Scouting America Unit Support NY/PA

Thank you for joining and being a part of the Scouting family!

Here you will find a variety of resources to help grow and strengthen your unit. We encourage you to take time to browse through our website.

Start with your District’s page. There you will find the people who are specific to your area who specialize in different parts of the District Committee.
Review the Commissioners page and how they can assist you.
Follow us on Facebook for up-to-date events and stories. You can also follow and Camp Gorton!
Look at the Council Calendar for upcoming events that your Unit can participate in.

Annual Program Planning

To develop the unit budget, complete the worksheet with the unit leader and committee at the annual program planning conference, and then share it with the parents. Be sure to keep parents involved and informed. The unit’s program calendar and budget information needs to be communicated regularly to families, especially at the start of the program year. By sharing the unit’s program plans and budgetary needs, you can help newly recruited youth and their parents gain a greater understanding of just what fun is waiting for them during the unit’s entire program year. National BSA has a tool to help, click here for the National Annual Program Planning Tool

A planned program is one of the best things that can be done to keep Scouts and help involve families.

What should be included:

- Regular Unit Meetings, this should include Dens & Patrols
- Unit Committee Meetings
- Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) meetings
- Campouts, hikes, activities – there should be something scheduled for each month. Remember to look at the Council Calendar for events that are scheduled that your Unit would like to participate in. Click here for the camping page, which includes approved Cub camping locations
- Fundraising Events
- Community Service events – Scouting for Food (tags out/bags in), parades, school open houses, etc
- Unit Open House – opportunity to have a scheduled meeting for people interested in joining Scouting come and see your Unit in action.

Planning Your Program Budget

Each year your Unit should create an annual budget. This looks at all the planned expenses and they are going to be covered.

Click here for a National Unit Budget Planning Worksheet

Things to take into consideration:

- Expenses
  - Awards & Recognition
  - Supplies & Equipment (repair & replace)
  - Trailer registration & Insurance
- Income
  - Popcorn sales
  - Other fundraisers
  - Activity fee

Unit Fundraising

A Scout is Thrifty: It’s good practice for Scout units, too. Business-like finance management not only assures that your unit will remain solvent and have what it needs when it needs it, it also provides a fine example for your youth members. A good unit should neither spend more than it earns nor earn more that it spends. As much harm can be done with one extreme as with the other.

Fundraising is a necessary aspect of Scouting. Units should look at the minimal amount of fundraising, so that the program is not all about fundraising. A few number of quality fundraising events can take care of a Units needs throughout the year.

For any fundraising event, except Popcorn, a Unit must submit a Unit Money Earning Application to their District Executive.

Funding your Unit Training Video

Fundraising Do’s and Don’ts

Popcorn is a Council organized fundraiser. Many Scouts and Units use this as their only fundraiser for the year. Popcorn is sold door-to-door, outside of businesses (referred to as Show-n-Sale), and online. For more information about Popcorn sales please see the Popcorn Page.

Online Tools (Unit Management Software)

As part of your charter and registration fees, National provides access to many online tools to help you manage your Unit.

My.Scouting – This provides access to your Unit Roster, recharter, individual renewal approval, BeAscout pin, Application Manager, Invitation Manager, training manager and more. For help on these tools or if there issues please click and go to our support page.

Scoutbook – This provides advancement tracking, communication, Patrol/Den setup, tracking of leadership positions, Eagle applications and more. For help on these tools or if there issues please click and go to our support page.

Scoutbook Plus – This provides advancement recording & tracking, Unit calendar with RSVP & reminder emails, tracking of camping, hiking and service hours and more. For help on these tools or if there issues please click and go to our support page.

Recruitment

Part of Unit operations is planning on growth. Growth does not just happen, but needs to be worked on by all. Scouts joining your Unit and staying creates a legacy for that Scout, their family and the Unit. Without new Scouts and families joining, it won’t be long before the traditions and history of the Unit will be gone.

Any Scout who recruits a new Scout earns a Recruiter Strip that can be worn on the uniform. All Scouts regardless of program are eligible to earn this award.

