Charters
Charters for new units may be granted only upon approval of the application in accordance with the guidelines of Scouting America. Applications for unit charters, new and renewal, must be issued in accordance with the policies and guidelines of Scouting America and may be granted only upon the favorable recommendation of the local council. Prior to approving the renewal of unit charters, the council should determine if the unit is offering the Scouting program in accordance with the Rules and Regulations, policies, and guidelines of Scouting America. These Guidelines also include various resources, referenced throughout and provided at the end of this document, to help units administer the Scouting program.
Prior to approval of any new chartered organization, a review must be made as to the general objectives, purpose, character, intent, and programs of the prospective chartered organization and its compatibility with the aims and purposes of the Boy Scouts of America.
Charter Representative Guidebook Charter Resources Charter RenewalAnnual Charter Agreement
Annually the local council enters into an agreement with the chartered organization granting them a charter. This charter enables the organization or group to use the Scouting program under adult leadership they approve of in order to accomplish its objectives and to serve the organization’s youth and families.
Download the Annual Charter AgreementUnit Leader Recruitment
Download the resources below to distribute or hang in common areas of your building. These materials let readers know that this organization is looking to become a Charter and needs leaders to assist in the creation of a Unit.
Learn About Starting A Unit Resources To Start A Unit Unit Leadership Recruitment Poster Unit Leadership Recruitment Flyer Learn About Starting A Girls Unit Girls Unit Leadership Recruitment Poster Girls Unit Leadership Recruitment FlyerKey leaders for Traditional Charter Organization Units
Institutional Head IH
The person who leads the charter organization is the Institutional Head. For example, it may be the pastor, priest, or rabbi at a place of worship, the principal at an educational institution, or the president of a local civic organization.
Chartered Organization Representative
The Institutional Head appoints an individual to serve as the Chartered Organization Representative, or “COR”, to have direct contact between the unit and the Chartered Organization. COR’s are also members of the district committee and voting members of the local council. The COR is responsible for appointing the unit committee Chair for the unit committee.
Committee Chair
The Committee Chair must be approved by the IH and the COR. The Committee Chair oversees the unit account and appoints the unit treasurer, adhering to the Scouting America Fiscal Policies and Procedures and Unit Money Earning Guidelines. The Committee Chair, with the support of the committee, is responsible for ensuring safe program practices and helps recruit other unit positions per Scouting America guidelines.
Unit Committee
Each chartered unit must be supervised by a unit committee consisting of three or more qualified adults, 21 years of age or older and selected by the Charter Organization. One member of the committee must be designated Chairperson. The unit must be operated under the guidance of the unit committee and in accordance with the Rules and Regulations, policies, and guidelines of Scouting America.
Unit Treasurer
The Unit Treasurer handles all unit funds and secures proper authorizations for the unit. The Unit Treasurer pays bills, supervises money-earning projects, and reports back to the Unit Committee on the receipt and application of funds at each meeting.
Unit Program Leaders
Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over must attend all Scouting activities, including meetings. A registered adult female leader must attend any activity Scouting America Traditional Charter Organization Units: Guidelines 2 September 28, 2021 involving female youth. In addition, age- and program-appropriate supervision must always be provided at Scouting activities.
In Cub Scouting, units may have a separate pack for boys or girls, or separate dens for girls and dens for boys in the same pack. A pack may also opt to be a Family Pack, where it contains both all boy dens and all girl dens within their Family Pack environment. In the case of troops, separate troops for boys and girls are required. Chartered organizations may have “linked troops,” which means a chartered organization can have a shared troop committee with separate troops for boys and for girls.
The chartered organization must select its COR and must approve unit leaders. The local council must process unit leader applications submitted on the proper form in accordance with guidelines established by Scouting America. All units must be operated in accordance with the applicable policies and guidelines of Scouting America.