WELCOME!
Helping YOU Improve Your Unit
Improving Unit Health in HOAC
1. Most Units either do NOT plan their program, or give a
haphazard effort trying to do so
2. They rarely involve their Scouts and Parents in the program
planning process
3. Few Units have a budget or set goals for their Unit fundraiser
4. Those that DO experience:
1. A better, more fun annual program
2. Retention of Scouts and attract new ones
3. Sending more Scouts to camp
4. More trained leaders
5. Better overall Unit health
Ideal Year of Scouting
Make your Ideal Year
of Scouting Real!
•
•
•
•
•
It’s Camping
It’s Activities
It’s Advancement
It’s Equipment
It’s what you want to
do!
What is the “Ideal Year of Scouting”?
The single biggest motivator for Scouts & Parents is
fulfilling their dreams (having their Ideal Year of
Scouting, or their “IYOS”)
To fulfill those dreams the Unit’s Ideal Year of
Scouting (program) must be planned, budgeted, and
communicated with needed money raised,
and then implemented
Typical HOAC Pack Scenario
$140
$120
$100
$80
$60
$40
$20
$0
$86
$138
$52
Unit Budget
Popcorn Commission
Assumes 32% Unit Commission & 4% Prize
Current Sales per Scout = $ 163
Sales Needed to meet budget = $431
Ideal Year of Scouting Steps
1. Program Planning
2. Program Budgeting
3. Goal Setting
4. Communicating the Plan to Parents & Scouts
5. Earning the Money
6. Executing the Program Plan
Program Planning Steps – Mar/Apr
March or April
• District Roundtables will preview this process again to
make sure ALL Units understand plan
• Units to hold 2014-2015 program “Brainstorming” or
“Idea-generation” session with their Scouts during their
March or April Pack Meetings. Also, hand out survey to
parents on same subject
• Packs recruit Fundraising Chair (Popcorn Kernel) who
must be enthusiastic, and a “co-Kernel” who can assist.
Program Planning Steps – Apr/May
April or May
• Unit Committees should whittle down the ideas from
their March or April Pack Meeting’s brainstorming
session – to discard ideas that aren’t feasible (e.g. trip to
DisneyWorld) as well as add in parent suggestions
• Build a complete list of exciting program ideas to present
to youth and Scouting Families at April or May Pack /
Troop Meeting
• At April or May Pack / Troop Meeting, boys are given
stickers (1st, 2nd, 3rd) to place next to, or vote for, their
favorite program ideas
Program Planning Steps – June/July
June / July
• Unit Committees finalize their 2014-2015 Unit Program
calendar at June Committee Meeting, based on results of
their youth vote / parent surveys from May Pack / Troop
Meetings
• A complete 2014-2015 Pack Budget is determined, based
on new Program, equipment, etc. costs
• Budget is finalized by end of July Committee Meeting
Budgeting
Unit Program
Planner
Budgeting
Why is Budgeting so Important?
• Families need to know where the funds raised in a Unit
are going. Otherwise, they won’t participate.
• Everyone wants to know “what’s in it for me” or “how
will my son and I directly benefit” in order to continue to
participate at the desired level.
• Budgeting properly allows for you to carry through on
your commitment to your Scouting families.
• Budgeting properly is the most common step that Units
have a hard time with, or don’t do.
Budgeting
Why Don’t Units Get Budgeting Right?
• It’s not the easiest step. There’s typically disagreement
and different views on WHAT should be paid for.
• It takes time, thought, discussion, and effort to put
together a budget the committee can agree on.
• As most Units that DO put together a budget, do so in the
summer months, there can be a lack of interest or time to
spend towards this step. Certainly less Scout / Parent
input as well.
• It’s not the “most fun” step of the process.
Budgeting
How Can Budgeting Step Be Made Easier?
• Start earlier. Begin working on the easier parts of your
budget as you start the Ideal Year of Scouting process.
• USE the tools provided that can do the math for you.
• Involve and respect the opinions of those on your
committee.
• Consider and discuss “revenue-sharing” options to allow
your Scouting families to decide how much they are
comfortable having come out of their own pockets AND
how much effort they are willing to spend.
