2021 Friends of Scouting Materials for those inviting families to give
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2021 Friends of Scouting Materials
for those inviting families to give
Thank you for your efforts to support the continued growth and success of the
units, districts, and board of the Transatlantic Council (TAC).
By making a gift to Friends of Scouting, you are investing your treasure in a
character and leadership program that will impact so many for the rest of their
lives.
By also volunteering your time to make a presentation for Friends of Scouting,
you are demonstrating your commitment to help other people at all times.
Thank you for sharing the TAC story with others and inviting them to invest in
the program and services that TAC delivers every week when youth of great
promise interact with adults of great character.
As you know, Friends of Scouting (FOS) is the local fundraising appeal that TAC
runs every year to fund operating programs and services. Volunteers and
parents at the unit level, district committees and commissioners at the district
level, and board members at the council level are the Scouters who drive the
success of this appeal.
USAG Brussels, Unit 28100, Box 24 APO AE 09714
Leuvensesteenweg 13, 1932 St-Stevens-Woluwe, Belgium
www.tac-bsa.orgIn the 2021 FOS appeal, we are encouraging all board members, advisory council
members, honorary board members, and council members at large to make
their gift no later than the January 2021 board meeting.
For those in units, we are expecting that units can facilitate a unit FOS
presentation or I-C-5 ask sometime in January or February.
Our collective commitment is to raise $240,000 in Friends of Scouting by 28
February 2021. Here are the goals that help us get to that overall FOS goal.
DISTRICTS/COUNCIL 2021 GOAL
Barbarossa $8,000
Charlemagne $12,000
Edelweiss $17,000
Horizon $5,000
Mayflower $25,000
Mediterranean $4,000
Flags over Normandy $35,000
Community $44,000
Executive Board $90,000
In this guide are materials to help you in your efforts as a Friends of Scouting
volunteer. It includes sections on:
● 2021 FOS Giving Levels and Recognition
● FOS Ask Email
● FOS Ask Telephone Script
● FOS Presentation outline, model, and tips
● TAC Highlights
● Questions & Answers about TAC and FOS
2Friends of Scouting is crucial to the success of units and districts in TAC.
As TAC meets or exceeds its FOS goal of $240,000, we can continue to grow our
programs and services in 2021.
To support each Scout, TAC spends much more each year than it receives at
registration. The Council is serving more youth, in many more countries, with
fewer staff than ever before. You can inspire the families in a TAC unit or
volunteers at the district or council level to ensure TAC’s success.
We warmly encourage you and others to consider making a significant gift of
$240 to support 1 Scout, $480 to support 2 Scouts, or a Leadership gift of $960
to support 4 Scouts. Or reach further as you explore a Normandy gift of $1200
to support 5 Scouts or a Visionary gift of $2400 to support 10 Scouts.
Scouting in TAC is like living in the pages of Boys’ Life magazine. With your help,
you can keep it that way.
We look forward to working with you and supporting your efforts.
Yours in Scouting,
Scott Eversman Dean Menegas
Vice President Development Council President
32021 FOS Giving Levels and Recognition
4FOS Ask Email
Dear Fellow TAC Family Member,
For the FOS 2021 campaign, we’ve set an ambitious Council goal of $240,000.
For us to get there, TAC needs your treasure, as well as your time and talent, in
order to excel.
Our goal for the FOS 2021 appeal is:
(a) 100% Participation (at or above the FOS patch level of $100), and
(b) hitting our campaign target of __________
Think of the high value you and your family have obtained from Scouting, and
how it continues enriching your lives.
Please follow the Cub Scout motto and “Do Your Best”, focusing on each of the
three words: you should Do something; Your best might be different from
someone else’s; your Best means stretching to do as much as you possibly can,
even if it hurts a bit.
We are not familiar with your financial circumstances, but we expect that your
Best is more than $0. Your Best may be $240 (One Scout), $480 (Two Scouts),
$960 (Leadership), $1,200 (Normandy), or $2,400 (Visionary).
You may be among those who are just not able to support TAC financially in a
meaningful way at this point in their lives, due to their age/career/family
circumstances, but who make great contributions every year in both time and
talent that boost our membership and programs, which in turn leads to stronger
council finances. If so, Participation from you is key, because to hit 100%, we
literally cannot succeed without you.
