1. What is your Ideal Year of Scouting?

2. Failing to plan is planning to fail. – Alan Lakein Let’s map out an adventure!!

3. There are SEVEN important steps to plan your Ideal Year of Scouting: Membership Planning Leadership Planning Brainstorming Activity Calendar Budget Planning Income Educate your families

4. Membership Planning Determine what you project the size of your unit will be after you conduct a successful membership drive. Recruiting new families into your unit should be ongoing. Your existing families can make the best “recruiters” as they share their Scouting adventure with their circle of friends. Set a membership goal and engage your families to help hit the goal.

5. Leadership Planning Review the positions required for a unit. – see IYOS booklet. Meet one-on-one with parents who might be willing to fill an open position. Remember, titles can scare some parents form volunteering. Try starting them off with a simple but important task; brings snacks to a meeting, help write “welcome cards” to new families, pick up awards at the Scout Shop…

6. Brainstorming This should be the most fun part of planning your IYOS. Include youth and parents. – Have them bring their ideas to the brainstorm meeting. Let their imagination guide the brainstorming. Discuss ideas that can take place over the next 18 months. Do NOT let your existing bank account steer the discussion – THINK BIG!! THINK FUN!!!

7. Activity Calendar Plan your year by incorporating some of your ideas from your brainstorming meeting. Remember to include the items from the district’s calendar and the “must-haves” from the list in your IYOS booklet. Once dates, times and locations are set, make sure the calendar does not change. Make sure every family gets a copy of the calendar.

8. Budget Planning Tools to help you plan your budget are in the IYOS booklet and can be found online at: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/ProgramPlanning Tools.aspx Families want to know where the money is coming from and how it is spent; keep them in the loop.

9. Income With a plan in hand, a decision must be made on how to fund your Ideal Year of Scouting. Fundraisers help boys “earn their own way”; this is a valuable life-lesson. Pick fundraisers that are a good use of your family’s time. Two proven fundraisers in Scouting are Camp Cards & Popcorn. They are already planned out and have been a great source of program funding for units across the country. Follow the rules. Fundraising policies can be found in your IYOS booklet..

10. Educate Your Families Let your parents know the plans for the year. Show them the calendar and the budget. Show them how the money is going to be raised and how it will help pay for the fun their child will have in Scouting this year.

11. Results of Your Planning Efforts  Improved Unit Operations  Exciting Programming  Increased Membership Retention (youth & adult)  Youth Planning Skills Development  Increased Family/Unit Ownership  More Successful Fund-raisers  An Ideal Year of Scouting for youth, leaders & parents.

12. Resources Ideal Year of Scouting planning booklet http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/Program PlanningTools.aspx District Calendar Council Calendar Scout event flyers Your Unit Commissioner District Executive