When it comes to Boy Scout fundraising ideas, it may be time to think outside the box - and beyond selling popcorn. Fundraising is an excellent opportunity to teach your troops the value of hard work and doing good for others. Plus, additional funds can support exciting opportunities for your troops like field trips and new projects. This article will walk you through 22 creative Boy Scout fundraising ideas to try out!
The Boy Scouts have been a fixture in American culture since 1910. Still, many people only see a Boy Scout once a year when they come to the door selling popcorn.
Selling popcorn has been the go-to fundraiser for troops since the 1980s, and competition to sell enough for their troops’ needs is fierce. Recently, troops have branched out and found new and creative ways to raise funds!
This article breaks down why Boy Scout troops need to fundraise. We will also give you a detailed list of new Boy Scout fundraising ideas and tactics your troop can use to raise funds.
The mission of the Boy Scouts 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 Scout Law. The oath and law promote virtues like strength, kindness, loyalty, and thriftiness.
When it comes to choosing a fundraiser, it is important to keep these virtues in mind. When choosing a fundraiser, the need for funds must be transparent and not cover items that fall within the normal budget. It helps when Boy Scout fundraising has a particular goal in mind, like a trip or piece of equipment.
The Boy Scouts have recently become co-ed and increased their outreach with programs like STEM Scouting and Venturing. Venturing offers 14 to 20-year-olds the opportunity to rappel a cliff, practice shooting, kayaking, and more. STEM programs are split into elementary, middle, and high school and take field trips focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
STEM scouting, Venturing, and other Boy Scout activities include field trips that cost more than the normal budget can cover. Scouts need to raise funds for uniforms, camping equipment, and other needs. Fundraising for these projects gives scouts a feeling of ownership and thriftiness because they had to work for the privilege.
When fundraising for scout groups, it’s not permissible for scout members to solicit money directly. Selling raffle tickets and many other common fundraising ideas are not allowed. Because of this, creativity and finding new ways to raise funds is critical.
The best Boy Scout fundraisers promote an organization’s mission and show the world why they are needed. The following events are the perfect way to advance the mission of the Boy Scouts.
A flag subscription is a great way to raise money for your troop and highlight the respectful nature of the scouts. This unique fundraising idea lets community members pay your scouts to put up and take down a U.S. flag six or seven holidays a year, saving them from the trouble. The only financial cost for your troop will be the price of the flags and any materials needed to put them up!
Example: Habitat for Humanity Pennyrile Region works toward creating affordable housing opportunities for deserving families. Through their flag program, they offered to set up an American flag for any subscribers. For a $30 fee, donors could have flags set up for 6 patriotic holidays a year. The pickup and placement were to be done by the team.
They used Donorbox to create their donation page, where they could easily monitor subscriptions. This can be a great way for your boy scouts to raise some funds while doing some good work for the community!
A recyclables collection is another unique fundraising idea that promotes the Boy Scout’s values. Have your troop leave a flyer on every neighbor’s house asking for bottles, cardboard, and recyclables. Include a day and time for collection and get your scouts ready to pick up and sort. Then, sell the bottles and cans at your local recycling center. This environmentally friendly event can make money for your troop while teaching your scouts the value of recycling!
The Boy Scouts recommends that each troop teaches their scouts CPR and other first-aid skills. A first-aid fundraiser seems like an obvious choice. First Aid Product.com has fundraiser first aid kits that your troop can sell. Buy them for $5 and sell them for $10. Your troop will get to keep the remaining revenue!
Sell these kits door to door, online, and in person at events.
The Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app is perfect for collecting payments in person. Simply download the app on your tablet, connect your card reader, and start collecting more on-site donations. Collect donor information (with donors’ permission!) to build lasting donor relationships and showcase the impact of each donation on your troop.
Raise Craze is an organization working to change the way fundraisers are done. This company offers online services to schools and other groups that want to fundraise based on doing good works instead of selling a product. Users will create custom websites, request donations via email, and pay those donations forward by completing “Acts of Kindness.”
