Troop Budget and Dues

[meschen]

I’m curious what units spend per Scout each year and what they charge in dues.

 

I’ve run a rough budget and figure we’re spending ~$275 per Scout. This covers most camping costs except summer camp. How does everyone’s unit compare?

 

We haven’t collected dues in decades, but our primary funding source doesn’t scale with growth so our increase in the number of Scouts over the last couple of years has caused us to eat through our reserves. We’re going to be very close to $0 when fundraising begins at the end of June, with just enough funds remaining to cover our commitments for summer camp. I can't see us surviving on what we expect to raise this year, so we're going to need to go the annual dues route for the first time. What does your unit charge in dues?

Edited June 1, 2016 by meschen

[Stosh]

No dues, no reserve, the boys raise the money, it goes evenly to the boys on activities including summer camp and we spend every penny that comes in each year.

 

Patrols have their own accounts that the boys take care of on their own.

[King Ding Dong]

Current troop is $175 includes national registration. Campouts are a base $15 for food plus the cost of activity, gas. All fundraiser income goes to ISA. (I know, I know but I do not make the rules anymore). Troop pays full cost of NYLT on completion. Old troop paid 1/2 on completion. CO does not contribute funds.

[JosephMD]

Troop dues are $40 / month, covers registration, awards, food on camp outs, & summer camp.  Flirting with $45 / month as summer camp has gone up quite a bit since this scheme was started.

 

The idea behind including summer camp in dues has really improved attendance.  If you can't make it to summer camp, the cost can go toward a make up summer camp held in our county.  you can do both, but you have to pay for one of them out of pocket. 

[MrBob]

$60/year dues, which just barely covers registration, Boys Life, and badges.

 

We do targetted fundraisers for specific needs on occasion.  Campouts are $25, summer camp is whatever summer camp is depending on where they want to go, paid out-of-pocket.

 

 

I'd love to have $480 per Scout per year to play with - we could plan an expedition to Mars with that kind of money - but I nearly got lynched when I moved to raise the dues from $48 to $60 a few years ago.

[meschen]

$60/year dues, which just barely covers registration, Boys Life, and badges.

 

We do targetted fundraisers for specific needs on occasion.  Campouts are $25, summer camp is whatever summer camp is depending on where they want to go, paid out-of-pocket.

 

 

I'd love to have $480 per Scout per year to play with - we could plan an expedition to Mars with that kind of money - but I nearly got lynched when I moved to raise the dues from $48 to $60 a few years ago.

 

If you're covering summer camp, I don't think $480 will go that far.

[KenD500]

1st year Scout is $65 for Troop + $24 for BSA.  This covers costs of patrol equipment for a new Scout.

 

Every other year - $30 for Troop + $24 for BSA.  This covers costs of patches, awards, etc.

 

Each campout is paid by the Scout when he signs ups.  It varies from $0 to $45.  Average last year was $20 (including food).

 

We fundraise for help with summer camp and to help with extra costs of certain campout that have extra activity fees.

[Hedgehog]

Our dues are $125 (including BSA dues) per year.  Those cover awards, three courts of honor, a holiday party and replacing troop gear.  Our Troop earns around $40 per scout from popcorn (around 50 scouts x $40 = $2,000).  The Troop is saving money currently to replace the Troop tents with some that are more suitable for backpacking.

 

Each campout costs $14 for food ($3 breakfast, $3 lunch, $5 dinner and dessert and $3 breakfast), $1 for supplies (propane, firewood, paper towels), the cost of the campsite divided by 20 (25 tends to be the average number of guys on a campout) plus the cost of the activity (kayak rentals, horseback riding, canoe rentals, etc.).  We break even on campouts.

[SSScout]

As I remember, might have changed....Home Troop asks for $125. per Scout, per year, or  participation in annual Holiday/Christmas wreath sale.  Everyone knows the profit margin goes up, the more sold.  The calculations involve how much a Scout sells, minus the cost (to the company), half remaining allotted toward the dues, half to the Troop general fund. (which means ALL of it initially goes to the Troop general fund)   When dues are covered, half goes to Scout's  Camp expenses (you could call it a Scout account, but it is only applied toward Camp fees).   The rest to the Troop General fund.   

