Resources

Unit Resources

Looking for some inspiration for a unit meeting or tools to better manage the day-to-day?

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Membership

Learn more about Scouting's Programs and where to direct new Scouting Families to register today!

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District Resources

Here's the low-down on how Scouting works at the District-level. Ultimately, the district is here to serve the unit.

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Website Feedback

Let us know if there's something missing or a link that's not working on the website to help us improve our site for everyone.

Thank you for your help!

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Scouting News

Get the scoop on what's going on here in the West Tennessee Area Council or share an article about what you're doing in your Scouting Unit or Service Area.

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Service Center Hours

Be sure to check out our hours of operation before you make the trek or drop us a line. We're usually open every weekday from 8:30 AM - 4:45 PM.

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Groups

Connect, Exchange Ideas, Collaborate and more with volunteers in your Program Area or Service Area. You can even create your own group for your Scouting Unit or an Alumni Group!

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Forms and Links

Everything from the Annual Health and Medical Record to an Event Registration Request Form.

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Unit Resources

Pack Planning Resources

Budget Template

Budget Planning Guide

Cub Scout Attendance and Dues

Pack Meeting Plans

This link includes pack meeting plans that can be used if your pack wants to focus on a specific value of the Scout Law. In addition, the meeting planner has a theme to make the meeting fun. These pack meeting plans can be used in any order. The meeting plans are a template and may reference page documents that have been updated or revised. They may be adjusted to meet the specific needs of the families in your pack.

Troop Planning Resources

Budget Template

Budget Planning Guide

Troop Resource Survey

Troop Meeting Plans

Troop Program Resources

Troop Program Resources (link) is designed to serve as a planning tool for troop leaders. Its aim is to provide resources that contribute to making parts of the troop meeting more meaningful, engaging, and fun.

Venturing Planning Resources

Budget Template

Budget Planning Guide

Program Capability Inventory

Venturing Activity Planning Worksheet

Venturing Program Planning

The crew’s annual program plan is one of the key factors that can lead to a successful year for your crew! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what keeps Venturers in the program. They like to have fun, do really cool, challenging activities, travel places, and meet others. However, in order to make all of these things happen, a crew must plan and prepare! LEARN MORE

Rechartering your unit

QUICK LINKS

Access the BSA Online Rechartering System
New Recharter System Step-by-Step Guide
Pack, Troop, Crew Charter Checklist
Exploring Charter Checklist
How to Check Youth Protection Status for Adults – click here
Fillable Youth Application
Fillable Adult Application
Annual Charter Agreement
Annual Memorandum of Understanding

Recharter Guidebook Information

User Guide

Charter Renewal

Assess, Plan, & Act: The unit Key 3 and the new-unit commissioner will work together through the first charter renewal process and conduct a collaborative unit assessment. The unit Key 3, with the new-unit commissioner as their advisor, should use the Journey to Excellence scores, the Voice of the Scout feedback, and the detailed assessment to set new goals for the coming year. The new-unit commissioner will present the charter at a meeting of the chartered organization.

At the second charter renewal, the new-unit commissioner will guide the unit Key 3 through the charter renewal process, assisting where needed. By the third charter renewal, the new-unit commissioner will serve as an advisor to the unit Key 3 and is on call to help if required.

At the time of the third charter renewal, during the collaborative unit assessment, the unit Key 3 and the new-unit commissioner will determine whether the unit is ready to transition to a unit commissioner who specializes in tenured units. Unit commissioners meet less often with their units and bring different perspectives based on their experience.

A Scout is Thrifty

It’s good practice for Scout units, too. Business-like finance management not only assures that your unit will remain solvent and have what it needs when it needs it, it also provides a fine example for your youth members. A good unit should neither spend more than it earns nor earn more that it spends. As much harm can be done with one extreme as with the other.

How do we know how much money we need?

You need a budget: a plan for receiving and spending money. Your budget will show in dollars what your unit has planned for the year to come. In developing the budget, you need to estimate expenses for the year and create a plan for paying those expenses.

Look at your unit’s program for the upcoming year; where are you going to go and what are you going to do? And how do you plan to pay for it?

If you have receipts from the previous year, great – you have a guide.
If you’re a new unit, you can use a BSA budget planning worksheet to give you a list of items you might include in your budget. You could also ask advice from your Unit Commissioner (that’s a volunteer in your area whose job is to help a few units in your district) or your District Executive (that’s the BSA professional employee who is responsible for serving units in your district).
Whether you’re an existing unit or a new one, the best, safest, and most time-effective way to pay for your program is by taking part in our council’s annual Fall Popcorn sale fundraiser.