What your troop chooses to do is entirely up to you. While not unique in what products they offer, what they are promoting fits well with Boy Scout’s goals and values.
If you’re interested in creating your own website and online tools to raise funds, Donorbox offers state of the art online donation services that can help your troop’s fundraising efforts.
Can you think of a better service event than a literacy project? Through groups like the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, and the local library, your scouts can help other children learn to read and find sponsors to support their efforts.
Example: Literacy Volunteers raises funds for their literacy programs using Donorbox. We love how they describe the impact for each donation level, encouraging donors to give more! Your Boy Scout troop can raise funds for their literacy program with a sleek, mobile-friendly donation form that helps bring in more donations.
The most common form of boy scout fundraisers is selling a product. These fundraisers are most effective because of the low up-front cost and a higher profit percentage. Depending on the product, scouts can make a 30-60% profit on each one they sell.
This fundraiser is almost as common as popcorn sales. As we get closer to Christmas, Boy Scouts offer Christmas wreaths, garlands, table-top trees, and more festive products for sale by companies like Mickman Brothers, Sherwood Forest Farms, and Evergreen Industries. These fundraisers are no-risk with free marketing products and payment expected at the end of the fundraiser for only the products sold. Your scouts can earn $7-$10 for each wreath. These companies have also changed with the times and offer online sales instead of depending on door-to-door.
Another well-known boy scout fundraiser is selling flower bulbs. For example, Dutch Mill Bulbs gives scouts the chance to earn at least a 50% profit on sales with their products. This product is another no-risk option and one that may appeal to a crowd that is passionate about the environment. Depending on where you live, this could be a great option for your troop.
Coffee and tea sales are another way your troop can easily raise funds. Companies like Giving Bean have an easy fundraiser option for your troop to hold throughout the year. This company has a “no up-front cost” sales option along with the chance to buy and sell products. In-person sales have a 40% return. Online sales will give your troop a 25% profit.
This fundraiser is probably the easiest. Who hasn’t bought a candy bar from a group selling candy bars on the street? Whether they are selling Hershey’s bars or a more generic version, your scouts can earn a 60% profit on these fundraisers. The biggest danger in these fundraisers is ordering more than you can sell.
ABC Fundraising has an interesting take on product sales with their Cookie Dough sales. Scouts can earn an 80% profit on this product, and no up-front money is needed. While on the surface this may seem the same as everything else, ABC Fundraising brings up another idea of how to sell this product. If you are afraid those on a diet will be unwilling to pay for cookie dough orders, your troop can always order cookie dough before the sale to bake and sell while promoting your cookie dough sales. After all, who can resist fresh-baked cookies?
For those who do not want wreaths or sweets, Country Meats is offering smoked meat sales for your troop to raise funds. Like the candy bar sales, Country Meats gives scouts cases of Smoked Snack Sticks that can be sold for $2 or $3 each. Your scouts can make a 50% profit on each snack stick they sell. Once again, this fundraiser will cost money before you start to sell, so make sure to order an amount your troop can reasonably sell.
They also offer a free fundraising option called Contactless Fundraising. You sign up for free, no credit card needed. You get a custom URL and QR code to share with family, friends, and supporters. For every bag you sell you get $12 for your troop.
The prime reason for the Camp Card is to send boy scouts to camp. This fundraiser boosts awareness of the Boy Scouts in addition to raising money for your scouts to go camping. These discount cards give vendors a cheap marketing option and scouts the chance to earn a 50% commission on each card sold.
Scratch cards are another form of discount card with a lottery twist. Donors scratch two or more boxes and the total amount uncovered will be the donation. The total amount is generally around $4 so it does not scare people off. ABC Fundraising sells these cards for $20 each. Scouts earn $100 when selling out all 25 coupon sheets in a scratch card book so the profit can be up to 90%.
Spinner cards are similar to scratch cards. Instead of scratching a card for your donation, the donor will spin an arrow two times to find out their donation amount. Each scout member can earn $200 with this fundraiser. Another benefit to this fundraiser is it can be reused each year. After the first year, your troop will only have to order discount sheets to hand out to donors at $5 for a pad of 50 coupon sheets.
