Individual Scout Accounts

[CNYScouter]

How many Troops out there use Individual Scout Accounts?

 

I am trying to get my sons Troop to setup fundraising so a portion of any fundraising goes into an accout for each indivdual boy.

 

I am running into a great deal of opposition to this. SM and ASM do not think that this is a good idea. They feel that it is a waste of time to spend the resources to do this as the ones that do the troop fundraising are the ones that can afford to pay for thier sons to go on these trips and the ones that don't do fundraising won't go anyway.

 

Currently all money goes into Troop accout and Scoutmaster decides how much each trip gets "subsidized" per scout.

 

Any thoughts?

[EagleInKY]

We use them. We look at two types of fundraisers. One type is a group effort. Examples may include a car wash or setting up a food booth at a local festival. The proceeds for this go into the general fund and are used to purchase, replace or repair equipment.

 

The second type are fundraisers that require individual effort. Popcorn sales, candy sales, donut sales, etc. all fall into this category. For the most part, these are sales-oriented efforts. Our philosophy is that 100% of the profit goes into the scouts account. This way, you don't run into the problems of the wealthier scouts subsidizing the less wealthy. If a scout needs to earn some money for summer camp, then this is a way to ease the burden on his family. If a scout doesn't want to sell popcorn, no big deal. He just won't reap any benefits from those that do. I think this works well and teaches the boys some responsibility. Parents in well-off families can still help teach their sons responsibility by requiring them to bear part of the burden of their fees.

[torribug]

Our troop uses individual accounts. For fundraisers that require selling, the scouts get a percentage of what they sell. For the group fundraisers, the boys don't get commission (garage sale, for an example). Most, but not all, of the families in our troop can afford to send their scouts to most of the activities. Whether they can afford it or not isn't the whole picture for a boy to have an individual account. I think that your SM and ASM are missing a great opportunity to let the boys learn to "pay their own way," plus many, many other life lessons. I'll use my son as an example. Every year, my son pays for half of his summer camp tuition using his Scout Bucks account. Last year, he earned enough to go to two different summer camps. He just got selected for the Philmont trek next summer. It's on the pricey side. Our troop is doing one of our annual fundraisers right now. DS is selling tickets like crazy, because he knows that he has to cough up $500 within the next year. Some folks have accused me of being stingy by not paying 100% of the costs. Thankfully, my son doesn't see it that way, and gladly sells tickets door-to-door, as long as I'm willing to accompany him (that's our rule). What he gets out of it is more than the opportunity to go to camp. He gets a sense of accomplishment for paying his way. He is developing a great work ethic. He is getting practice in developing goals. He is learning to talk to adults as equals and make eye contact. He's becoming an excellent salesman. He's learned how to calculate commissions based on percentages. He's met a lot of people. It makes him feel good when a customer from last year's fundraiser sees him in the grocer store and says, "Gee, I really enjoyed that meal last year. When are you doing it again?" It certainly takes an awful lot more work for me to take him out selling than it does to simply write a check. But in the long run, the skills and values my son learns are worth all the time that we spend. Isn't developing the boy into a man part of what scouting is all about? One other thought. If you are willing to put in the effort to get this started, shouldn't you be working with the committee, and NOT leaving this up to the scoutmaster? While our scoutmaster is very supportive of fundraising efforts, and gives input, I don't think he would ever take it upon himself to decide how the money gets divvied up, or even try to decide what fundraisers are worthy of our time. It's a committee thing.

[EagleInKY]

Torribug - AMEN! I wish more parents thought like you. I hear all the time, "I'd rather write a check than hassle with selling (______________)". They miss the point completely. And, unfortunately, their son's are going to have to learn someday about individual accountability.

[torribug]

Thanks, Eagle.One more thing: In our troop, Scout Bucks can be used to pay for more than just activities. The money can be used to pay for gear, too.

[flowerchild]

Our Troop uses scout accounts. We started it because the parents were complaining about weekly dues and also having to pay for trips. We now give the scouts all but a small percentage of the profits from their fundraising and have stopped collecting dues. We charge an yearly 'actvity fee' to cover insurance, badges, supplies, etc. The scouts can pay for their fee and any other expenses with their accounts. The best part is seeing the look on a scouts face when he hands me his 'account withdrawal slip' to pay for a camping trip. You can tell he feels good paying for it himself instead of having to ask Mom or Dad for the money.

 

 

[BSAChaplain]

We use Individual Scout Accounts. The funds are received through fundraisers or direct deposits by parents. Our most effective fundraiser is monthly aluminum cans. For my son that's about $10 per month. We also charge an annual activity fee to cover registration, Boy's Life, badges, new troop and patrol gear, etc.

 

On the negative side, the troop has the patrol grubmaster go and shop for the food (with his parents' money). Then he submits the receipt and is repaid by the treasurer. The cost is subsequently deducted from the accounts. That regularly leads to shopping that is less than "Thrifty" and costs that are out of line.

 

I love the "Account Wtihdrawl Slip" idea. It puts more of the financial planning on the boys.

[torribug]

Meals for weekly campouts is about the only thing a scout can't spend their Scout Bucks on. The way we handle that is that every boy going gives $10 (cash) to the grubmaster. It's up to the grubmaster to stay within budget or pay the difference.

