Fundraising Question

[javaco]

Just a quick question, it seems the fundraising activites are closely regulated, can parents or individual scouts raise their own funds?

[EagleInKY]

Not as a charity. Little Johnny can go out and mow yards to make money to pay for scouts, but his customers can't write it off as a charitable contribution.

[javaco]

Just on more quick one; could a business offer an online sash with scouting badges to indvidual scouts? What I mean is if we were to offer scouts individual websites with email, chat, blog, photogallery, calendar etc, would we also be able to have a virtual sash with badges that could be added as earned? Any copyright issues?

[Trevorum]

If I read you correctly, you are proposing to allow each Scout to create an online replica of his merit badge sash, post it to his personal website, and modify it as appropriate.

 

This is an interesting idea. I've seen websites of individual scouts that essentially do this, along with other awards and honors they may have earned (OA, PORs, etc.) Sort of like a visual resume. As long as you aren't profiting in any way from use of the images, I don't see why not. Although I think you might want to run your idea past BSA legal to make sure.

[javaco]

Trevorum - The individual site could act as a personal fundraiser for the scout, and yes our company -Javaco- would be in a position to generate income as well.

 

Our thought is only to provide the space for the sash not the actual badge images, (we don't think we would enjoy spending the necessary time and money discussing it with BSA legal dept.) it would be up to the scout to aquire the image and post it to their sash.

 

Would the scout be able to use these images if their site generated income for them at the same time?

 

I guess that I probably should call BSA legal dept.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Lisabob]

I'm not on the BSA legal staff but I'd sure be shocked if they said yes. Given that scout units are not allowed to use the uniform or other BSA symbols to imply support for fund raising without specific permission from their council to do so, I'm guessing BSA would be less than excited about a private company helping individual scouts (not units) raise money by using a part of the uniform (mb sash). Doubly so because the private company would also make money from the venture.

 

Javaco, you may want to get hold of the unit money-earning application that troops/packs/crews/teams are required to submit for any fundraising. The guidelines for units are listed on the back of the form.

 

Lisa'bob

A good old bobwhite too!

[Trevorum]

I agree with LisaBob (us BobWhites covey well).

 

I think that an individual Scout could probably use BSA images to fundraise. For example, I've seen letters soliciting donations for Eagle projects that use the Scout emblem (although I admit this point may be debated).

 

However, it's pretty clear that a private company may not profit through the use of BSA images or copyrighted material. That's why TV commercials with faux 'Scouts' (remember the recent Midas spot?) always use non-official uniforms and emblems.

 

[javaco]

Thanks guys, I kinda thought it would be a pain. What are your thoughts on giving the individual scouts a method to raise funds for themselves in general? Without and scout images, banners etc.

 

It would be nice to bring on a new customer base, but we don't want to waste our time.

 

Our thought was to create a web site with address book, email, chat, blog, photogallery, folders for their own files(music, homework etc.) and especially an online calendar they can share with their family, friends and other scouts as well as an online word processor so they can do their schoolwork from anywhere.

 

Your input is really appreciated.

[Lisabob]

Honestly I don't think very many of them would subscribe, though I guess I could be wrong. I'm just thinking of my 11 yo scout and whether he'd use what you are describing (or whether I'd let him). If I could get him to keep a calendar of any kind - let alone a web based one - I'd be overjoyed. This isn't a priority for him. He's young, but still, most of his homework doesn't require access to a web site and he does most of it at home - where we have a computer with word processing capabilities already. And I wouldn't be excited about him doing his homework "from anywhere" online while surfing the web, blogging, chatting, etc... Too many distractions. This isn't something I'd pay to enable at any rate.

 

I also wouldn't pay for my child to have special access to email, blogs, chat, etc. based on an appeal to his membership in scouts. I already have all that if I want it, and assuming I agree to let him (which at this point is a big assumption), he can access those same services and his own account through my existing ISP at no additional cost to me.

 

Finally I don't know how I'd feel about him having his own fund raising page, either with or without explicit use of scout symbols on the page. He's 11. Who exactly is he going to be getting donations from? If it is people we already know (relatives, friends) we don't need the web. If it is anonymous donors from who-knows-where I might very well become the overprotective parent and want to know why they're donating money to my 11 yo and what else (given the blog, chat, photo features you mentioned) they have in mind.

 

Other people may have a different take but my observation so far is that the majority of really active scouts are between the ages of about 11-15. So you're really talking about targeting preteens/early teens here and that means you would need to sell this idea to their parents, who would end up footing the bill. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't pay for it myself.

 

Lisa'bob

A good old bobwhite too!

[javaco]

Thanks Lisabob

 

Good points, you are probably right, especially for the age group. I think we have decided to stick with sports and schools. We appreciate the input. Send us your address details through www.javaco.com or directly to me at s.burrows@javaco.com and we will ship out a pound of coffee as a thank you. Be sure to let us know what kind of coffee you like and whether whole bean or ground.

 

Shane