Holding an event may feel overwhelming, but the extra work can be well worth it. In addition to raising funds, larger events allow your scouts to show off their skills and promote the mission and values of the Boy Scouts. Below are a few event ideas your troop can hold to raise funds.
Events can be fun and successful. Depending on where you live, a pancake breakfast or pork roast can bring in hundreds to thousands of dollars for your troop. Another plus of this type of fundraiser is your scouts will not only sell tickets but will serve their guests and do their best to promote Boy Scout virtues. This is a great opportunity for younger scouts.
Example: Rock Island County 4-H Programs hosted a pork chop dinner and sold tickets on Donorbox Events to raise money for their programming. Tickets were $10 for a pork chop meal and $5 for a hot dog meal.
Donorbox Events makes selling tickets for your Boy Scouts event easy and organized. Set unlimited ticket tiers with limits and deadlines so you know exactly how many attendees you’ll have. Plus, you can ask for additional donations on top of ticket sales to boost your revenue. Tickets and receipts are delivered immediately, saving your troop a step.
Sell Tickets with Donorbox Events
This is another go-to option that will not steer you wrong. Car washes are easy to hold and can be a fun way for the troop to get together. Let your troop members choose which job best fits their skills. You may have a budding artist who wants to create a flyer. One of your scouts may be a natural leader who can help organize the layout of the event. Others may just want to have fun with water and soap. For $10 a car, you can make a couple of hundred dollars in half a day.
Garage sales are just as popular as the Boy Scouts. Why not combine the two? Have your scouts reach out to their friends, family, and neighbors for product donations and hold a garage sale to support your troop’s activities. Once again, use your scouts’ skills where they can do the most good. Which of your scout members is great with numbers? Do you have someone good at online research? These scout members can oversee pricing!
The best way to hold a cake auction may be as a part of another fundraiser. Choose a theme for your scouts to stick to and ask them to bake and decorate a cake with their family. At your annual event, hold a silent auction for these cakes and make a few extra hundred dollars.
Skills shows are not only an opportunity to raise funds but a wonderful chance to recruit more scouts for your troop. Let your scout members show what they have learned about camping, shooting, cooking, first aid, and more. Ask for a small donation of $5 to enter the event, and show how fun being a scout can be.
Whether it is a person or a dog walk-a-thon, your troop can raise funds and have fun with this event!
Walk-a-thon attendees can pay to be part of your event and you can ask them to find sponsors for each mile they walk. Your troop can make over $1,000 with this event.
Check out our guide to hosting a walk-a-thon fundraiser for more tips.
All troop members must submit their favorite photos to be part of the “pick your favorite photo” contest. It may be a fun picture from a troop event, a humorous incident, or any other photo to be posted at the booth. Audience members can cast a vote for their favorite photo by purchasing a ticket. This idea is great for a fundraising booth in your school or local church fair.
A used books sale is a great way to raise some money while also giving your old books a new home. Troops can also sell handmade crafts and cards to raise extra funds. You can ask for book donations for the sale and even split to proceeds with a local charity to bring in more interest and represent the values of your troop.
Regardless of which boy scout fundraising idea you choose, all scout fundraising events must be authorized by the Boy Scouts of America through an application process. Make sure your fundraiser fits your troop’s age and skill set and get your scout members involved in as many areas of the process as possible. Remember, members of the Boy Scouts are expected to earn their way, and this is the perfect opportunity to teach this skill.
Donorbox can help! Make your fundraising for scout groups more successful with tons of tools and features to help you raise money through as many different methods as possible. With customizable donation forms, event pages, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer, the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, and way more, your Donorbox account unlocks a world of fundraising possibility for your Boy Scouts.
If you are looking for more fundraising ideas and help with your online process, visit our Nonprofit Blog and subscribe to our monthly newsletter for fresh blog content delivered right to your inbox.
Kristine Ensor is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience working with local and international nonprofits. As a nonprofit professional she has specialized in fundraising, marketing, event planning, volunteer management, and board development.
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Kristine Ensor