Here is a brief history of why and how we have established this program:
Purpose:
- The Scout Law says "A Scout is THRIFTY." A Scout works to pay his own way , help others, and save for the future. Fundraising to offset activity costs is encouraged, and is an excellent lesson in fiscal responsibility. Please maximize your Scout’s opportunity by participating in our unit money earning projects.
- Every Scout should have the opportunity to experience the Scouting program, and no child desiring this experience should be denied soley due to financial hardship
- Unit fundraising efforts should benefit the entire troop, not just the individuals
Background:
- The program came about because some (non-Scout) nonprofits had created a "pay-to-play" model around organizational fundraising. Basically, youth accounts were filled directly and proportionally from their fundraising efforts, and the IRS deemed this as providing "private benefit" to the youth, which jeopardized their nonprofit status.
- The old method of using Individual Scout Accounts could also potentially be considered a "private benefit" by the IRS
- We do not want to jeopardize the non-profit status of our Chartered Organization
Current Program:
- The current system started in 2015, and evolves with each semiannual round.
- Funds are raised from multiple venues, including, but, not limited to:
- Council Fundraisers: popcorn and camp cards
- Troop Fundraisers: flowers; rotary flag programs; etc.
- The Troop is allowed to award camperships to support scouts based on multiple factors, including financial need, participation, and advancement.
- Financial need will be considered, but is not required to be awarded a campership
- If a Scout for some reason cannot go on the trip/activity for which he has been awarded a campership, he can apply his campership towards other camps/High Adventure trips or to fund his Eagle project.
- If a Scout leaves the Troop or turns 18 before using his campership, those funds will be made available for others.
Process:
- Scouts/parents complete a campership application which details the events requested for consideration (which events/ needs/ wants to be subsidized, how much to subsidize)
- Scouts may request to accumulate campership awards for longer term activities (high adventure trips beyond the 6 month application window)
- As the Scout law calls for us to be Trustworthy, the committee will trust a family's statement of financial need
- Troop Committee convenes twice a year to review and award camperships based on multiple Scouting factors and available funds
- Troop Committee alerts applicants of their awards and explains which funds still need to be spent by the scout/ family
The deadline to submit your application for a Spring 2017 campership is May 1st.
Let me know if you have questions (e-mail me by clicking my name below).
Yours in Scouting (YIS),
Craig Parrish
Committee Chair