Northeast Region Strategic Plan2006 - 2010

The Mission of the Boy Scouts of AmericaThe mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Scout Oath: On my honor I will do my best, to do my duty to God and my countryand to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.

Vision Statement of the Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.

In the future, Scouting will continue to Offer young people responsible fun and adventure; Instill in young people lifetime values and develop in them

ethical character as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law; Train young people in citizenship, service, and leadership; Serve America's communities and families with its quality,

values-based program.

The Mission of the Northeast Region

The mission of the region is to provide liaison between the National Council and local councils to achieve the purposes of Scouting and to maintain the standards, policies, and procedures established by the Boy Scouts of America.

Healthy Membership / Chartered Partners

Maintenance of Core Values Programs

Northeast Region – Overall Challenges

Vibrant, Prosperous Councils

Strong Community Relationships

Summary of Key Challenges

Finance –

Local council operating revenue must increase at a compound growth rate of at least 5% per year.

Friends of Scouting revenue must grow from a current 13.7% of local council operating revenue to 16.4% by the year 2010.

Local councils need to employ full-time fund-raising executives to support Friends of Scouting, special events, Foundation appeals, Endowment campaigns, and more.

Income from Foundation needs to grow from 6.0% of local Council budgets to 8.3% in the year 2010.

Currently invested assets in the Endowment Fund must grow at a compound rate of 5% annually.

Leadership –

Attract and retain the strongest and best qualified leadership and ensure the adoption of best practices in corporate governance.

Increase minority participation in professional and volunteer leadership of the Northeast Region and in our local councils.

Improve the recruiting process and the development and retention of the professional staff in local councils.

Establish critical achievements for the Scout executive which should include local council specific objectives, and the subsequent evaluation of performance should be timely and clearly communicated among council key leadership, Scout executive, and appropriate regional leadership.

Membership –

Reverse the loss trend in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturing in membership and market share over the next five years.

Continue high level of participation by councils across the region in delivering the Learning for Life program in partnership with schools and other community organizations. Councils offering little or no in-school Learning for Life programs will make plans to initiate delivery of the program over the next five years.

Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs should regain growth in market share. Venturing should grow youth membership about 2% per year.

Improve retention rate of first year Cub Scouts by 1% or more each year for the next five years. Improve Boy Scout retention rate by a total of 2% over the next five years.

Increase the percentage of minority youth participation and increase youth membership in economically depressed population pockets.

Program –

Assist council volunteers and professionals to understand and deliver the full complement and range of indoor programs, camping and outdoor programs and activities, and high adventure opportunities.

Assist council volunteers and professionals to develop a logical process to measure the success of the programs, activities, and services being offered and identify the areas to be strengthened.

Assist council leadership to understand the cost and value to the council’s program of the various council’s assets.

Strategic Positioning –

Have Scouting deemed the preeminent youth activity program by a majority of the adult (and youth) population within the region.

Have all local councils achieve Quality Council status by the 100th anniversary of Scouting in 2010.

Formalize the annual council charter reviews and administrative review processes and make council leadership teams aware of their responsibilities to meet or exceed their council objectives.