Four Easy Steps to Recruitment

1. Plan | 2. Promote | 3. Welcome | 4. Follow Up

1. Plan

- - Choose a date and time to hold your sign-up event
    - Consult with other leaders to check their availability
    - Host a picnic, campfire, ice cream social, fly rockets or foam planes, or other fun event where kids and parents would feel welcome
    - Have a table at your local school’s Open House/Welcome Back night
    - Meet at your regular time and location, but NOT on the same night as Den, Pack or Troop meetings (too hectic!)
  - Update your PIN in my.scouting.org so interested families can find you through BeAScout.org. Learn how by clicking here.

TIP – Plan 6 weeks ahead to give yourself time to organize and promote it

2. Promote

- - Request flyers (by August 15, please, or at least 2 weeks before your event) from your district professional to be distributed to local school students (include QR code)
  - Local newspaper – share a photo and caption or submit a brief article two weeks before your sign-up night (Click here for a sample email)
  - Request yard signs & posters from your district professional and ask current Scout families to put them out/up (include QR code)
  - Create event on Facebook for your sign-up night. If you have funds, pay to boost it.
  - Share to community social media pages or through the Next Door App
  - Create a public Facebook page for your unit if you don’t have one

TIP – If you’re ready to take promotion to the next step, check out the resources available to you through the BSA Brand Center!

3. Welcome

- - Smile and introduce yourself and the Scouts and leaders
  - Ask parent to write down their contact information – Sign up Sheet template
  - Set up stations with station table tents
  - Provide information about your program
  - Use QR code so they can register on their own device
  - Bring a laptop or tablet and have them register
  - Have paper applications on hand
  - Provide a copy of your program calendar & leaders’ names

TIP – Your unit’s Key 3 leaders have access to the “Invitation Manager” tools in my.scouting.org, which really helps to keep information centralized. Learn how to use it.

4. Follow Up

- - Initiate communications with families
    - Send emails or text messages with a link to your unit’s PIN so they will find you immediately
    - Use my.scouting.org’s “Invitation Manager” tool: enter parent names, contact info and send them links to sign up through my.scouting
  - Be responsive
    - Reply to messages/questions within 24 hours
    - If you don’t have the answer, ask your district professional for help
  - Remind them about meetings a few days ahead of time

What Can You/the Unit Do:

- Have a New Members Coordinator in your Unit
- Make recruitment a part of your Program Planning Conference
  - School Sign Ups
  - Bring a Friend night
  - Webeleos to Scout Transition
- Have your BeAScout pin up to date – this found in my.scouting.org under the Roster area.
  - Did you set up contact information on your pin?
  - Does it have the correct address? (default is charter organization address)
  - Did you set a welcome email?
  - Do you allow for online applications? (Youth/Adult)
- Organize, Plan and Promote a Unit Open House
- Have a Recruitment table/box that goes to different events
  - Pictures of Unit activities
  - Schedule for the year
  - Contact info
  - Something to draw the kids to you
  - Something for the kids to do while you talk to the parents
    - Coloring pages
    - Raft regatta
    - Large Jenga game
    - Real life “Angry Birds” game
- Participate in Community events (parades, carnivals, etc)
  - Have promotional items at these events
  - Have a table at these events
  - Reading at Library
- Promote whenever your Unit is seen by the Community
  - Popcorn Show and Sell’s
  - Community Clean Up
  - Participation in Scout Sunday/Sabbath
- Online Promotion – BSA Media Guidelines
  - Unit Facebook page (please keep in mind public vs private)
  - Community/School Facebook
    - Occasional posts by families
- What Else?
  - Business card/tag in with Halloween candy
  - Sticker on Popcorn
  - Sign in local community business, with contact info
  - Adopt a School
    - Positive relation with your School
    - School Clean Up
    - Assist with parking or opening doors during voting

Retention (Keeping the Scouts)

Once the Scouts and families join we need to keep them. This comes from planned program and having fun & engaging program.

What can be done:

- Planned Program (Year Round)
- Planned Meeting (with back up plans) Troop Pack
- Immediate recognition on advancement and awards
  - Advancement and awards should be presented as soon as possible. These presentations make the Scouts who earned them excited for recognition and lets others see what they can earn.
  - Additional Awards can be found on the National Awards Center
- New and fun activities – same thing from year to year gets boring. You also need to keep in mind what is fun for you might not be for the Scouts. Involve the PLC in the Planning Conference.
- Game Night – Have a night where the Scouts can come, play games and have fun. Scouting is not always about Camping. Fun, Fellowship, and Good Sportsmanship.
- Cell Phones – Cell phones are great tools. Cameras, Video, GPS, Constellation, Animal Tracks and more. We teach proper use of knives and fire, we also teach safe and proper electronics.
- Keep the parents informed and involved. Even small tasks can grow into a future leader for Unit.
- Be flexible. You are competing with other organizations for their time. Your Unit should be flexible to their schedule.
- Trained leadership. Have all of your parents take Youth Protection. You should have your leaders take Position Specific Training as soon as possible to give them the tools they need.

