Membership Growth

Inviting new families to join Scouting is one of the most important things we can do to forward the Scouting movement. Throughout the year our Scouting units actively invite new families to join. Most youth join our program in the fall. Sustaining strong membership in a unit depends partly on reaching new audiences to invite them to join the unit and partly on engaging new members and their families so that they feel welcomed and want to stay. The role of the New Member Coordinator is to ensure that both keys to success take place.

Order your Flyers & Stickers!

Our Council is pleased to provide printed flyers & stickers to help in your recruitment efforts.

5 Steps for Success!

How can your unit have a successful fall recruitment? Follow these easy 5 steps!

Cub Scout Recruitment

Back to the Pack

We encourage all our packs to hold a “Back to the Pack” event prior to beginning your recruitment efforts. The purpose is to help your pack get ready for the fall by re-engaging your current members and recruiting needed leadership before the school year starts. Many Packs will hold a picnic or similar event to draw in existing families and start the new program year off right. Research has shown many families will not continue in Scouting without being personally contacted. In other words, in their minds, they have only taken a vacation during the summer and are waiting to be contacted about when to start attending the meetings again. The goal of the “Back to the Pack” event is to help your families re-join their pack after the summer break, giving all Cub Scouts a better chance of continuing their Scouting journey.

Packs that recruit the most youth have a coordinated recruitment plan that all current families participate in. These efforts are set up in advance, often at the Back to the Pack event. As part of the meeting we encourage you to engage your families in sharing their Cub Scout experience with others and help with the packs fall recruitment efforts.

Magic Circle

New Member Coordinator

Remember your first pack meeting? How overwhelming and lost you felt being inundated with the wealth of new Scouting information? Every year units lose Scouts after the first pack meeting. Imagine how much more valued new families would feel if there was someone to personally welcome them, answer their questions, connect with their family on a deeper level, and guide them through their first few months. Many units also struggle to implement a good Scouting program with limited volunteers. Through cultivating relationships with new members, units will develop a team foundation resulting in new leaders and increased volunteerism.

Scouts BSA & Venturing Recruitment

Scouts BSA Family Unit Option

The family troop model becomes available as a third option to all chartering organizations on December 15, 2025. The council must receive the Intent to Convert Form for any unit converting to or from a Family Troop (including troops that were part of the pilot) with their intent. The form needs to be filled out on it entirely for our council Registrar to make the changes. For troops not changing their current model, nothing needs to be submitted.

For Council units – If the troop desires to change its model, the Intent to Convert form needs to be completed and submitted. The COR is the same as CUR and the request will be automatically approved.

For any other questions, most questions can be answered by reviewing the Family Troop Decision Guide and Family Troop Best Practices documents.

Annual Membership Dues

Effective May 1st, 2024, we have eliminated the $25 one-time joining fee for new program participants. Reminder that dues are no-longer prorated. All Scouts and adults enroll in a 12-month membership cycle and renew their membership annually. Families and unit leaders can view this in my.scouting.org. Members will receive a reminder e-mail 60 days before the anniversary date that they joined Scouting reminding them to renew their annual dues. Units also have the option to pay annual registration dues on behalf of the family.

$14 a month, paid annual ($168)

Effective May 1st, 2024, for program participants in kindergarten through age 20 (Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scouts.

$6 a month, paid annual ($72)

Effective May 1st, 2024, for all Exploring youth and Adults.

$8 a month, paid annual ($96)

Effective May 1st, 2024, for all registered adult volunteers in a unit and non-unit position.
(Volunteers with multiple registrations will only pay once)

What is included?

The fee covers the National Membership Fee and Council Program Fee.
The fee covers Local Council Insurance fees which include Unit Accident Insurance, Participant Health Insurance, and Property Insurance.
The fee includes the Scout Handbook for any new Scout when they join Scouting for the first time ($25 Value). Books are received at any of our local Council service centers.