Membership PlansCouncilDistrict

Unit

2017 Stabilization2018 Growth

Not business as usual.   HUGE OPPORTUNITY like never before.

We have to make it happen.  This is our plan of action.

SCOUT ME IN – Our new campaign to recruit more Cub Scouts and welcome new families with sons and/or daughters to Scouting. We recognize that traditional metrics like Market Share will be impacted for some time, but until all the changes get fully implemented, reporting numbers like TAY will not change.

EXPLORING EXPLOSION – Providing more opportunities to our co‐ed young adult market, focusing on the workplace…and introducing them to exciting new career fields.

UNITS – Recruiting more youth means we will need more packs, troops, teams, crews, ships, and posts. Your plans should include the organization of exceptional new units and the retention of existing ones.

PILOTS – STEM Scouts continues to expand now up to 30 councils.  The Lion Pilot continues to grow and is part of the Cub Scout Program in 2018!

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WHY A PLAN?

• It gives your Council direction, defines your objectives, maps out strategies to achieve your goals and helps you to manage possible bumps in the road.

• Preparing a (membership) plan will help you work out the goals you want to achieve, and the strategies to achieve them. ... remind yourself of your goals and priorities.

While Scouting is a movement…  it is also needs to be run like a business!

A Membership Plan is a business plan.  By changing just two words, this explanation of why we need a plan is extremely relevant.

Communicate.  Excite.  Involve!

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Five Sources of Membership Growth

1. New units 2. Youth recruitment3. Program transition

4. Keeping units active and chartered

5. Increasing tenure/more youth reregistered at unit charter renewal

1. Membership Committee2. Membership Committee3. Membership Committee

Commissioner Staff4. Commissioner Staff

5. Commissioner Staff

Quick Review…Who gets fired if these things don’t happen???

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2018 Growth Plan Workbook

• NOT that!

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Council Membership Plan

• Sample plan for discussion• NOT real numbers

Benefits of using this tool…

5 months left.  Still time!Make a plan – prioritize what is achievable ‐ strong execution

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District Membership Plan

• Can be part of Council master plan or separate document.

• If separate, adjust content to match

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Digital Version on Web

• MS Word version of Plan• Market analysis and Excel file• Referenced spreadsheet tools• Resource documents

HTTP://SCOUTING-BSA.ORG/NERA4

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Keys to Success

• High Level of Enthusiasm• Everyone on the Same Page• Focus on Priorities

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Character and Leadership Program

VISION:The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law.

Mike Surbaugh said at the May NMS:1) Capitalize on the momentum of Family Scouting2) Provide consistent program delivery3) Reduce and streamline infrastructure4) Provide an unassailable value proposition to parents (of character * leadership 

development)

Values Proposition:Character and leadership development through extraordinary outdoor adventures.

Double down on the outdoor traditions that made us great.Double down on our Duty to God

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Aspirational?

Aspirational is closely tied to desire and wanting to achieve something great.

Councils are being asked to provide aspirational goals…What is this new aspirational thing?!

Not projections.  No Penalties.  

2022 3.5 Million!!!

Quite simply put, goals are logical and calculated. Aspirations are emotional and inspirational

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Aspirational Targets

• Grand Total All Youth• Equals ___ Youth

How did I get there?!

By doing the math on some specific goals…  to make sure it was achievable.

Then Dreaming Big

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Specific Goals – New Members

• Cub Scout Youth• Lions• Scouts BSA• Diversity

Main Focus on Cub Scouts …  or Scout Me In including expanding the reach of Lions…   With adequate resources (people) knock the heck out of everything!

Double the TAY – 30% is reasonable  ‐ and what we could reasonably handleLions – we had about 50% of Tigers.  With it being a full program it is reasonable to expect another 20%

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Specific Goals – New Units

• Cub Scout Packs• Venturing Crew• Exploring Post• Prepare for all-girl Scouts BSA Troops

Venturing and Exploring new members will be realized through new units….

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Specific Goals - Retention

• 90% units• 75% youth

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Specific Goals - Volunteers

• Double Membership Committees• 50% Packs with NMC• Identify/train NMC’s and Scoutmasters for new all-girl Troops

Needed to accomplish all else

NOTE: I did not mention Journey to Excellence – here…   Motherhood and Apple Pie.  It need no longer be said that your Council goal is JTE GOLDAnd… if you accomplish all these, Gold is guaranteed!

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Break It Down

Put detail to the numbers by Program.  Council ‐ District

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Break It Down

Then by Unit.   All the numbers should roll up to the total.

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Strategies - Cub Scout

• School Night / Sign-up Night• Activity / Event (Build an Adventure)• Second Chance

HOW are we going to do this?!

I only included Youth Recruitment Strategies….  Needed for this sample would be New Unit Development strategy (William will talk about this later), Retention (touched on under Commissioners) and Volunteer Recruitment.

Tried & True methods For Youth recruitment…  this is the minimum.

Separate plans to describe the details.  These can easily be created by the BSA Playbooks!