Program Goal Setting Steps – Aug
August
• Unit Committees should begin filling parent volunteer
roles that will plan and execute the new program activities.
• Unit’s Fundraising Chair (Popcorn Kernel) attends council
Popcorn Training along with co-Kernel, Committee Chair,
Cubmaster, Scoutmaster.
• Plan for Fundraising (Popcorn) Kickoff for Sept. Pack /
Troop Meeting and Fundraising Goals for Pack and
youth-level are determined based on Unit’s budget.
• Communicate 2014-2015 Program calendar & budget to
all current families AND newly-recruited Scout families at
sign-up night
The Importance of Setting Goals
The Unit’s goal for their fundraiser should be calculated so
that if it is reached, the Unit’s Program costs are FREE to
each Scout. This MUST be communicated to the families.
Goals should be broken down to the Scout level:
Only 44% of parents say their
Scout set a sales goal.
Scouts who set goals averaged $626 in sales.
Scouts with no goal averaged $304 in sales.
“Earning the Money” Steps – Sept.
September
• Unit holds exciting, fun and informative Fundraiser
(Popcorn) Kickoff over last half of Sept. Pack / Troop
Meeting.
• Unit Fundraising Chair manages pickup of product,
administrates sale
• Unit Fundraising Chair communicates with Scouting
families, Den Leaders, etc. about strategies to be
successful
Earning What You Need
• Ideally, in ONE Fundraiser
•
•
•
Communication up front is key
Help your families with tips on how to succeed
Constant communication throughout the process
“Earning the Money” Steps – Oct.
October
• Unit’s Fundraiser continues throughout the month, with
Chair (Popcorn Kernel) communicating, motivating &
rewarding youth at all Unit / Den Meetings
• Unit Fundraising Chair gets 2014-2015 Program, Unit
Budget, and popcorn sale order forms to all newlyrecruited Scouts
• Unit Fundraising Chair closes out the fundraiser, collects
money, etc.
Executing the Plan Steps – Nov.
November
• Any remaining fundraising campaign details are settled,
rewards given out to youth, and all funds collected.
• Unit determines any dues needed to bridge fundraising
shortfall to ensure that entire 2014-2015 Pack Program
activities, outings, events, etc. are funded at Pack level.
• Unit Activities Chair makes sure all program events are
on schedule to happen as planned, and that parents have
been assigned to execute them.
Executing the Plan Steps
November – August
All Unit youth and Scouting families enjoy
the rest of the year having FUN in Scouting,
not planning and executing additional
fundraisers OR asking parents for more
money
WHY Do the Ideal Year Of Scouting?
What are we trying to help Units do?
• Be organized and to involve both youth & parents in the
program planning process
• To plan a great program in an efficient, comprehensive
manner
• To execute that plan – delivering a Program that our youth
joined Scouting to enjoy and should experience!
• Spend less time fundraising and more time having FUN in a
robust Scouting program
WHY Do the Ideal Year Of Scouting?
What are we trying to help Units do?
• Stop having to ask parents for more money all the time
• Retain our registered youth and attract new youth into
Scouting
• Improve the overall program and health of Units
• Make sure that a HIGHER number of interested potential
Scouts / parents join Scouting vs. walk out of sign-up night
and never join
WHY Do the Ideal Year Of Scouting?
IF we are successful, and our Units do this correctly, they will:
• Retain more of their members AND attract more new members
• Send more Scouts to all the different camping opportunities
• Train more volunteer leaders / have more parental support
• Fundraise less often, but more efficiently and even increase FOS
• Enjoy a full, fresh, and exciting Scouting Program – and have it be
FREE to their Scouting families!
Units, Districts and Councils in Indianapolis, IN; Omaha, NE;
Colorado Springs, CO and many others have made the “Ideal Year of
Scouting” part of their Unit’s culture and seen the above results and
overall Unit health improve markedly
Ideal Year of Scouting Steps
1. Planning – March /April
2. Budgeting – June / July
3. Goal Setting – July / August
4. Communicating the Plan to Parents & Scouts –
August / September
5. Earning the Money – September / October
6. Executing the Program Plan – Rest of Year
Thank You!
Questions… Comments?