Membership Fees 2023-4

Changes to the Council Program Fee (CPF) are based on the June Consumer Price Index’s 12 month change for each year, but are capped at 8%. For 2023, it was an increase of 2.9%. See below for the infographic containing the fees, set at $68 per youth and $44 per adult in our traditional programs (Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouts).

March, 1 2024 Change - Simplified Registration

The National Council is simplifying annual registration & rechartering. This is effective March 1, 2024. Individual membership renewal is separated from unit rechartering.

All BSA membership will now be renewed on a rolling 12-month cycle.

Each member (whether youth or adult) will renew their membership on their anniversary date.
Anyone currently registered prior to August 2023 will have a renewal date of December 31st.
Any new members will need to renew 12 months after they joined.
Members will receive notice of renewal and a renewal link 60 days before their anniversary date.
Renewals may be completed individually with the auto-renewal option unless you are registered with a Scout unit that has selected the option for the unit to pay all member renewal fees.

We expect the new process to greatly streamline the tedious rechartering process after the changes are implemented.

Council Program Fee - Updated Every August 1

The CPF is designed to support the basic services that a unit receives from the council, (see “How We Invest in Youth” graph). The vast majority of the fee (85%) supports our program and activities. It is an anchor, allowing the council to build on those services by securing additional income from fundraising streams, activity fees, popcorn sales, and endowment revenue. Exploring and Scoutreach members are not currently required to pay the CPF.

The GGAC Executive Board has determined that future fees will be set based on the 12-month change in the June Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Bay Area or capped at 8%. The fee from August 1, 2023 - July 31, 2024 is:

Youth: $68 | Adult: $44

Advantages of the Council Program Fee

Allows the council to maintain camping and activity fees at the lowest possible cost to our Scouting families.
Increased stability in family giving and allows the council to collect a single registration fee with the annual membership renewal.
Improves field staff contact with units and districts by increasing their availability to provide direct support to units and districts.
Provides supplemental medical and accident insurance coverage as well as local liability insurance for all registered members.
Shifts council fundraising efforts and resources from being family focused to being community focused.
Less necessity for camping & activity fees as a percentage of budget.
Better consistency of overall funding to ensure sustainability of program & district staffing.
All families participate to fund a small piece of local program support.

Let us be clear, the Council Program Fee provides the means to ensure that no Scout will be left behind from the Scouting program in the GGAC due to financial constraints. There is an online application form available (Registration Financial Assistance) for unit leaders to fill out for those Scouts who demonstrate a need.