 

Troop supplies neckers, books, bling, purchase and maintenance on equipment, CoH stuff,  camperships,  scholarships for training classes (sometimes NAYLE, WoodBadge , etc. ),  cover startup for Camporees,  sign out front of CO,  donation to CO,  that's all I can think of.  

[David CO]

No dues or camping fees.  Scouting is an extracurricular activity.  

[JosephMD]

$60/year dues, which just barely covers registration, Boys Life, and badges.

 

We do targetted fundraisers for specific needs on occasion.  Campouts are $25, summer camp is whatever summer camp is depending on where they want to go, paid out-of-pocket.

 

 

I'd love to have $480 per Scout per year to play with - we could plan an expedition to Mars with that kind of money - but I nearly got lynched when I moved to raise the dues from $48 to $60 a few years ago.

 

Before I got involved with the troop, they started having a lot of problems with fund raising.  Too many fundraisers, too few scouts showing up, not enough money being made.  So charging per activity was common.  It was also common for scouts to show up without payment, not because they couldn't pay, but because, they, forgot, or, their parent, forgot. 

 

11 camp outs per year at $25 adds up, plus $60, plus summer camp, sounds like it will almost always exceed $480/year.

 

Scouts, lets face it, it costs money, have you noticed how much a merit badge costs these days?  $2.49 -- wow, why?  Ranks $1.99. 

 

Food is getting more expensive, especially given that scouts are not the thriftiest of shoppers, go figure.  But it adds to the cost of camping.  First aid supplies, and so on. 

 

I'm not particularly fond of the system, but it does work. 

[wdfa89]

we ask $100 a year at registration time.  xover scouts get prorated for what they paid to their Cub pack.  we pay as you go for different events.  there is some subsidizing summer camp but I don't know the methodology or amounts--pretty much pay your own way there as well.  fundraising (outside of the popcorn system) a few times a year, troop gets a cut then we have some sort of system which allocates remainder to the scout that did the selling that somehow isn't the illegal scout account.  the boys can use that $$$ to pay for events.

[wdfa89]

No dues or camping fees.  Scouting is an extracurricular activity.  

 

must be nice.  here fees for HS/JrHS extracurriculars. 

[John-in-KC]

I assume 10 months short term camping each year.  That's 250.

I assume an annual long term camp at a penurious 200.  Thats 450.

Add in your 60 and the unit is collecting 510 per youth per year.

 

What is your annualized cost, @@MrBob?

 

$60/year dues, which just barely covers registration, Boys Life, and badges.

 

We do targetted fundraisers for specific needs on occasion.  Campouts are $25, summer camp is whatever summer camp is depending on where they want to go, paid out-of-pocket.

 

 

I'd love to have $480 per Scout per year to play with - we could plan an expedition to Mars with that kind of money - but I nearly got lynched when I moved to raise the dues from $48 to $60 a few years ago.

[Stosh]

The boys are encouraged to follow the Scout Law: A Scout is Thrifty.

 

All events are promoted with an estimated $$ amount.  Camping this weekend is $15.  If you want to go, come to the meeting previous to the event with your $15.  That dictates how much the GrubMaster has for shopping/gas  If you decide at the last minute to attend, You had better bring your own food and $$ to cover gas.

 

IF this is too much of a hassle, then PARENTS are encouraged to fund raise to cut the cost of the outings.

 

For every $1 raised $.50 goes to the troop treasury and $.50 goes to the individual patrol account. 

 

Troop funds are for camperships, awards, gas, flags, equipment, etc.  Boy decide what they want to spend their patrol $$'s for.    For example if the outing is $15, the patrol might fund $5 or $10/scout going to defray some of the costs.

 

Troop funds fall to $0 at the end of the year.