In keeping with the principles of Scouting, a unit pays for its program by earning and saving the money it needs. Yes, a unit may have families who can afford to just “write a check” at the beginning of the year… but then its Scouts miss a valuable lesson in self-reliance.

Here’s a look at some basic expenses every Scout unit has:

Registration fees (this is the amount the national Boy Scouts of America charges each youth and adult to join the organization)
Unit liability insurance fee (a required fee included with your annual BSA charter application)
Unit accident insurance
Advancement and recognition items
Activities/Trips/Camps
Program materials (everything from camping equipment to ceremonial props)
Contingency/scholarship fund

Unit Budget Plan Worksheet

How are we going to pay for everything?

Popcorn Sale and Camp Card Sale

Our council’s annual Fall Popcorn sale and Spring Camp Card sale provide great opportunities to raise all of the money your unit needs for its annual program. You can’t make more money per hour of time spent selling like you can with the popcorn sale or camp card sale. Any unsold inventory you have may be returned to our council (by a certain date) at no cost to you.

Our council’s Executive Board approves the sale, meaning that your Scouts can wear their Scout uniform while selling (this is not true for any other fundraiser). You do not need to fill out a unit money-earning application to participate in the popcorn sale in the fall or the camp card sale in the spring. Just let your District Popcorn “Kernel” (a volunteer who runs the popcorn sale in your district) or your District Executive (the BSA professional employee responsible for serving units in your district) that you want to participate in the sale, and they’ll tell you when training will take place and give you everything you need to take part.

Unit Money Earning Guidelines

Suppose your unit chooses to raise money in a way other than selling popcorn. In that case, you must submit a Unit Money Earning Application to your district’s Fundraising Chairman (this is a volunteer like you) or District Executive (this is the BSA professional employee who serves units in your district).

Unit Money Earning Guidelines Form

Grow the Unit

Transition from a New-Unit Commissioner to a Unit Commissioner

After about 36 months—at the time of the third charter renewal—the unit Key 3 and the new-unit commissioner determine whether the unit is ready for a unit commissioner specializing in tenured units. Unit commissioners meet less often with their units and bring different perspectives based on their experience serving one type of unit or several types of units at the same time. When this change is made, the new-unit commissioner is free and ready to take on another new unit.

During a unit’s building phase, the partnership between the unit organizer and the unit commissioner in the growing phase covers all aspects of the Assess-Plan-Act cycle, leading to the goal of sustaining relationships throughout the Scouting movement as they partner for success.

Sustaining Relationships

In many cases, the new-unit commissioner will be the face of consistency and the strong foundation around which the new unit can form. It takes a district to serve a unit, though, and not just a commissioner.

That’s why commissioners consistently hone relationships and networks among unit leaders and other Scouting volunteers, including the district operating committee. This leads to strong, sustainable units that can operate with the support of a regular unit commissioner.

New Member Coordinator

The unit new member coordinator (NMC) is a fun and engaging position that fits every type of unit, every age level, and every program. The role’s two goals are key to sustaining strong membership in a unit:

Reaching new audiences to invite them to join the unit
Engaging new members and their families so they feel welcomed and want to stay

Assess: Key unit leadership should recruit and support their unit’s NMC. Have units take a team approach by encouraging more than one unit NMC. This allows them to consider their unit’s particular needs and tailor their work to individual interests and areas of expertise.

Plan: Ensure that unit NMCs receive training both online and face-to-face. Connect NMCs with their mentor, the district membership chair, who will include them on the district membership team. Ensure your unit’s Be A Scout pin is placed, functioning, and accurate on the Be A Scout website so that prospective members can find you online. Update your pin if necessary using Unit Pin Management guidance.

Act: Unit NMCs will form relationships with new members and their families. They should be visible and easily identifiable at unit gatherings by their welcoming smiles and the BSA “Welcome” logo that they display and wear on an activity shirt, hat, or vest, or in some cases, a pin on a field uniform.

Council and District New Member Coordinators

New member coordinators serve council and district teams to strengthen membership through focused collaboration. To best-fit council and district needs and opportunities, use position description templates as a basis for developing and tailoring local implementation.

Recruiting Youth Members

Assess: To organize a new unit, BSA recommends at least 10 youth and at least five adults as a best practice. To avoid the pitfall of shrinking membership, units should add new Scouts every year.

Plan: The unit membership chair should develop and implement a year-round growth plan that incorporates all methods of recruitment, working closely with the chartered organization, local schools, and feeder units in the community (if applicable); the district membership committee; and the unit commissioner.

