Cub Registration Cost Thoughts/Advice?

[JSL3300]

Long time lurker, finally coming out of hiding because as I sit here and plan our annual planning meeting that will take place tomorrow, I'm stumped over how to make these rising registration costs work. When fees were raised after we had already collected registration two years ago, we ate those costs. We still had something of a rainy day fund so this past year, we used that fund to pay registration for all of our cubs who wanted to continue with whatever COVID programming we could provide. We are not broke-broke but we no longer have a high reserve that we can fall back on as we have in the past. This makes me feel more conservative with our approach to registration, but our pack leadership doesn't regret that decision at all. Our numbers stayed very steady and we were able to provide solid programming to our scouts! 

We have always charged our scouts pretty much exactly what we have to turn around and give right back to National/council and then fundraised for our programming and unit expenses. We have had a $100 minimum fundraising goal for each scout with the option to buy out (just pay the $100) if your family doesn't want to fundraise. We also do not charge our volunteers to volunteer. Our pack covers that cost, which is also rising. 

Not sure if this link will work, but here is a form we've used in the past to figure out where our money is going and how much to charge. The $125 cost in the registration line is just me playing with numbers. It's not quite enough to cover costs. It will, however, give you an idea of what we include in registration cost. Please let me know if you see things that we could move around or numbers that don't look quite right.  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ecIF5EpSxeUSm_yLyAYq0bbrRIe_qDEqHcwDoUV2ZHA/edit?usp=sharing

That is just some background to lead to my question: with all prices going up, how much are your cub packs charging per scout? The last time we charged registration (2019), we charged $70 for all new and returning scouts. If my math is correct,  we will need to at least double that price to make ends meet. It seems like such a drastic change that I can only see people that were on the fence dropping and new families seeing it as too much. I have been leading this cub pack for many years and this is the first time I've really felt concerned for its future. 

[MattR]

Welcome to the forum, @JSL3300

[fred8033]

I was a pack committee chair at least 15 years.  

I'd used fundraising to subsidize cub registration.  When my first son started as a Tiger cub, the BSA registration charge was nominal.  $15?  The rest of the money was for awards, program, food, entertainment, etc, etc.  "I think" our annual budget was about $150 to $200.  The budget was funded between dues and wreath sales.  We charged $50 dues.  We often profitted $7500 from our wreath sales and used it to make a good pack program. 

... If I were dealing with this today ...  I'd want to keep the pack dues manageable, $50 to $75.  Under $100 if I could.   ... THEN ... change the budget. 

• Gear up fundraising
• Recognize current year fundraising pays the next year registration
• Current year program money is really previous year surplus minus reserve (next year registration and safety net)

AND ...

• Keep pack t-shirt (great way to build pack identity ... was $10 to $12 cost per cub). 
• Ditch buying each cub a book (often they went unused). 
• Keep the camps.  Do more outside.  
• Reduce paid events / entertainment
• Leverage more "free" stuff.  County / state park programs.  City programs.  
• Avoid buying 25 pizzas.  Prefer "POT LUCK" events ... if possible.

Edited June 27, 2021 by fred8033

[yknot]

3 hours ago, JSL3300 said:

Long time lurker, finally coming out of hiding because as I sit here and plan our annual planning meeting that will take place tomorrow, I'm stumped over how to make these rising registration costs work. When fees were raised after we had already collected registration two years ago, we ate those costs. We still had something of a rainy day fund so this past year, we used that fund to pay registration for all of our cubs who wanted to continue with whatever COVID programming we could provide. We are not broke-broke but we no longer have a high reserve that we can fall back on as we have in the past. This makes me feel more conservative with our approach to registration, but our pack leadership doesn't regret that decision at all. Our numbers stayed very steady and we were able to provide solid programming to our scouts! 

We have always charged our scouts pretty much exactly what we have to turn around and give right back to National/council and then fundraised for our programming and unit expenses. We have had a $100 minimum fundraising goal for each scout with the option to buy out (just pay the $100) if your family doesn't want to fundraise. We also do not charge our volunteers to volunteer. Our pack covers that cost, which is also rising. 

Not sure if this link will work, but here is a form we've used in the past to figure out where our money is going and how much to charge. The $125 cost in the registration line is just me playing with numbers. It's not quite enough to cover costs. It will, however, give you an idea of what we include in registration cost. Please let me know if you see things that we could move around or numbers that don't look quite right.  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ecIF5EpSxeUSm_yLyAYq0bbrRIe_qDEqHcwDoUV2ZHA/edit?usp=sharing

That is just some background to lead to my question: with all prices going up, how much are your cub packs charging per scout? The last time we charged registration (2019), we charged $70 for all new and returning scouts. If my math is correct,  we will need to at least double that price to make ends meet. It seems like such a drastic change that I can only see people that were on the fence dropping and new families seeing it as too much. I have been leading this cub pack for many years and this is the first time I've really felt concerned for its future. 

