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Dues, Fees & Finances
Unit and per-scout expenses may include registration and re-chartering, books, uniforms, Boy's Life subscriptions, supplies, troop and patrol equipment, troop management software, insurance, campsite fees, troop flags, awards, camping and outdoor gear, trainings (for adults or youth), summer camp registrations, high adventure activities, travel, special events, and a lot more. Scouting is often expensive -- or may be very inexpensive depending on the troop.
The treasurer (a committee member), the scribe, and the Scoutmaster prepare a draft budget which the PLC reviews and improves. Then the troop committee approves it and it is presented to the parent and boys.
Troops may have monthly or weekly dues; these are collected by the scribe and submitted to the treasurer. Troops may have annual activity or outing fees. Troops make keep financial accounting per boy versus for the whole troop. Some charter organizations cover the registration costs for the boys and financially support the troop for its activities. (They may even cover the costs of uniforms and books.) Often while some troops do not have dues or registration fees, they still may have costs for food for campouts and expenses for week-long camps, for example. A common amount for additional operational expenses may be $30 to $50 annually.
Some troops suggest for significant costs (like high adventure) that comes from the troop's fundraising, from the parents, and from the boy himself (paid jobs, birthday gifts, allowance, etc).
Troops may have money earning projects, but must follow the policies of their chartering organization, their council, the BSA, and their local government. The BSA does not allow raffles. Uniforms may not be worn if selling commercial products or services (unless approved by the council).
In addition to earning funds for the troop, the local council also does fund raising, called Friends of Scouting. This helps support the council's management, program, and membership services. This may help fund summer and year-round scout camps, professional staff, training, providing insurance, and recognition of volunteers. Commonly, the Friends of Scouting seeks pledges of $175 to $10,000. As your family donates to scouting, you may want to understand whether your money is going to your local troop or to the council. The council and its districts are the only entities approved to solicit funds; units cannot solicit donations of money.
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