HELP - Eagle Project Fundraising Application - Project Soon!

[cyphertext]

14 minutes ago, Mattosaurus said:

Thank you all for the replies!

So since the beneficiary is essentially collecting the funds, do I even need the application?

There is one other loophole, because of course nothing can be simple in life. People have been handing me money in person, since they don’t feel comfortable doing so online or they’re not old enough to have a bank account in which they could do so. I have then been donating that money to the website. Will this change anything? Because the Scout is then donating to his own project and that is allowed to be done without the need for a packet.

I apologize for all the confusion and thank you all that have been so helpful  

 

Who are the "people" who have handed you money?  And how much?  If it was your parents, relatives, or members of your unit then you wouldn't need the application.  But if it is friends from school, that may muddy the waters a little bit...  get with your coach, see if your council has a limit that must be exceeded before the fundraising application is required.

Edited February 13, 2018 by cyphertext

[Col. Flagg]

21 minutes ago, Mattosaurus said:

Thank you all for the replies!

So since the beneficiary is essentially collecting the funds, do I even need the application?

I am really glad you are reading the documentation as close as you are. That says a lot for you. 

As an Eagle Coach (and former SM), I always advise my Scouts to make sure they get their Eagle Coach AND their SM (or when needed, the district advancement rep) feedback on any and all questions? Why? Simply put, it covers your rear in case some adult somewhere decides they want to read more in to the rules than is there.

Your questions is valid: If the Beneficiary is providing the funds/materials, is the Fundraising Application even needed? Below is taken from the first paragraph of the application. It would seem, depending on how the funds/materials are being raise, that you may not need the form. HOWEVER, cover yourself by contacting the folks note above and get them to weigh in.

Quote

The Eagle Scout Service Project Fundraising Application must be used in obtaining approval for service project
fundraising of monies and for in-kind donations of materials, supplies, tools, or other needs.* Send the completed
form with any attachments to your local council service center, where it will be routed to those responsible for
approval. This may be a district executive or another staff member, the council or district advancement committee, a
finance committee, etc., as determined by your council. Only one form is required per service project even if there will
be multiple events, participants, or donors. It is not required to submit this form with your project proposal.

*This application is not necessary for contributions from the candidate, his parents or relatives, his unit or its chartered organization, parents or members in his unit, or the beneficiary. All proceeds left over from fundraising or donations, whether money, materials, supplies, etc., regardless of the source, go to the beneficiary. If the beneficiary is not allowed, for whatever reason, to retain any excess funds or materials, etc.,vthe beneficiary should designate a suitable charity to receive them, or allow the unit to retain them. The unit must not influence this decision.

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Col. Flagg

[qwazse]

@WisconsinMomma, Eagle Coaches are a fairly new addition to the process. They aren't essential, although they probably are a little more useful than strangers on the internet!

@Mattosaurus, I would still have you complete the application. Just explain that this process got rolling before you realized there was paperwork to file. It won't hurt your prospects in the least. And, it will give your council a better sense of how things get done in your neck of the woods. The main thing that council wants to know is that you are paying attention to how things should be done and acting accordingly. Keep up the good work!

Regarding the cash from your Luddite donors: you are simply collecting their donations on behalf of the beneficiary. That's not your money. You are just doing a good turn helping someone's offering get to the desired collection plate! For the fundraising application, I personally don't think that needs any special documentation beyond the Beneficiary's online solicitation. But, it's good to be accountable to yourself. So try to keep clear who gave what ... in both your records and on the beneficiary's books.

[Col. Flagg]

45 minutes ago, qwazse said:

@WisconsinMomma, Eagle Coaches are a fairly new addition to the process. They aren't essential, although they probably are a little more useful than strangers on the internet!

Hmmm. Not sure I agree.

Most units have ASMs, former Eagles or other volunteers. Good units have folks they train on the GTA and the Eagle process. The effective coaches really help the Scouts navigate issues such as this, as well as helping them to think through their projects and developing effective project plans...something the BSA documentation is sorely lacking.

Lastly, it's been at least a decade since I have seen Eagle advisors/coaches in regular use, so I am not sure I would call them fairly new to the process. Again, maybe that's just my area.

[ItsBrian]

13 minutes ago, Col. Flagg said:

Hmmm. Not sure I agree.

Most units have ASMs, former Eagles or other volunteers. Good units have folks they train on the GTA and the Eagle process. The effective coaches really help the Scouts navigate issues such as this, as well as helping them to think through their projects and developing effective project plans...something the BSA documentation is sorely lacking.

Lastly, it's been at least a decade since I have seen Eagle advisors/coaches in regular use, so I am not sure I would call them fairly new to the process. Again, maybe that's just my area.

I have a Eagle coach, and so did about 4 other people in my troop. I don’t think any of us actually needed big help from them.

[Col. Flagg]

6 minutes ago, ItsBrian said:

I have a Eagle coach, and so did about 4 other people in my troop. I don’t think any of us actually needed big help from them.

Depends on each person. Usually where guys need help is on the project plan, especially in figuring out their resource planning or developing their phases. Also, the fundraising form tends to throw guys for a loop. 

The biggest problems are 1) not reading things fully, and 2) not asking questions. That's where a good advisor comes in and makes the Scout think. It doesn't (and shouldn't) feel like they've had a big impact, but you can bet an outsider might see it differently. 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Col. Flagg

[qwazse]

23 minutes ago, Col. Flagg said:

Hmmm. Not sure I agree.

Most units have ASMs, former Eagles or other volunteers. Good units have folks they train on the GTA and the Eagle process. The effective coaches really help the Scouts navigate issues such as this, as well as helping them to think through their projects and developing effective project plans...something the BSA documentation is sorely lacking.