Here is the link to give online:
https://donations.scouting.org/#/council/802/appeals
Does your employer possibly have a corporate matching program for your gift?
Please be sure to enquire and use it.
5Together, we will make 2021 TAC’s best year ever. Many thanks for everything
you do!
Yours in Scouting,
6FOS Ask Telephone Script
Hello, this is _____________________________ (your name).
I am a fellow volunteer with our unit (or district) in Transatlantic Council, Boy
Scouts of America.
I wanted to take just a few minutes to update you on TAC Scouting and ask for
your help.
Is this a good time to talk?
[If yes, continue your conversation. If no, ask when would be a good time to
talk and return the call at that time.]
Awesome. As you may know, TAC Scouting is going strong once again this year.
And we are looking forward to even brighter Scouting in the New Year 2021.
We serve over 5,000 youth members and 2,000 adult volunteers across Europe,
Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia.
We offer unparalleled Scouting in many venues:
• Summer camps in Switzerland and Croatia
• Incredible Wood Badge and National Youth Leadership Trainings
• Klondike Derby at Kandersteg International Scout Centre
• Scouters Annual Conference—training and Silver Beaver presentations
• Historic Trails across Europe
• Top-class virtual programs, like our SpecTACular Summer-Palooza online
camp that served over 500 Cubs and Scouts
One of the opportunities that we have is to support these programs and ensure
the success of Scouting in TAC.
Each year, we conduct an annual Friends of Scouting appeal with those who
directly are engaged in TAC Scouting.
Our overall goal is to raise $240,000 in Friends of Scouting.
7I have made my gift to the 2021 Friends of Scouting appeal and would like to
invite you to make yours.
We would like to invite you to consider a gift of $________to the 2021 Friends
of Scouting appeal
[Pause to let the individual respond to what you just said. See if they have any
questions. Refer to the TAC Highlights and the Questions and Answers sections
of this document as needed.]
FYI, here are the levels of giving
I would like to send you a follow-up email with the links to our secure TAC
online giving platform. You can make your gift to the appeal in our district.
You can pay at the time of making your online gift. Or you can make an online
Friends of Scouting commitment to be paid later at your convenience.
May we count on your Friends of Scouting support now?
[Wait for a response. Thank them for their time today and FOS investment.]
8FOS Presentation Outline
Introduction
Your name, Scouting affiliation with a TAC unit and/or Scouting connection as a
volunteer or family member (son, daughter, nephew, niece, grandchild in
Scouting)
“Today I represent the Transatlantic Council, Boy Scouts of America. Thank you
for to the unit leadership for facilitation this Friends of Scouting presentation.
Story
Tell a brief personal or local interest story illustrating the impact of Scouting.
Purpose
Discuss the Friends of Scouting program, its importance, and how they can
participate.
Council Facts
Select key budget facts:
To support each Scout, TAC spends on average around $240 – far more per
year than it receives at registration.
All FOS contributions stay with TAC; none of the money goes to BSA National.
Select key council facts:
Over 5,000 Scouts in 50 countries
2,000 volunteer adult leaders in over 200 Packs, Troops, and Crews
100 Eagle Scouts each year
9Unit Goal
Tell how much was raised last year by their unit, if it was an impressive number.
Giving
Walk them through how to locate the online giving website and make a secure
gift using their smart phone or tablet.
Suggest key giving levels (and mention recognitions available):
Walk them through giving options online—paying in full with a credit card or
making a pledge for payment at a schedule convenient for them
Hold the stage until the parents and unit volunteers have been able to make
their gift or pledge online.
Close
Thank them! Remain on location for the remainder of meeting. Give a progress
update.
10FOS Model Presentation
[Presenter: This is a model, to give you something ready to use if you like, or to
serve as a starting point. It had proven success in Transatlantic Council with
some of the top-fundraising units in TAC. As written, it takes around 6 minutes
to deliver. Feel free to use this model just as it is, or to change it as you see fit to
make it your own. Personalize it with your own experience. Tailor it to the
concerns and strengths of the unit. Add in sections from the Questions &
Answers document. [Note that the words in square brackets are alternatives or
notes to you.]
