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Effective September 1, 2024, all youth participating in Cub Scout, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scout programs will see an annual Council Program Fee of $20, in addition to the National Membership Fee of $85, totaling $105 for a year-long Scouting membership.
This fee helps to keep up with ever rising costs of offering programs to our youth such as:
- Troop Shoot @ Camp Easton Sep 22, 2024
- Trailblazers @ Cowles Scout Reservation Sep 28, 2024
- Trailblazers @ Camp Easton Oct 5, 2024
- Fall Merit Badge University @ EWU Oct 12 and Nov 23, 2024
- Fall Camporee @ Cowles Scout Reservation Oct 18-20, 2024
- Trailblazers @ Camp Grizzly Oct 26, 2024
- Troop Shoot @ Cowles Scout Reservation Dec 6-8, 2024
- Spring Camporee @ Camp Easton Apr 12-13, 2025
- Cub Scout Fun Day @ Camp Easton Apr 12, 2025
- National Youth Leadership Training @ Cowles Scout Reservation Jun 16-21, 2025
The Inland Northwest Council Program Fee
After an intensive 18-month strategic planning process, Inland Northwest Council’s volunteer Executive Board determined that our Scouts would be better served by a local Council Program Fee that would provide consistent revenue and be more equitable to those who support our Scouts.
Beginning September 1, 2024, an annual Council Program Fee of $20.00 will be assessed to all youth participating in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scouts programs. For Scouts currently registered, the Council Program Fee will be collected as part of your youth's annual renewal:
- Scouts participating in more than one program will pay one (1) Program Fee.
- No youth will be turned away for an inability to pay the Program Fee. The Inland Northwest Council has always provided financial assistance when needed and will continue to do so.
Adults:
- No registered adult will incur a program fee.
Understanding Annual Fees
- The Inland Northwest Council does not directly receive any of the BSA membership fees currently paid as shown below.
- Units may have additional fees or dues to pay for a unit’s programs and activities; those fees also remain with the unit, and do not go to The Inland Northwest Council. Many units also fundraise for these fees and activities, we encourage units to continue those efforts.
Why is there a new Council Program Fee?
The Inland Northwest Council works tirelessly to deliver a safe and high-quality Scouting program to our families in a cost-effective manner. Today it costs $750 per youth to deliver this quality Scouting program.
Our Council subsidizes this cost through corporate donations, major gifts, foundations, fundraising events, board donations, and our Family Friends of Scouting campaign. However, in recent years, the combination of a steady decline in participation in our council-sponsored fundraisers (Popcorn and Camp Cards), in our Family Friends of Scouting donations (less than 10% of families), and rising costs have made it impractical to continue this model. The addition of the Program Fee will allow us to deliver a quality program to scouts of the Inland Northwest.
Nationwide, we have seen many other local councils successfully transition to this program fee model, while focusing on membership growth. This change will allow our staff and volunteer more time to directly support our units and programs.
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