1. Helping YOU Improve Your Unit
WELCOME!
Helping YOU Improve Your Unit

2. Improving Unit Health in HOAC
Most Units either do NOT plan their program, or give a haphazard effort trying to do so
They rarely involve their Scouts and Parents in the program planning process
Few Units have a budget or set goals for their Unit fundraiser
Those that DO experience:
A better, more fun annual program
Retention of Scouts and attract new ones
Sending more Scouts to camp
More trained leaders
Better overall Unit health

3. 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!

4. 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

5. Typical HOAC Pack Scenario
$86
$138
$52
Assumes 32% Unit Commission & 4% Prize
Current Sales per Scout = $ 163
Sales Needed to meet budget = $431

6. Ideal Year of Scouting Steps
Program Planning
Program Budgeting
Goal Setting
Communicating the Plan to Parents & Scouts
Earning the Money
Executing the Program Plan

7. 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 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.

8. 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

9. Program Planning Steps – June/July
Unit Committees finalize their Unit Program calendar at June Committee Meeting, based on results of their youth vote / parent surveys from May Pack / Troop Meetings
A complete Pack Budget is determined, based on new Program, equipment, etc. costs
Budget is finalized by end of July Committee Meeting

10. Budgeting
Unit Program Planner

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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 Program calendar & budget to all current families AND newly-recruited Scout families at sign-up night

15. 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.

16. “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

17. 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

18. “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 Program, Unit Budget, and popcorn sale order forms to all newly-recruited Scouts
Unit Fundraising Chair closes out the fundraiser, collects money, etc.

19. 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 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.

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. Ideal Year of Scouting Steps
Planning – March /April
Budgeting – June / July
Goal Setting – July / August
Communicating the Plan to Parents & Scouts – August / September
Earning the Money – September / October
Executing the Program Plan – Rest of Year

25. Thank You!
Questions… Comments?