Losing Our Charter Organization

[treasurermom]

We got word that the church that is the charter org. for our pack (and also for a troop in our area) no longer is willing to be our CO. The problem is that in our area we have very few churches (and only one has a real building - the rest meet at schools). We can't find another church or other organization willing to charter us. We have contacted our DE and he wasn't much help, although he mentioned that we could form our own group of parents and they could be our charter.

 

The leadership of our pack, the troop and a new troop forming in our area have discussed forming this group and chartering all three units.

 

I'm really active with our the parent group at our school and I know the physical part of how to form a group like this (getting an EIN, filing articles of incorporationa and incorporating, applying for a 501c3, etc. My only issue is insurance - would the BSA insurance cover our group? Since the charger org. is responsible for approving the unit's adult leadership, I can see huge liability for the directors of this group if there was some abuse by an adult leader.

 

My final question is about the finances. Would each unit have to report their finances to the charter org. and then the charter org. have to file the 990 form with the IRS? Is that the way a regular charter (like a church) works the finances?

 

I would appreciate some feedback on forming a group just to charter units. Thanks

[FScouter]

Sorry to sound negative, but "parents of" groups are generally doomed to failure. The primary reason is that the parent membership is not long term and not stable. The failure rate has been so high in our council that "parent" charters are no longer accepted.

 

You might take a look at how it is that the troop leadership failed to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with the church. Problems arise when the chartered organization looks at the troop or pack as an outside group coming in and using CO stuff.

 

 

[Eamonn]

Much as I hate to be full of doom and gloom.

FScouter is right.

We have had units that have tried to be their own CO and it just never seems to work.

The turnover of adults in a Scout unit is such that after a while the unit just falls apart.

Contact your District Membership Chairman and see if he has any ideas, if that fails contact the Council Membership Vice-chairman, once you have contacted him I think the DE might be more helpful. (SE's hate when these things are mentioned at Board meetings.)

Eamonn.

 

[FireKat]

Have you checked with a VFW or similar organization? We have a VFW that has offered many time to be our CO but our troop has 80 years with our present CO and a good working relationship. Good luck to you.

[CNYScouter]

along with the VFW the American Legion will charter.

 

You can also look at local business groups like the Lions, Rotary or Kiwanis to Charter a unit.

[OneHour]

All right, let's look at the other side of the gloom and doom. Instead of a group of parents banding together to charter the units, what about their companies? Is there one that is willing to charter the units? One of the troops in our area was chartered by a car repair shop where one of the fathers owned. Our pack is chartered by the community association after a particular fear of lawsuit got the local elementary to drop our charter. Parent and Teacher Org is also another source of charter; however, they closely tie to the school so chances are not that good to get them to charter you. A private school is also a good charter. Any entity that does not have governmental ties is a good charter. All you have to do is to talk to them over breakfast, cup of coffee, or other venues that are appropriate.

 

You would want to shy away from tying the charter to a person or a family. As was mentioned, it will doom the unit if the person/family decides to quit, crossover to boyscout, or lose interest.

 

As for meeting place, you can rent a meeting room at the church or school. That is what we are doing. Our charter org doesn't have a large enough space for 100 boys Pack to meet. We rent the cafeteria from the elementary that dropped our charter. We became just another orgarnization paying for a service.

 

Good luck,

 

1Hour

 

(This message has been edited by OneHour)

[SR540Beaver]

Don't forget the Masonic Lodge.

[Eamonn]

The list of possible Chartering Organizations is almost endless.

We have a Pack and a Troop in the District that has had a Funeral Home as their CO for over 30 years.

My point was that as a rule a group of people who's only interest is fixing the problem at hand, don't make a good CO.

We seem to have a hard enough time keeping the units that do have strong CO behind them up and running. Not because we can't recruit the youth members, but because adults seem to come and go.

I'm very taken back that the DE isn't trying to do everything he can to help.

Eamonn.

[FScouter]

It's always easier to keep a good CO relationship going, or to improve a rocky relationship than it is to pack up and move somewhere else. A little time spent now analyzing what went wrong with the church CO relationship will surely help build and keep a good relationship with a new CO. Indeed, you might even find that mending fences with the church is a lot easier.

[prairie]

Check with your local Lions Club, with a motto of "We Serve" they can be a great choice. Draw back is little chance of club owned storage space for troop gear however they might know someone who would store it as a comunity service.

[eaglebeader]

Remember to get your old CO to sign off on your equipment and any money the troop has - before you get in a bind with them. Any thing you have belongs to them - not your troop.

[SSScout]

First, I would make sure the Troop Committee or at least the CC meets with the CO rep and understands WHY the split is desired. Money problems? Irresponsible behavior somehow? Difference of philosophy? Personal insult not perceived? They want a different youth group? Like he said...

Part on good terms, as best you can...

 

What Eaglebeader said, and everone else previous.

 

Charter Orgs? Cast around to the Scout parents. The Scout Grandparents. The school principal. The local Radio station. Keep the conversations going and the ears open. Someone will know someone who has heard from someone else. A door will open. Have faith.

 

In our council (and some others I know of), here are some Charter organizations: Churches and temples and synagogues (could you accept being chartered by a faith not your own?), PTAs, private schools, volunteer fire companies, Lions clubs, American Legions, VFWs, Moose, Rotary, Kiwanis, private businesses, the local hospital (thru its community outreach department).

 

Like Bob the Tomato said, "it's for the kids"...

 

TiS(This message has been edited by SSScout)