Lastly, it's been at least a decade since I have seen Eagle advisors/coaches in regular use, so I am not sure I would call them fairly new to the process. Again, maybe that's just my area.

Well, thanks for making me feel these years today! 

Me and my buddies? Well, for some of the tools that we used, we could have benefited from a coach. But, the SM was actually pretty savvy and had a good feel of who could muddle through and who might need to ask for a volunteer to lend a guiding hand. We just needed the sense to follow his example of asking questions about best practices before we started working! This was pretty much in BSA's heyday, and the service project requirement was well established.

So maybe I'll make son #1 feel his age! Given the scope of his project a decade ago, we paired him with an ASM Eagle Scout who had a landscaping business and whose son was an Eagle. This guy not only advised and coached, but refereed by keeping Mrs. Q and I at a distance when it came to on-the-spot decisions. (I.e., I was "politely reminded" to keep the chopper grounded. ); however, he was not called project coach/advisor. He was just one more line on the list of the boy's service hours.

Contrast to about 3 years ago, and Son #2 asked if I would be his project advisor (a really stupid choice on his part, but we both muddled through). He did not get much help from me except some help finding debugging links for that hideous pdf, some IT advice that he ignored until after the project, pointers on wording, and encouragement to call our district advancement chair about procedural stuff. I was pretty much a "paper coach", not at all more involved than any of his other volunteers.

So there's a decent timeline: 70-80s the SM was the coach, 90s-'00s, SM's started getting so many Eagles doing such different things that they started pairing them with a coach/advisor, '10s-present, coach/advisor became a proper position in the paperwork. I'll leave it for you to decide if a decade is "fairly recent", but as evidenced by @Mattosaurusnot having a coach ... we see that the practice has not sunk in everywhere.

[RememberSchiff]

Most of our scouts continue to self-fund  or family-fund their projects, just like the old days. No fundraising paperwork needed. That budget determines the project selected which is a different approach from the project specifying how much funding needs to be raised.

 

 

[ItsBrian]

3 hours ago, Col. Flagg said:

Depends on each person. Usually where guys need help is on the project plan, especially in figuring out their resource planning or developing their phases. Also, the fundraising form tends to throw guys for a loop. 

The biggest problems are 1) not reading things fully, and 2) not asking questions. That's where a good advisor comes in and makes the Scout think. It doesn't (and shouldn't) feel like they've had a big impact, but you can bet an outsider might see it differently. 

It also depends on how difficult the project. If you need all these different power tools and things, I certainly wouldn’t know what to do without help. 

I found the plan the easiest; but that’s just me. The proposal was the most difficult to me trying to explain everything.

[ShootingSports]

Mattosaurus,

The fundraising application is generally forwarded to the Council office and checked against known donors to the Council.  They dont want individuals, units, etc asking Council level donors for donations that would then potentially cut back their $.  The Council also wants to make sure the application does not run afoul of a offensive or restricted activity (think firework sales).  Bottom line is from your description, fill out the app and send it in with your correct dates.  Note in your Eagle book the "change in plans", in that you missed sending the app in the proper time frame.

The most important part of your Eagle process is demonstrating and applying the leadership you have learned.  Others may nash their teeth and howl about the paperwork.  At the end of the day, the paperwork will never define your Eagle.  Enjoy your project......

[cyphertext]

2 hours ago, ShootingSports said:

Mattosaurus,

The fundraising application is generally forwarded to the Council office and checked against known donors to the Council.  They dont want individuals, units, etc asking Council level donors for donations that would then potentially cut back their $.  The Council also wants to make sure the application does not run afoul of a offensive or restricted activity (think firework sales).  Bottom line is from your description, fill out the app and send it in with your correct dates.  Note in your Eagle book the "change in plans", in that you missed sending the app in the proper time frame.

The most important part of your Eagle process is demonstrating and applying the leadership you have learned.  Others may nash their teeth and howl about the paperwork.  At the end of the day, the paperwork will never define your Eagle.  Enjoy your project......

Why would you advise him to fill out the form and send it in if it is not needed?  The beneficiary is doing the fundraising.  

[Back Pack]

9 hours ago, cyphertext said:

Why would you advise him to fill out the form and send it in if it is not needed?  The beneficiary is doing the fundraising.  

For insurance. I had a similar issue on my project and I was advised to get the form completed and signed and it was a good thing too. During my ebor there was a district person who was not involved with my project wanting to hold up my bor and even credit for my project. I showed him my signed application and he dropped his issue with my project. The form is for funds and in kind contributions. 

Edited February 14, 2018 by Back Pack

[WisconsinMomma]

I assumed the fundraising forms were to show a basic accounting for the income and expenses of the project.  This is in my view, for accountability, so a Scout learns to show that donations are used properly and recorded properly.   You don't want a Scout accidentally or intentionally pocketing cash donations -- so those should be recorded and noted in a way that shows that the Scout can handle donations responsibly and has a sense of integrity regarding financial management.  

 

[RememberSchiff]

The fundraising form is not for expenses, those are listed elsewhere.

[cyphertext]

Just now, Back Pack said:

For insurance. I had a similar issue on my project and I was advised to get the form completed and signed and it was a good thing too. During my ebor there was a district person who was not involved with my project wanting to hold up my bor and even credit for my project. I showed him my signed application and he dropped his issue with my project. 

The instructions clearly state that if the beneficiary is doing the fundraising, then the form is not needed.  Requiring the form when not needed is adding an additional requirement and is a waste.  My son's Eagle Project was similar, with all material for the project being provided by the beneficiary through a grant that they received.  No fundraising form needed, and no one questioned it at all.