Renewal of Members (Youth & Adult)

Members of your Unit must renew every 12 months. This timeframe may be on schedule with your recharter, but is not always tied to it. The 12 months is based upon when they joined the program. It is a 2 part process. There is a section for the individual (youth or adult) and a section for the Unit.

Note: You must have online applications turned on in my.scouting.org-Application Manager for this to work. The individual will not be able to do their part.

More information can be found at: National Unit & Membership Renewal page

Renewal Process – Individual

- Email will be sent to the affected member 60 days prior to expiration.
  - Follow ups will be sent 30 days, 15 days, 0 day, The Unit Key 3 will be included at the 30 day period
  - The Unit can turn this off, if the Unit is paying for registrations. my.scouting.org – Roster- Settings – Renewal Payment
- Member or Parent/Guardian logs into my.scouting.org – Menu – My Application – My Renewals
  - Select button for Start Renewal
  - Select button to Opt Out if they are not continuing on. This will stop the reminder emails.
- If the member has multiple positions, the renewal is based on the date for their primary. All other registrations have the same date.
- Once member has selected Start Renewal
  - Select what is the primary (only do this if it is changing)
  - Select goto payment (pay online or select office)
  - NOTE: For Adults your Youth Protection Training must be valid for the entire 12 months of the registration. The system will not let you renew if it is not. You can take it online at my.scouting.org or in-person. If taking it in-person, you will need to wait until the record has been uploaded into the system to continue.

Renewal Process – Unit Side

- Email will be sent to the affected member 60 days prior to expiration.
  - Follow ups will be sent 30 days, 15 days, 0 day, The Unit Key 3 will be included at the 30 day period
  - The Unit can turn this off, if the Unit is paying for registrations. my.scouting.org – Roster- Settings – Renewal Payment
- Once they have renewed, go to my.scouting.org – Roster
  - Near bottom section titled Membership Renewal Orders
    - Select and approve – they will then be billed
- If the Unit is paying, go to my.scouting.org – Roster
  - Select everyone who is eligible
    - if YPT is not valid for the entire 12 months there will be an alert
    - if they have opted out, you will not be able to select
  - At the top select renew
- At the bottom is a section Unit Paid Membership Renewal Batches
  - Select and move forward with payment
  - If your Unit has listed a credit on file (my.scouting.org-Roster-Settings), the payment will be deducted automatically
    - Otherwise pay the bill at the Council Office

Rechartering

Every Unit is Chartered for 1 Year (12 Months). A charter is a formal agreement between the Council and Organization about having and supporting a BSA Unit. This agreement is renewed each year. Most Units in our Council agreements expire on 12/31 of each year.

Units will recharter inside my.scouting.org. This function/tool will only be available to Key 3 or Key 3 delegates.

More information can be found at: National Unit & Membership Renewal page

Timeline:

- Oct 15th: option becomes available on my.scouting.org (Roster – Unit Renewal)
- Nov 16th: Charters in – avoid holiday delays
- Dec 1st: Must have charter renewal done
- Dec 31st: Charters not in and processed (this means paid as well) will be dropped!

Dropped means

- No insurance coverage for any meeting, event or activity
- No advancement (or time served in rank)
- No participation in Council and District Events
- NO UNIT

Units are expected to follow this schedule which will enable them to turn in recharters by the due date of December 1st. Units are encouraged to have their recharters done by November 16th.

POINTS OF NOTE:

- Explorer Posts may need to process their renewal by hand. You will need to go to the Learning for Life website for all training.
- Any renewal not processed by December 31 will drop. This means no advancement, no attendance at Council and District activities and no liability insurance. Any accident/injury occurring for a unit not chartered is the sole responsibility of the adults and organization.
- All renewals due no later than 12/1
- All charters are now processed online. More Councils are using this feature which can create slow down on the system near the end of December, due to heavy traffic. DO NOT WAIT.