[anarchist]

I HATE FUND RAISING! aahhh, good to get that one off my chest.

 

Did my share of carrying a card board suit case when I was a Scout!

 

First, to EagleInKy's comment- 'wish more parents felt that way" about selling and boys making their own money...

 

lets see here...Older son (senior in High school)- First week of school- sell wrapping paper for PTO, Then sell candy for the sports club, then sell phone cards for the boosters, then sell discount cards for the 'raslin' team, then pizzas for the cross county team, and oh yes, pop corn and candy for the church youth and sodas and Pop Corn for the troop and the tickets for our spaggetti dinner, now I am waiting to see what the soccer coach wants to market...then there is son number two...should I go on?...IT DOES GET OLD, DON'T YOU THINK?

 

Now to the question:

Our troop has a couple of Troop funding exercises each year for troop operational funding (awards, equipment, propane etc.) for which we encourage "all" to help out (never is "all" though). Funds from the 'Troop' events are 100% troop money.

 

We then offer parents the chance to run fund raisers for the boys wanting to participate for scout accounts. 100% of those profits are divided either in 'shares' to the boys for manning a booth (popcorn and drinks at a parade) or 100% of individual profits from direct sales, wreaths, light bulbs, candy bars etc. (sell 100 wreaths make good money, sell five and you can pay mom for gas...we live in a mostly rural area)

 

Scout account money can be used for gear, camp grub, camping, summer camp almost anything that can be argued is a primary 'scouting purpose' purchase...book keeping is a pain, and generally a receipt for gear purchases has to be turned in for reimbursement.

CNYScouter

I do not agree with "part any fund raiser" being allocated to the boys for every sales activity if it impacts troop operations...unless you can fund the troop a different way...dues perhaps? On the other hand I hate when the same families year after year dodge the selling/fund raising efforts...just seems they always have a schedule conflict! They used to be called Freeloaders!

Not sure if scoutmaster or troop committee should be deciding on subsidies? In our troop we do not subsidize activities...the boys pay as they go...food and activities expenses.

[Trevorum]

The Scoutmaster has no business dealing with fundraisers or troop finances or Scout Accounts or subsidies. Those are responsibilities of the troop committee.

[CNYScouter]

At our Troop meeting last I found out that up until a few years ago our SM and ASM did everything. CC and committee were in name only and did not participate.

I got the same answer about doing this fundraising as I got about why only adults teach scouts at meeting "the older scouts are so busy they would not make Eagle if they have to do anything else except work on MB".

I find it difficult to question SM desicions or policies as he has been SM at this Troop for over 15 years and was a SM for many years when he was younger. He has a Silver Beaver, is on the District Committee, District Advancment Committee, a Roundtable Commissioner and a very active member of our CO.

New CC is trying to take more of a role but has not had or is willing to go to training to learn how a Troop is run (are the rest of the leaders in the Troop). He does like the idea of individual accounts.

Committee meetings are held only twice a year (Sept. & Jan.) so it is difficult to bring up issues like this and get anyting resolved.

At this pointI would leave this Troop of another but my son has real trouble fitting in and has finally found a group of kids in the troop that he likes and does not want to switch. I am afriad that if I force him he'll quit scouts all together.

 

 

 

 

[Trevorum]

Keep your son in scouting! That's the bottom line.

 

The SM is well meaning I am sure, but he is stuck in a rut, he needs new training, and he needs to losen the reins and let other folks participate in leading the troop. Whether any of those things will happen is doubtful, as it sounds like he likes having the control and is good buddies with all the district and council honchos.

 

My advice is that scout accounts are not worth falling on your sword. Pick your battles with this SM. Start out with convincing the CC to have committee meetings more frequently. One a month is ideal, but try to start with every other month. Have a written meeting agenda. Assign action points. Have the committee get control of the troop finances (if not already).

 

Why don't YOU volunteer for the position of training chairman. You can then take the responsibility of nagging everyone to get trained (very important: has everyone working with scouts had Youth Protection within the last 2 years?). With adult training comes slow change in the troop leadership culture as the lightbulbs start to click on. This will be a slow process. Don't give up!

 

Good luck!

[t487scouter]

I use individual accounts for my scouts but the money can only be used to pay for camps, dues, etc. I did not think it was legal for the boys to use this money, collected as a fundraser, to buy their own equipment. As we make money, are we fundraising as a non-profit? I assumed that because we were making money as a non-profit that equipment could be purchased for the troop but not personal gear, am I wrong?

[torribug]

t487,

That is something that never occurred to me. We have several parents in our troop who are accountants. I will ask them next meeting. Although I have been told that the boys can buy gear with their scoutbucks, I don't know that any have lately, since I'm not the one that handles that. Good question, and thanks for bringing that up. I would REALLY hate to see us get into a bind over that.

[t487scouter]

Torribug, I would be interested in hearing their response. I am not an accountant, I just assumed you could not do that. If I ever come across a fundraiser that made the troop millions I was just going to buy excess gear for the troop and have the quartermaster divy out as needed. It would be much better if the boys could buy their own!