As you may have noticed that in “4 C” above only a single Money Earning Project is needed to accomplish an "Ideal Year of Scouting." A thoroughly planned and properly executed Popcorn Sale can provide all the funding a unit could ever need. Be sure to take full advantage of the training offered to your unit to assist you in this process. Do not forget that you can also sell popcorn year round by using www.orderpopcorn.com.

How do we …….????
From time to time requests for assistance with various processes are made by volunteer leaders like you. The procedures and policies to follow in these situations can be found in different BSA publications. Among these are the training course outlines, leader handbooks, Rules & Regulations of the BSA, the Charter & By-Laws of the BSA and the BSA Finance Policy Manual. Many of these can be found on the internet or may be reviewed at the Council Office.

Fund raising or is it money earning? Money earning projects are conducted by packs, troops, crews or posts, not dens or patrols. Applications to conduct these projects are approved when the public will pay a reasonable price to receive a product or service. Units earn money in this way to teach youth members the value of self responsibility. The value of reward for an honest effort is an important lesson to learn in today’s world. Fund raising campaigns and special events are conducted by the Council to garner the money necessary to provide programs and services to chartered organizations and units.

Most units have checking accounts at various financial institutions. When opening these bank accounts an identification number is required. This number may come from your chartered organization or the unit can use IRS form # SS-4 to apply for its’ own. (Please note: if your unit’s identification number currently ends in “17” call the Council immediately.) A minimum of three signatures should be listed on this account. Two of those are required on each check. It is best that these three individuals not reside in the same household. Units also may deposit funds in a custodial account at the Council Office. Access to this unit account can be restricted to those individuals of the unit’s choosing.

One of the three responsibilities of a chartered organization is to provide a safe and adequate place in which their unit may meet. While they do not have to own this facility it is their role to make sure it is available. From time to time properties are secured solely for this function. This practice has been discouraged for several very good reasons since the Scouting started nearly 100 years ago. But if the chartered organization does decide to provide this exclusive setting for the unit to meet then care must be taken in the titling of the property. This real estate must be held in the name of the chartered organization without any reference or tie to the unit, its’ leaders or Scouting in general.

Baden Powell, founder of the movement, called Scouting, “a game with a purpose.” As with any game some set of rules apply. The rules, policies and procedures are not meant to hinder the delivery of quality programs. Rather these guidelines are in place to protect the youth we all serve, you as their leaders, the chartered organizations that own the units and Scouting as a whole. Thank you for playing by the rules. It makes everything safer for everyone.