Good day! My name is ____________. I am a [Note: explain your Scouting
connection].
Today I have the privilege of asking you to join me in critical financial support of
the Transatlantic Council, or “TAC.” Today we’ve been celebrating achievements
and activities in this great [Pack] [Troop] [Crew].
Many of those successes would not have been possible without the regional
support of TAC. I’ll explain why TAC is important to you, why it needs the
money, and how you can help today.
[Note: This is a good place to add a personal story, about why TAC is so special
for you, or for this unit. Or you can use the following paragraph about
Normandy:]
Who here has been to a Normandy Camporee? That is really a unique
experience, and it’s famous throughout the BSA. One or more of the top three
BSA National leaders have attended every time. We get Scouts from the United
Kingdom, France, and Canada and many from the US. Our Council has even been
named a Custodian of Omaha Beach by the French Government, for our role in
preserving the memory of the D-Day landing beaches. I’ll bet your Scout came
back amazed and inspired. We did this camporee most recently in 2019 and will
do it again in 2022 – all because of TAC!
11What’s a Council, you ask?
There are 261 local Councils in the Boy Scouts of America. All but two of them
are in the US, each covering an area where you could drive to any unit in an
afternoon. Ours is the Transatlantic Council, or “TAC” for short. We cover all of
Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. We are 50 countries with
active Scouts and growing, with a professional staff of just five, an incredibly
efficient structure. Those five leverage the skills and energies of 2,000 adult
volunteers, serving over 5,000 Scouts. TAC is made up of 6 districts (yours is the
____ District), and each district contains around 20-50 units like this one.
How does TAC affect your Scout?
Without TAC, all district and council programs, facilities, support and networks
would disappear. Your unit would stand alone, using the national programs.
There is no unit support structure at BSA national headquarters. You would lose
the following:
● Camps and events, run by the district and council for your Scouts
● Five council professionals and three admin staff, who support your unit
● Hundreds of volunteers, guided by the council, to support your unit
programs and administration
● Training for your Scouts and their leaders
Here are some more specifics on what you would lose. Without TAC, there
would be no Normandy Camporee. For many, that alone is reason enough to
ensure TAC’s existence. But let’s continue.
Without TAC, there would also be no annual [Note: fill in names of your own
district’s specific activities: Spring Camporees, Fall Camporees, Merit Badge
Universities, Cub Scout Day Camps].
There would be no annual Boy Scout summer camp in the Swiss Alps (Camp
Alpine) or on the Adriatic Sea (Camp Avantura BSA) or anywhere else in the
Eastern hemisphere. And no SpecTACular Summer-Palooza 4-week online camp.
No National Youth Leadership Training program.
12No Program Supply Center in Europe to buy uniforms and handbooks and
badges.
No adult leader training. No Wood Badge training.
No Order of the Arrow programs. No Black Eagle Lodge.
No continuous path from Tiger to Eagle for families on the move.
Any of these reasons is enough to make TAC mission-critical to your child’s
Scouting experience.
And without your support, there will be no TAC. No money comes from BSA
National. Like all BSA councils, TAC must be self-sufficient.
Funding from the US Department of Defense has fallen from 70% to 26% of
TAC’s budget. To support each Scout, TAC spends on average around $240 –
which is far more than it receives at registration. And if TAC were to charge $240
per year for each Scout, there would be some youth who couldn’t afford to be
Scouts. We do not want that to see that happen.
What am I asking you to do? Many of you already support the program with
your time, for which I am eternally grateful. I would like to invite you please to
join me in making a gift to TAC. This is about supporting the Council’s annual
fundraising appeal and its programs and services.
Your support today will make the difference between a weak or nonexistent
Council, and a great Council.
All contributions will stay with TAC, to support TAC’s core mission. None of the
money goes to BSA National. The contributions support our own Scouts and
their leaders, and TAC’s own operating costs – not the costs and liabilities of BSA
National.
[Note: for civilian units, add this paragraph:] Here’s another reason for you to
consider being extra generous. Many of TAC families are military personnel on
very limited budgets. They give in other ways that we can’t match. We invite
you to help TAC serve those who serve us.
13How much should you contribute? (I’m talking in dollars, not local currency).
