FOS Donation From Scout Accounts

[SeattlePioneer]

My pack awarded about 25% of gross popcorn sales to individual Scout Accounts, and that worked quite well.

 

I'm thinking about inviting families to make FOS donations from their Scout account balance should they wish to do so --- perhaps put "Scout Account" on the donor card on some such.

 

Anyone have experience in doing that?

[Beavah]

I know a few troops who do somethin' similar, SP. Send out a parent solicitation rather than puttin' up with the whole district dog-and-pony show, accept checks or scout account contributions and write da council a big check from the unit. Ironically, sometimes councils don't like it because they like being able to ID the bigger donors for additional donations down the road.

 

I think you're doin' it right, though. The FOS solicitation should come from people in the unit who are known to the families, and trusted. You've earned a piece of their time to make a pitch, where the fellow from the district really hasn't. And folks are goin' to help the Scoutmaster out when he tells 'em there's good things to be done, eh? Far more than a stranger.

 

Beavah

 

[Papadaddy]

I'm not an acccountant, but since the money technically belongs to the unit (and thus, the CO), I would get the CO's approval to do so. Money in the scout account does not "belong" to the scout, and thus is not a legal tax deduction for the families. ...In my opinion.

[Eagle92]

PappaDaddy brings up a good point.

 

My thoughts are that the council is there to support the scouts and units, and using unit accounts to pay FOS should not be done. Unit accounts are there to help scouts earn their way, i.e help pay dues, buy uniforms, pay for events, etc. As a scout is suppose to do if you read the old literature (sorry haven't seen mention of that lately with Boy's Life or Scouting talking about $90 jeans). While it's good to get them in the habit of giving to charities, that is not the intent of the account

 

 

Grant you my views are based upon my personal experience of being one of those scouts who was only able to stay involved because of busting butt at fundraisers and using the account for almost everything.

[Tampa Turtle]

I am not an accountant either* BUT IMHO there is something that does not "feel" right about a Scout Accountant->FOS transfer. I understand the convenience but I think it would be viewed badly by the scouts.

 

 

* I come from a family of accountants, Dad, Brother, Sister and ran SCREAMING into the arts. I'll say this...they always managed to stay employed.

[qwazse]

IMHO, a direct payment from the family makes for easier accounting for tax purposes. If the scouts want to make a contribution through the troop, they should do so before budgeting the $ to a scout account.

 

Scout accounts are essentially discretionary spending for individuals to make purchases that enhance the life of the unit.

[Papadaddy]

My 2 cents: If the UNIT would like to donate to FOS (and many do), then that needs to be decided up front and listed as an anticipated expense on the Unit Budget Plan, which is developed by the Committee and subject to approval by the CO. If the scouts and their families would like to donate, that's up to them and they should write a separate check from their private accounts. Deciding mid- or late-stream to donate money from Scout Accounts is not appropriate. That's not what the money was raised and designated for in the budget. The only exception I might see, is if the unit had an unusually successful fundraising year and really has more money than they need...but that would be a one-time exception approved by the CO. (The CO might have other ideas for their money!)

[Twocubdad]

I'm not a fan of scout accounts and don't have much experience with them. Consequently, I can't really put my finger on why, but it just doesn't feel right to me. Seems like this crosses a line somewhere.

[SeattlePioneer]

This past year we used Scout Accounts for the first time --- and tebled our popcorn sales over the previous years. Most families used their popcorn sales money to pay the 2012 pack dues.

 

We packaged Scout accounts as being available for families to use from pretty much any Scouting related purpose, so I don't see any reason why that shouldn't include FOS if the family makes that choice.

 

Some families may wish to make an FOS contribution that doesn't involve out of pocket donations. I don't see w

 

The past two years the pack made the council's FOS goal.

[ScoutNut]

SP - if you decide to go the route of allowing FOS donations thru Scout Accounts you had better make it PERFECTLY CLEAR to the families that FOS donations made that way are NOT able to be used by them as tax deductions.

 

The money in the Scout accounts belongs to the unit, and Charter Organization, NOT the individual Scouts or their families.

 

 

 

 

[Papadaddy]

"for pretty much any scouting related purpose" As Beavah would say, "Yah, hmmmm". I seem to remember having this discussion before. If I use fundraising money to buy myself uniforms, camping equipment, dues, food, etc, isn't than "income" that must be reported? If my kid quits scouts, do I have to give it all back to the unit? I hate to be a nitpicker, and I'll be the first to admit that the IRS probably has bigger fish to fry...but aren't we in the business of teaching how to follow the rules, even if we won't get caught?

[Beavah]

Yah, Papadaddy, in a few past threads those of us who know a bit about such things have expressed our opinion that scout accounts are at best a grey area, but the way they are handled in most troops isn't kosher. Actually receiving goods or cash personally from a scout account is well over the line to fundraising fraud. That would include claiming a deduction for a personal donation in these circumstances, which is like receiving cash that yeh then donate and get credit for. Yeh better be sure to first declare that money as income, eh?

 

Now, it's just fine for some Scouting fundraiser dollars to be allocated by the troop to the council FOS campaign. Heck, a third of the popcorn gross receipts from da same sale that fed the unit's fundraisin' is already goin' to the council. Da issue is just forthright and honest communication with the families.

 

Beavah