I was a Pack Committee Chair for many years, plus a Den Leader throughout, so I heard the parent feedback while also having to ensure the health of the program. 

- Be careful about fundraising. This was one of the biggest sources of parental dissatisfaction. It is good you are offering a buy out option. Many families will go for that. Others, however, will have to fundraise in order to participate. My advice is to offer a menu of options so that no one feels stuck with a fundraiser they can't succeed at.

- Try to do pay as you go as much as you can. That way families can opt out if they can't afford something, but make it clear you also have scholarship options for those who can't.

- Don't focus on one big, painful, fundraiser. There are lots of smaller, easier ways to raise funds. For a couple years, we ordered bulk pizzas at a discount before pack meetings and sold slices at a profit. People were happy to pay $2 a slice and not have to worry about dinner that night. It was both a service to our families and a fundraiser. Look for those kinds of things. 

- Forgo the uniform for the next couple of years. Do a pack t shirt. Opt out of Scout Life. 

- I was not above bending some rules. Councils don't want you to approach local merchants but the reality is local merchants have no interest in supporting boy scouts in general. They are happy, however, to support the local kids and families they see around town. A few gift cards can go a long way towards keeping your blue and gold food costs down, etc. A pasta and pizza night from a local eatery where 10% is donated to your unit is great. These businesses would never respond to Council. They would however respond to a local unit because they know the kids. 

 

- . I

[JSL3300]

Talked with my treasurer this morning and beefed up the Pack Expenses part of our chart- very closely reflects all of our actual expenses at this point. 

It looks a lot worse. Gulp. 

Thank you guys so much for the pointers and just for commiserating. Glad to know we're not alone- we've worked hard to be smart with our money, provide great programing and the constant fee and cost increases in other areas are just pummeling us right now. 

[fred8033]

On 6/27/2021 at 12:44 AM, yknot said:

- Be careful about fundraising. This was one of the biggest sources of parental dissatisfaction. It is good you are offering a buy out option. Many families will go for that. Others, however, will have to fundraise in order to participate. My advice is to offer a menu of options so that no one feels stuck with a fundraiser they can't succeed at

 I absolutely agree.  People get weird when money is involved.  

We never required fundraising.   We did incentivized it.  We'd spend about $200 to $300 on prizes for fundraising.  Amazing how much kids sell to get a $40 big prize  or a $10 Frisbee or $10 flashlight.  

But, that was our solution.  It worked for us.  Might not work for others. 

Ya know, the real interesting thing about scouting is ... it doesn't have to cost alot.  If your CO has a fire-ring, the pack can go-far with marshmellows and field games.

[mrjohns2]

Our Pack's system is fairly simple. Charge the Scout for everything. Then, allow the Scout to apply their fundraising contribution to those charges. This then allows families that don't wish to participate in fundraising to opt out. It also allows families that have a greater need, time, or desire for their Scout to earn their way, to participate. On top of that, we offer a few camperships to close the gap when needed. 

[JSL3300]

On 6/28/2021 at 11:49 AM, fred8033 said:

Ya know, the real interesting thing about scouting is ... it doesn't have to cost alot.  If your CO has a fire-ring, the pack can go-far with marshmellows and field games.

Right, I think that was much more true before it was $100 for a new member to even get in the door. It really *doesn't* have to cost a lot on a local level and we run a pretty tight ship, but the increasing fees are making that increasingly harder. 

[mrjohns2]

6 hours ago, JSL3300 said:

Right, I think that was much more true before it was $100 for a new member to even get in the door.

I assume that is due to your local council fees? $25 + $24 is only$49 to register in September. 

[yknot]

2 minutes ago, mrjohns2 said:

I assume that is due to your local council fees? $25 + $24 is only$49 to register in September. 

I keep getting confused on the fees since I'm no longer in Cubs. So National is now $72, plus there is a $25 new member fee, plus there is an adult volunteer fee of $48 -- that would apply to any parent who signed up as a Tiger den leader or assistant den leader, yes? 

[mrjohns2]

10 hours ago, yknot said:

I keep getting confused on the fees since I'm no longer in Cubs. So National is now $72, plus there is a $25 new member fee, plus there is an adult volunteer fee of $48 -- that would apply to any parent who signed up as a Tiger den leader or assistant den leader, yes? 

The fees are the same for Cubs or Scouts. $72, prorated to the month you register plus $25. So, if we have 4/12ths of the year left, you scale the $72 down to $24 then add the $25. For leaders, it is $48, scaled to the month, no $25 fee. 

[ccjj]

To add to some of those fees....we have a council program fee also.  I just registered my granddaughter as a Lion....$25 new member fee, $33 Youth fee until 12/31, $30.00 program fee.  $88.00 just to be registered.  Will still have to pay pack dues.   BUT.....I still believe in the program and I will do what I can to help my grandkids participate.

[mrjohns2]

6 minutes ago, ccjj said:

$30.00 program fee

That must be the council fee.