I strongly urge each of you to please do one of the following things today:
If you can: Many council leaders invest in TAC with a Leadership gift of $960 to
the appeal every year, including 50% of the TAC Executive Board. Please join
[us][them]! [TAC aims to raise $240,000 in this appeal. We need many
Leadership gifts to achieve that.] [This unit aims to raise at least $__, 000 this
year for Friends of Scouting. Your help is needed to achieve that.]
If not that: Please give at least $240 per Scout, to cover your own costs. $240
was TAC’s average cost for your child to be in Scouting this year. Remember, to
support each Scout -- including your child -- TAC spends on average around
$240. I’m sure you don’t want to rely on others to fundraise to enable your own
family’s Scouting activities.
At the very least: Please give $100, as a Participant in the appeal. We aim for
100% participation – without you, we can’t succeed. Plus, with a $100 gift, you
get a really cool TAC Friends of Scouting patch!
So now you ask, how can I give?
It couldn’t be easier! Go online now to tac-bsa.org, click “Donate Today” at the
very top of the homepage, and scroll to the section labelled “ 2021 [name of
your district] Campaign”, where you can make a secure online gift now.
[Note: The rest of this paragraph is filling time while people make their gift or
pledge online.]
You can pay online by credit card, so the currency doesn’t matter. You can also
make a pledge online and make future payments later.
Some companies, possibly including yours, will match their employees’
charitable contributions. Be sure to check. If they match, you’ll increase the
impact of your gift.
Some companies also will make charitable gifts based on the number of hours
you volunteer for a nonprofit, so be sure to check on that as well.
We have, beyond doubt, the most amazing council in the entire Boy Scouts of
America. Scouting in TAC is like living in the pages of Boys’ Life Magazine. This is
how you can keep it going. Thanks again very much for your critical support!
14Tips for Successful FOS Presentations
Here are some tried-and-true suggestions on how to make a successful Friends
of Scouting presentation:
Practice giving your presentation, in front of a mirror or to a family member.
The more you practice, the more relaxed you will be, and the smoother your
presentation will appear.
Length of presentation: 5-8 minutes. A 5-6-minute presentation better avoids
fidgeting. A 7-8-minute presentation gets a bit more information across. Use
your judgment.
Understand what you are saying. From that understanding will come the
sincerity people will accept. Review the FOS Questions & Answers. Know and
understand the full context and be prepared to answer any questions that arise.
To help you know the units you serve, and enable good positive feedback,
contact the district executive/district director and obtain information regarding
any increase in membership this year, advancement reports showing unit
progress, leadership trained, and activities held. This is where you will let them
know that the district committee is aware of what they are doing for their
Scouts.
When you schedule the presentation, let the unit contact know that you would
prefer to make your presentation immediately following dinner at a Cub Scout
Blue & Gold Banquet or early in the program for a Scout Court of Honor or
Venturing Crew Meeting. Experience shows that your audience will be more
attentive and generous once they have eaten or before they get tired from a
long program.
Verify the date, time and location about one week before your presentation,
and confirm that you will be there. Don't get caught by a sudden change of
plans.
15Place your script notes on index cards or small sheets of paper. Highlight
important points that you want to be sure and make. This will allow you to
move about and appear more relaxed.
If possible, make it easy for people to give online on the TAC website
immediately, by having several computers or tablets available.
Don’t relinquish the podium until you have noticed that most of the families
have had a chance to visit the TAC online website and made their gift or pledge.
Yes, that might be a bit uncomfortable, but that is the consistent advice that
makes for a successful FOS presentation. You are there to tell the TAC story and
invite parents and leaders to give—so be sure that you give them time to go
online to make their gift or pledge.
Otherwise, you will have made a great effort to educate your audience about
Transatlantic Council, but you will have missed an opportunity to raise vital
funds for TAC. So, make it easy for parents and volunteers to give.
Be prepared to continue talking to the audience while they are visiting the TAC
online website for Friends of Scouting and making their gift. Even lead the
Scouts in a song (pre-arranged with the MC) while their parents and volunteers
are completing their secure online gift or pledge.
Once you have seen that most of the individuals have completed their gift
online, thank everyone for their attention and time, and turn the program back
over to the MC.