Act: Whether building a new unit or growing an established one, units will want to follow the steps to recruiting youth members outlined in the Unit Roadmap. A year-round growth plan addresses all methods listed there to help attract new Scouts.

Recruitment Webinars

Pack and Den Recruiting

Virtual Recruitment Playbook

Online Registration

UPDATED Member Fees

Unit Resources

District Resources

A district is a geographical section of the council, determined by the council executive board.

Each district is led by a district committee. District leaders mobilize resources to ensure the growth and success of units within the district’s territory. All districts are responsible for carrying out four standard functions: membership, finance, program, and unit service.

The membership function strives for growth through the organization of new Scouting units and growth through new members joining existing units.

The finance function sees that the district provides its share of funds to the total council operating budget.

The program function focuses on helping Scouting units with camp promotion; special activities, including community service; training adult volunteers; and youth advancement and recognition.

The unit service function provides direct coaching and consultation by district volunteers for unit adults to help ensure the success of every Scouting unit.

The membership, finance, and program functions are carried out by members of the district committee. The unit service function is carried out by the district commissioner staff. The district chairman is a member of the council executive board. The district commissioner meets with the council commissioner and other district commissioners regularly.

The chairman of each district operating committee may be a member of the corresponding council committee. The district chairman, one or more vice chairmen, and district members at large are elected by the district committee from a slate agreed upon and presented by the district’s nominating committee.

Council and District Plan Book helps council and district officers define functions, responsibilities, and objectives.

District Committee Basic Training. District Committee Training has been taught the same way for many years with a very dated course. Today we are happy to announce that by leveraging the BSA Learn Center available at my.scouting.org, we are providing the district committee a learning environment that provides them with the content they need when they need it while leveraging professional training for consistency in district training. This new learning replaces the District Committee Workshop and provides learning plans aligned with the various district committee positions and functions.

District Key 3 The District Key 3 consists of the district chairman, district commissioner, and district executive. These three crucial positions work together to define and serve the district's needs.

Handbook for District Operations provides details on the roles and responsibilities of each of the operating committees on the district committee and commissioner staff.

JTE: Journey to Excellence, Progress Chart, Progress Chart Insert, Service hours website, New user instructions, Unit tips for success, Service hours worksheet

Nominating Committee Worksheet A district committee is responsible for increasing the effectiveness of Scouting throughout a district through achieving district goals. Thus, the task of the district nominating committee selecting a slate of competent officers and members for the next year is extremely important.

Recruiting District Volunteers helps determine the number of people needed to operate an effective district and then to locate, select and recruit them.

Self-Evaluation Guide for Successful District Operation

Selecting District People helps key district leaders determine the number of people needed to operate an effective district and then provides information on locating, selecting, and recruiting volunteers.

The District provides information on how the district carries out the operational mission of the council.

District Committee Job Profile Templates

Sample job profile templates for district committee positions done in Word format so you can revise them to fit your district’s needs. These can also be used ‘as is’ by filling in the volunteer name and key meeting dates.

Advancement and Recogntion Committee

Guide to Advancement helps council and district advancement committees understand and implement the advancement programs and procedures of the Boy Scouts of America. This replaces the previous Advancement Committee: Policies and Procedures.

Camp and Outdoor Program Committee

Camping and Outdoor Program Committee Guide is designed to help districts offer a balanced outdoor program that delivers the promise of Scouting—from Cub Scouting to Venturing and Sea Scouting. The new publication emphasizes the integration of partner committees (conservation, COPE/climbing, aquatics, shooting, properties, maintenance, risk management, and health and safety) to achieve the program goals of the council.

Finance Committee (also referred to as Fund Development Committee)

District Finance Committee Guide provides information and resources relating to finance at the council, district, and unit levels.

Membership Committee

Membership Committee Guide provides information and resources relating to building membership at the council, district, and unit levels.

Training Committee

Leadership Training Committee Guide outlines basic council and district responsibilities for leader training and was revised in 2018.

Position-trained status (D61) will be provided for those who complete their training. Position training includes:
- District Committee Chair
- District Committee Vice Chair
- Membership Chair
- Fund Development
- Training Chair
- Member at Large
- Activities and Civil Service Chair
- Nominating Chair
- Program Chair
- Camping and Outdoor Chair
- Advancement Chair

Forms and Links

Here, you'll find the links to the Annual Health and Medical Forms (aka Health Form or Medical Form), the Guide to Safe Scouting, Youth Applications, Adult Applications, and more. Not finding what you need? Check out Scouting.org or let us know using the chat feature and we'll get it added!