Most Sucessful ways of doing FOS

[OldGreyEagle]

OK, I didnt want to hijack the Beavah's thread. If we assume (I know Ed, I know) that FOS is a fact of life in the BSA, what have units you are or have been associated with done that had the best result, And by result I mean the most participation. I dont mean the most money, the greatest number of people giving?

 

I am not so sure Courts of Honor are the best, but then what is?

[msnowman]

We may be the oddballs, but our Pack & Troop host a luncheon at the church immediate following the Scout Sunday service. This is when the FOS presenters come in and do their thing. Most families show up for Scout Sunday and stay for the luncheon. Plus there is the added bonus of having an audience from outside of Scouting that they wouldn't be getting at a Pack Meetings or CoH. On the plus side for the FoS presenters is the bonus of making just 1 trip to our little town, instead of two trips on widely seperate days (especially important with gas prices as high as they are).

 

This coincides with the initial push to sign up for camp, so parents see the video about how great our Council is and how worthwhile camp is (and all the other things FoS funds).

 

We've made our goals for each of the last 3 years, so it can't be all bad. Plus, attendence at B&G and CoH's have gone back up because parents/grandparents know that the "begging for money" is already done.

 

YMMV

YiS

Michelle

[John-in-KC]

I had the opposite experience from Michelle. We scheduled a parents meeting with camp and FOS as the topics... 5 parents of 40 youth showed.

 

I think it depends on unit personalities, unit by unit...

[Bob White]

You might consider not asking for money for two things in one night. Rather than do FOS the same night you tell how much summer camp will cost or how much that high adventure trip will cost. Pick a COH when you aren't seeking other funds.

 

The thing that makes the biggest difference is the attitude of the unit leaders. If you don't appreciate the good things that happen when the council has a healthy financial base then chances that you will be able to help achieve a successful FOS contribution from the unit is doubtful.

 

FOS is not a fact of life in every council. It is however a fact of life in the vast majority. Depending on the local resources it can be a very large chunk of a council's annual budget or just frosting on the cake. Either way your local scouting community deserves your financial support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[baden]

We host a family dinner prepared by the boys in the evening on Scout Sunday. We do it in conjunction with a COH. We've done spaghetti some years and chili other years. We invite all family members and friends of the Troop. We always get a good response to our FOS presentation.

[John-in-KC]

Bob,

 

The camp was not a money thing, it was an information thing. We had lots of Tenderfeet from bridging and new joiners, it was orientation by a very experienced man (not me).

 

FOS was the only money on the table that night.

[beardad]

We do ours at Blue & Gold.

 

Unfortunately that is usually our entertainment for the evening.

[Karen_216]

Our council had a breakfast last year to present the campaign to the unit leaders. Unit leaders made suggestions to FOS committee. We told them it's nice to request the amoutn they wish per family but to make it clear that ANYTHING helps.and keep it short. Parents assumed if I can't give 175.00 it's 0.00.

Also it's a pledge card you fill out- not give the actual money then and there .You fill it out and hand it in even if your amoutn is 0.00.(nobody knows who gives what so nobaody is singled out)

They send you a reminder a few weeks later if you are contributing.. and a week after that.. and so on!!

We usually have them at B&G as the first part of the evening right after dinner. They couldn't make our b&G so they came at our next pack meeting. 1/2 the amount of families were there but using this approach they collected MORE than last year.

[kb6jra]

The most successful presentations I've done for the Family campaign have the unit leaders fully supporting it, giving the first donation, presenting at the highest attended event, such as a CoH or a B&G, and holding my presentation to a maximum of 15 minutes. In our council, we give a campership to summer camp if a troop has 100% participation, or a campership to Cub Day Camp for a cub pack.

 

I've had some success at committee meetings as well, but only in matching my $ goals for the unit, not % participation.