The Unit Membership Plan
What is it and why have one?
Objectives
The purpose of this training:
 To reinforce why it is so important for a unit to have
a membership plan
 To encourage units to focus on the planning of
membership recruitment and retention
Why do we need a unit membership plan?
 Your unit membership plan will provide the
framework to be engaged in your council’s
strategic plan.
 It should be a collaborative effort between
the unit membership chair and district
membership chair with support from the
executive staff.
Do we really need a plan?
 “If you don't know where you are going, you'll end
up someplace else.”
― Yogi Berra
 “Success doesn't just happen. It's planned for.”
― Anonymous
• “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
― Benjamin Franklin
Unit membership plan elements
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify and verify currently registered members
Unit membership analysis/goal
Plans for membership growth
Community partnership
Identify and verify currently
registered members
• Review registration membership rosters from
council office.
• Check unit attendance roster.
Unit membership analysis/goals
• Track three-year historical membership.
• Track three-year retention rate by name of
registered youth.
• Track three-year advancement.
• Set a goal for the number of new youth who
will join the unit in the next 3 years.
Unit membership analysis/ goals (cont.)
• Project the number of Tiger Cubs who will be
recruited to start a new den (Cub Scouts).
• Project the number of Boy Scouts who will be
recruited to start a new patrol (Boy Scouts).
• Project the number of new youth who will be
recruited to replace members who have moved
on (Venturing).
Plans for membership growth:
Cub Scout packs
• Use Tiger Cub recruitment plan to recruit youth and
leaders.
• Recruit new youth from first through fourth grades.
• Recruit and train a full pack committee.
• Conduct activity in the community to promote
Scouting.
• Plan and conduct a sign-up rally.
Plans for membership growth:
Cub Scout packs (cont.)
• Conduct a call night for youth who did not renew
memberships.
• Plan and carry out Webelos-to-Scout transition.
• Take part in two activities with a troop.
• Recruit two or more Tiger Cub leaders.
Plans for membership growth:
Boy Scout troop
• Schedule and conduct a troop open house.
• Schedule and conduct a peer-to-peer recruitment
activity.
• Schedule and conduct a Webelos-to-Scout
transition.
• Recruit new youth in the fifth through the eighth
grades.
• Send a letter to the parents of youth who did not
renew.
• Conduct a Boy Scout High Adventure Survey
Plans for membership growth:
Venturing crews
•
•
•
•
•
•
Recruit new Venturing members in the eighth grade.
Identify troops to share crew information.
Recruit and train new Venturing officers.
Conduct interest survey.
Conduct Venturing open house.
Review best practices and implement strategies
found in the Venturing Leader Manual.
• Schedule and conduct a peer-to-peer recruitment
activity.
Community partnership
• Have unit conduct a minimum of two service
projects benefitting the chartered organization.
• Be visible within the community. Wear Scouting
uniform in community events:
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
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Scouting for Food
Parades
Welcome back to school
Street fairs
Local sports events
BSA Adopt-a-School
Membership resources
 Membership Committee Guide
 Membership Campaign Council Guide
 Selecting District People
 Strengthening Organizations Through Scouting
 Membership plans
 Membership impact staff
 Membership chairs website link
 BeAScout.org resources

www.scouting.org/membership
Final thoughts
“A
goal without a plan is just a wish.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes;
but no plans.”
― Peter F. Drucker
“If you don’t know exactly where you’re going, how will you
know when you get there?”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
“Man does not plan to fail, he just fails to plan.”
― Frederick Douglass, A Will to Be Free 1
Thank you