To Fee or not to Fee

[Scoutfish]

We used to charge $36 a year annual dues:

$18 to BSA ( $15 for recharter and $3 for insurance)

$18 for pack expenses ( awards, badges, beltloops , etc)

 

We had extra fees per event such as trips, campouts, Patriots Point, etc...

 

Last Monday at out annual planning meeting, we raised the cost to $50 a year. You can pay at once or 2 paymenst if you like. We also decided ona $2 a month den dues to be used for beltloops.

 

We do have 2 fundraisers a year in the way of B-B-Q chicken dinners ( spring and fall)

 

I can't provide exact figurs per scout as we always loose one or two from each rank as th4e year goes by( various reasons) but we have numbers right now showing our pack went through about $29,000 this past year. That in and outflow of cash and includes everything . Everthing meaning phone tree, pack master, pack ledger office supplies and the neckers and books we present at cub graduation .

 

As mentioned above, it's a great deal.

 

My son played soccer for about 2 - 2 1/2 months. It cost $65 not including uniform.

 

Baseball for 2 1/2 months. Almost $100 including uniform and pictures.

 

Cub Scouts: 12 months and it is now going to cost $50. And he can't hardly wait for each den meeting to happen!

[John-in-KC]

Az...

 

Got it. Only you can decide if it's time to break out the big guns: That would be Having your COR call the District Chairman, Council President and DE. Have him be your heavy on campership bucks:

 

"Given our level of FOS support this year, if we do not get campership funds, the IH and I will forbid our units from having FOS visits next year. Further, I will send a letter to the families in my units, saying FOS is not a condition of youth membership in Scouting. Still further, I will talk to area businesses which are part of the Community campaign."

 

That should get some folks quick and undivided attention.

[eagle90]

We charge a yearly fee of $50.00. This pays for registration, with Boy's Life being an optional extra fee. The rest stays with our treasury for awards, equipment, etc. We also have 2 fundraisers per year, Pancake Breakfast and Rummage sALE.

 

 

[resqman]

$75 per scout per year. Fees also collected for each campout, average $35 per campout. Summer camp is avout $250. We use a different camp each year and prices vary along with travel costs.

 

We have at least one fundraiser per year so scouts have opporutnity to raise money.

 

Troop funds pay $25 fuel to each uniformed driver on campouts and provides $4 per adult per meal to the grubmaster during campouts. Uniformed adults pay $15-$25 per year in dues.

[boomerscout]

we charge each Scout a yearly fee of $60 under the principle of each Scout pays his own way. They can pay it as five dollars a month. Alas, bicycle-type newspaper routes are long gone. We co-ordinate a buddy-system rent-a-Scout so that they can earn (each Scout becomes an independent contractor)by doing odd-jobs

the troop does 3 or 4 fundraisers each year. We have found it important to set the money goal in advance, as well as what the money will be used for (most of it, anyway). These fundraisers carry a week of summer camp as well as "educational" outings. The fundraisers are well attended because everyone participating gets the latest troop tee-shirt for "free"; one of our Scouters is a retired screen-printer, so cost of shirts is pennies.

We have a handful of retirees in the area who each want to write a check to pay the camp fees for one boy each. We never sought this, but it makes the people happy to do this, so we accept it gladly

Monthly weekend camping is usually very cheap because we try to trade 3 to 6 hours of conservation work - under supervision - at each site while we are there

Patrols buy their own food for the weekend camps. The exception is the new scout patrol; troop provides the grub (& the cooking lessons). New scouts stay in the nsp until they earn t'foot

We have done away with individual scout accounts because of possible legal ramifications. Instead, all participants at a certain fundraiser may get new boots, a sleeping bag, etc (notified well in advance so personal planning can take place)

Scouter has a great fundraising forum you might look at