Dear Scouting family,
The BSA is announcing today a small increase in annual membership fees. The Boy Scouts of America have worked to keep membership fees low, unfortunately operating costs have continued to rise and COVID-19 has compounded the need to increase the fee to maintain the program. The national membership fees goes to pay for the cost of essential services, including program resources, liability insurance for those participating in approved Scouting activities, youth protection, and other local community resources.
The updated National Membership fees will be as follows:
- $66 for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scout youth participants
- $42 for Exploring youth participants
- $42 for all adult volunteers
- $75 annual Unit charter fee (effective August 1, 2020)
- $25 one-time join fee for new participants (effective August 1, 2020)
We understand many of our Scouting families are also experiencing financial uncertainty during this time. We do not want finances to be a barrier to participation in Scouting and will do our best to assist families in need.
Locally, our Council also faces these same issues and are doing our best to address the impact of nearly three months of office closure, activity cancellations, and diminished fundraising campaigns. We know, however, that our staff and volunteers will continue to do their best to offer high-quality Scouting experiences during these challenging times.
The value of Scouting is undeniable for those within the program and for the community at large. During recent times Scouts have sewn masks, held contact-less food drives, continued to organize Eagle projects, and participated in a Scout Salute in honor of Memorial Day. Scouting remains an incredible value in both cost and experience.
We encourage you to read the complete
announcement and FAQs. An info-graphic is included below which helps summarize the changes. The Council will continue to keep our families informed of any additional information.