Peer to Peer Recruitment‐ NMC reminds new members to invite friends

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Strategies - Venturing / Exploring

• Open House plan• Invite• Call

• Exploring – hands on activity• Venturing – outdoor adventure

90% join rate with hands on activity

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Strategies - Scouts BSA

• School Night / Sign-up Night• Activity / Event (Camping, Climbing, etc.)• Second Chance

Similar to Cub ScoutsTroop Open House – but with an activity!

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Timeline

• Key Milestones

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New Unit Development - Packs

• Fill the Gaps –• CO’s not adopting Family Scouting• School to Pack• Pack to Troops• Opportunity Zip Codes

Do the homework = target areas/communitiesSell!

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New Unit Development – Scouts BSA

• Annual Meeting with CO• Sell Family Scouting• Agreement on new Troop• Plant seed for full Family

(Venturing)

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New Unit Development - Exploring

• Recruit an Exploring Chair

2 Board Members – business can support Post2 Business = you want on board

Top career interest (based on surveys) – Easiest to start

• Health

• Law

• Law Enforcement

• Fire & Emergency

Look at labor shortages in your area!  Target them.

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New Unit Development - Exploring

• Best time to recruit youth:• Labor Day to Halloween• Before Thanksgiving• Month of February

• Open Houses• 10% of invitees show up to open house• Need to invite 450 in order for 45 to show u

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New Unit Development - Venturing

• One Crew in each District• Meet same night as Roundtable• Pizza• SuperActivity

• NOT LABOR

Maybe already have this….Prepare for resurgence of Venturing!

One Crew in each District• Meet same night as Roundtable• Pizza• SuperActivity

• NOT LABOR

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Venturing

• Plan for short term Crews (2-4 years)• Quarterly VLST training

16 Year OldEAGLESCOUT

InvolvedParent/Leader

Easy to start/Easy to fold    Crew in a box… 

Formula …  (substitute daughter who is into outdoors)

Regular (quarterly) training is key! Building the bench…

Venturing BSA (preparing for 2020)

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Diversity

• Utilize Market Analysis Data

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Retention

• Event (not just phone calls)• Pay Eagle Scouts• Use retirees• Valuable Info

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Marketing

Go all in!  Utilize as much of the marketing materials as time allows (and you can afford!

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Marketing

• Focus on:• Social media (paid if budget allows)• Visible signage (yard signs, billboards, posters)• Brochures at beauty parlors and barber shops (and

posters/fliers if allowed)• Stickers on Halloween Candy• Recruitment Fliers with Popcorn and Scouting for Food • Happy Valentine’s Day – visit my Pack (tied to joining

night meeting)

Work with 

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Public Relations

Work with the Press on stories:• Girls joining Cub Scouts• Joining events (ie: rocket launches)• Scouts BSA all girl Troops• Girls achieving Arrow of Light (highest award in

Cub Scouts)

Work with 

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Commissioner Support

• Focus Commissioners• Units in poor health• New (all girl) Scouts BSA units

• One NUC for Exploring Posts

Not enough Commissioners.Forget about “green” units – Call Them

Note – glue & grease award – recruit a Commissioner & New Member Coordinator

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Membership Team

• Organization Chart• Names, responsibilities, contact info• Job Descriptions

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If you need more…

• Membership Inventories• Transition Focus (recruit Chair)

• Webelos to Scout• Scout to Venturing

• Spring Campaign

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Historical Metrics & Info

1. 3 -year recruiting history2. Inventory of units accepting / not accepting girls*3. Inventory of Explorer Posts & Venturing Crews4. List of chartered organizations and the units chartered to each*5. Pack-to-Troop Linkages*6. Troops-to-Crews Linkages*7. Schools-to-Packs Linkages*8. District maps (with unit locations)9. Missing age groups10. List of units with meeting location address*11. List of units in poor health12. District Totals Reports (DTR)

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Resources

1. Council Market Analysis2. 2018 Growth Plan Workbook3. Family of Scouting

Memorandum4. New Unit District Chart5. Exploring UPG Tracking6. Community Organizational

Survey Worksheet7. William D. Boyce Award Info8. Top Chartered Organizations9. Membership Committee

Organization Chart & Job Descriptions

10. Build aAdventure Playbook(s)

11. Sign up Night Playbook12. Social Media Playbook13. Media Buy Playbook14. Membership Recruiting Cycle15. Detailed Yearly Membership

Schedule (sample)16. Other Factors for Growth 17. Membership Committee

Guide18. Unit Performance Guide19. Marketing & Membership

Hub 20. BSA Brand Center

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Spreadsheet Tools

1. Committee Contacts2. School Night / Scout Talks Checklist3. Units, Schools, Linkages4. District by District Goals5. Unit by Unit Goals6. Lion Den Inventory7. Family Scouting Unit Inventory

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High level of Enthusiasm

Everyone on same page

Focus on priorities

Success is guaranteed…In the words of Dr. Seuss….Will you succeed?  Yes you will indeed.  99 ¾ percent guaranteed.  You guys will move mountains!

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