News & Notes – August 2022

Here are some  updates to be aware of this month:

Fee increase

Just like everything else, the registration fees charged by the Boy Scouts of America are going up once again. This has become an annual occurrence in recent years and shouldn’t be surprising, in that the cost of just about everything is going up. Here’s a summary of the new annual fees that will be charged by the National Council effective August 1, 2022:

  • $75 for youth members in Cub Scouting, ScoutsBSA, Venturing and Sea Scouting (up from $72)
  • $45 for Exploring participants (no change)
  • $45 for adult members (no change)
  • $100 annual charter fee, paid at rechartering (up from $75)
  • $15 for ScoutLife (up from $12)

The joining fee (for first-time youth members only) remains $25.

So, sharpen your pencils and re-calculate the fees you’ll be charging your new members this fall and at rechartering toward the end of this year. Continue reading “News & Notes – August 2022”

Fees to rise again

The National Council of the Boy Scouts of America has announced another in what has become an annual increase in membership fees.

Effective August 1, 2021, the fee for an individual Scout in traditional programs (Cub Scouts, ScoutsBSA and Venturing) along with Sea Scouting will increase from $66 to $72. Adult volunteers and those in the Exploring program will see a rise from $42 to $45. The one-time joining fee will remain at $25, and the annual charter fee stays at $75. BSA has provided an infographic explaining the new fee structure.

The three-year fee increase progression was not unanticipated. Continue reading “Fees to rise again”

Scouting reimagined

Our Friends of Scouting theme last year was Imagine… The conversation revolved around imagining not just what Scouting could help your son or daughter realize, but to also imagine what the world would be like without Scouting.

As the Boy Scouts of America proceeds into bankruptcy proceedings as it struggles with the fallout from decades of improperly handling abuse allegations by volunteers, we can actually begin to realize what the world would be like if Scouting – the organization, not the movement – were no longer around. And even though bankruptcy is intended to shield the remaining assets, it’s not inconceivable that Scouting as we know it could diminish to the point where it is no longer sustainable.

The national organization is taking some steps to try to shore up its revenue and its membership. Continue reading “Scouting reimagined”

Dealing with the fee increase

Update: On October 23, the BSA announced the new fees, as you’ve probably heard:

  • Youth members in Cub Scouts, ScoutsBSA, Venturing and Sea Scouting, $60 per year
  • Youth members in Exploring, $36 per year
  • Adult members, $36 per year
  • Annual charter fee, $60 per unit (previously $40)

More information and links in this post on the Scouting Magazine blog.

We now rejoin this post, already in progress.

By now you’ve heard about the Boy Scouts of America’s plans to increase the annual registration fee for youth and adult participants. The fee, currently $33 per year, is charged of all registered youth members and adults (with a few exceptions, such as Merit Badge Counselors, parent partners and such). Many councils add a local insurance fee to this, but the $33 goes to National. We’ve been told that it will be going up effective with charters that renew starting this fall. We are in suspense about the amount of the fee increase; it hasn’t been announced at press time, but the BSA has informed us that the increase will be considered and acted upon by the National Executive Board and conveyed to us no later than October 23.

Naturally, this announcement has landed like a ton of bricks with nearly every unit. Continue reading “Dealing with the fee increase”

Get a head start on fall

It’s still summer across the country and we’re mostly in that mode of thinking – summer camp or day camp, pack picnics and bike rides, hiking and weekend camping. Families are enjoying vacations, relaxing in the back yard or at the lake, working in the garden or taking in the splendors of summer.

But like the retail world, Scouting works a season ahead, and now is the time to put some thought to the coming fall and the resumption of school and our Scouting programs.

Here are some ideas to kelp you kick-start your program year: Continue reading “Get a head start on fall”