fun at those events...everyone did.

The budget mostly went toward beads, patches, and similar advancement stuff for the boys. The pack paid for all advancement awards and materials.

But I doubt that the budget today is even twice that amount. We did everything on the cheap. We had a home-made PWD track (that was perfectly constructed and adjusted to make both lanes equal in speed), we used the local church camp for family campouts (for free), we had abundant access to local town parks for den meetings (free again), etc. Local services (fire, police, etc.) were always happy to show us around for tours (for free). I guess we did spend some on Blue and Gold but not much, the table cloths were kept clean and re-used. The dens did the table decorations. The church kitchen had all the hardware. The flags were in great shape after over 50 years of use. Like I said, it was pretty low-budget.

Today, the pack still sells popcorn but there's no emphasis on that at all. They really rake it in selling stuff at football games and renting the church parking places for the games. Funding was never much of a problem. (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

[Jeffrey H]

We have about 45 active scouts and we budget about $80 per scout annually. This covers all awards, pinewood derby cars, and any Pack meeting and supply essentials. We collect $40 per year for Pack dues. The remaining $40 is covered in Popcorn sales if they meet their sales goal of $200. If they don't quite meet their sales goal, then they pay extra dues based on their "shortage." If they go way beyond their sales goal, they could possibly cover all of their Dues plus receive a credit into their Scout account based on their sales. I won't do the Math here, but you get the idea (each Pack does it differently).

 

Campouts: Scouts and their families must pay camp fees by a designated deadline or they do not have a reservation for the campout. If they pay, they will come.

 

We do not cover the cost of annual registration and Boy's Life. Again, if they pony up a little money they will be more committed to the program and active in it.

[dvitous]

We're sort of "loose" when it comes to finances/budgeting. Our pack pretty much seems to spend what we bring in in popcorn sales. I inherited a bank balance that is higher than what most units tend to carry, and haven't really dented it all that much.

 

That said, we charge $55 for the year (just raised this year). $27(?) or whatever, goes to BSA/Boys Life/insurance, and we committed that the rest goes right to den budget.

 

This is a great selling point to parents - with the exception of the BSA-end... all of their money goes directly to their kids dens, and not Pack general funds. What den leaders don't spend, of course, does revert to the pack.

 

The rest is covered by popcorn sales. We cover all awards - even belt loops, vest segments. We do a "rank promotion" ceremony at our May pack meeting where the pack pays for their neckerchief for the next rank. W2's get a flint and steel on a scout keychain.

 

Our April pack meetings have been at a place with the big inflatables - we'll pick up the Scout costs for that as well. Most other things with admissions/fees, the Scouts/families pay the admission for.

 

We charge a nominal fee for Blue and Gold - about $8 per person, Scouts are free.

[Nike]

I just used bbender's sample pack budget. Nearly lost my lunch at how much we're short. Guess the Feb committee meeting will be fun.