RECHARTER HELP

Your district’s Commissioner Team is your first point of contact if you need help. If they don’t already know the answer to your question, they will help find it. Contact your Unit Commissioner or, if you do not know who your Unit Commissioner is, your District Commissioner. If you need additional help please contact your District Professional.

BE “ON TIME – ERROR FREE”. Every hour spent by volunteers and Council staff chasing down late recharters and fixing errors can’t be spent helping youth. THANK YOU in advance for making good use of our limited resources!

HOW RECHARTER IS DONE

If you are reading this, you probably have just been asked to “recharter” your “unit” and are full of questions. You also may be a little anxious, wondering “what in the world have I gotten myself into?” because everyone else was so relieved when you agreed to do it.

RELAX. Unit recharter has earned a reputation as being difficult when, in fact, it is pretty easy. If there is a hard part, it’s that some rules have to be followed for each member and that you have to finish on time. So let’s start with some of those questions:

What is a unit? That’s the Pack, Troop, Team, Crew, or Ship that asked you to do this. Units in our area operate under the Great Falls Council (GFC), the local operating arm of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The Council assigns each unit to a District, a geographic part of GFC’s area of operations. A unit always has a Unit Leader who is responsible for seeing that a program is delivered to the youth members. The Unit Leader has a title like Advisor, Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Coach, or Skipper. A unit has at least three adults who serve as the Unit Committee that supports the Unit Leader.

What is recharter? BSA issues a charter through the local Council to a Chartered Organization, like the Church or other organization that owns your unit, which allows it to use a BSA program to serve youth in its community. For example, a Cub Scout Pack uses Cub Scouting to serve boys in the first through fifth grades. BSA requires that the charter be renewed annually to continue using the program. We call that annual renewal “recharter”.

What else happens during recharter? This also verifies that you have the required number of individuals for a Unit:

Pack – 6 Adults (Committee Chair, 2 Committee Members, Cubmaster, Asst. Cubmaster, Den Leader)

Troop/Crew – 5 Adults (Committee Chair, 2 Committee Members, Scoutmaster, Asst. Scoutmaster)

Pack/Troop/Crew – 5 Youth (3 need to have a primary registration in the Unit)

Steps to Recharter

October: (Training and Membership Inventory)

Go to www.my.scouting.org (the features discussed are only available to the Charter Rep, Committee Chair, Unit Leader and the Key Delegates)

Membership Manager

- - - Check all names and contact information for accuracy
    - Update any contact information as necessary (my.scouting.org-Roster or S coutbook Plus-Roster
    - Update position in unit as necessary (my.scouting.org – Position Manager)

Training Manager

- - - Check Youth Protection trained status (my.scouting – YPT Reports or my.scouting – Roster – Unit Dashboard)
      - If expiring before January, have the adult take the training. NOTE: With individual renewal it is required that they be current in YPT during the entire 12 months of registration.
        
        Classroom – must be entered into Training Manager to be considered valid.
        
        Online at www.my.scouting.org
      - Check for Position Specific Training (anyone completely trained in current material will have a trained patch next to their name). This can be checked at my.scouting.org – Training Manager or my.scouting.org – Roster – Unit Dashboard

October/November:

Access is automatically turned on, on Oct. 15th on my.scouting.org

Online: complete your recharter my.scouting.org – Roster – Unit Renewal (only Key 3 or Key 3 Delegates)

- - - Confirm all leaders in position, you can click on each name for current information
    - Click on Edit Positions to go to Position Manager and make changes
    - Confirm number of youth registrations.
    - Any issues will show up on the screen. These will need to be fixed!
      - Not enough leaders (minimum of 5), or not enough primary registered in the Unit (minimum of 3)
      - Leaders not in key positions
      - Not enough youth (minimum of 5), or not enough primary registered in the Unit (minimum of 3)
      - Expired YPT
    - Click on Charter button and make selection on Payment (pay online or at the office)
    - Charter Rep will get an email and need to approve

Quick Links

Resources

FiveRiversbsa.org
Scouts BSA Program Resource Links
National Marketing page
My.Scouting.org
Scoutbook
Scoutbook Plus
BeAScout.org– National recruitment page
National Unit & Membership Renewal page
National Forms
Your Unit Commissioner and District Membership Chair

Unit Support