If possible, please be present for the entire event. There is a tendency toward ill
feelings if you just show up, make your FOS pitch, and run. You are there as a
TAC representative. You being there throughout the entire program shows that
the district cares about them and their unit.
Prior to leaving, be sure and thank your host and contact person for inviting you.
Tell them you look forward to returning next year. Be sure to thank them for
their support of the TAC Scouting program.
Thank you for what you are doing to support the youth in your district and the
Transatlantic Council.
16TAC Highlights 2019-2020
PROGRAM
50 countries served
6500 youth served
2400 adult volunteers supported
100 Eagle Scout ranks awarded
130 Arrow of Light ranks earned
Girls in the BSA: 153 girls in 19 new Scouts BSA troops; 347 girls in 43 Cub Scout
packs
Normandy Council Camporee in France, marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day
• 2768 attendees in 2019
• Camporee returns in April 2022
• Attendance included BSA National Chair and BSA Northeast Region
Board
• Scouts from 20 BSA councils, and from the French, United Kingdom
and Canadian Scout associations
• Omaha Beach campfire, with Eagle Court of Honor, Webelos 2
Crossing-Over Ceremony, Order of the Arrow call-out, and 1785
attending the Messengers of Peace Dinner
Camp Avantura BSA program debut in 2019 – Scouts BSA summer camp on the
Adriatic coast of Croatia
• 2 weeks of camp, serving 292 Scouts and 88 Scouters in 2019
• Serious watersports program: sailboats, motorboats,
paddleboards, kayaks
• National BSA certification received
17Camp Alpine program expansion – Scouts BSA summer camp at Kandersteg
International Scouting Center (KISC) in the Swiss Alps
• 2 weeks of camp, serving 291 Scouts and 86 Scouters
• Over 900 Scouts from other nations camping at KISC during first
week of Camp Alpine
• National BSA certification received: “very organized and well run”
SpecTACular Summer Palooza online camp program for Cub Scouts and Scouts
• 4 weeks of camp in June and July 2020
• Serving over 500 Cubs and Scouts
• From TAC and 50 councils in 24 US states and Puerto Rico
• 120 merit badge courses
Cub Scout Family Camp: 113 Cubs in 12 packs took part in 2019
Cub Scout Day Camp: 138 Cubs in 19 packs took part in 2019
Wood Badge 100th anniversary course – at Gilwell Park, the global home of
Wood Badge in 2019
National Youth Leader Training at Gilwell Park in 2019
TAC at the World Scout Jamboree: 18 Scouters served (including 5 current Board
members); 17 youth in 2019
Launch of TAC Sea Scouts and TAC virtual Sea Scout Ship
District Camporees on location: marking the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany;
marking WW2 “Operation Market Garden” in the Netherlands
Launch of TAC Sustainability Mission in 2020
Launch of Lone Scout Troop/Pack/Crew 802, gathering together Lone Scouts
from all over TAC into single units
18Order of the Arrow: Black Eagle Lodge elects first female youth, holds 9 Lodge
activities and service projects in 5 countries (Germany, France, United Kingdom,
Croatia, Switzerland)
The BSA’s largest Cub Scout Pack is a TAC unit in Saudi Arabia
The BSA’s largest District is TAC’s Horizon District: covering Africa, the Middle
East, Central Asia, Romania, Ukraine and the Russian Federation
COMMUNICATIONS
Creation of professional videos for introduction to TAC and for FOS
Launch of TAC LinkedIn page
Launch of new edition TAC Historic Trails Guides:
• 18 trails in 8 countries
• Nationally approved by Boy Scouts of America in 2020
Updating of TAC website https://tac-bsa.org/
TAC prominently featured, by name, in “BSA Around the World” interactive map
on homepage of 2018 BSA Annual Report: https://ar2018.scouting.org/bsa-
annual-report-2018-home/
World Scouting came to the BSA, and the BSA itself Scouted around the world –
mainly through TAC
ADMINISTRATION
Professional staff traveled to 9 TAC countries in 2019, in service of units and
districts: Germany, France, United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy,
Switzerland, Czech Republic, Croatia
Reorganization of TAC headquarters staff--to better support program, finance
and development, and supply
19Relocation of TAC Program Supply Center in Belgium, to speed service
Transition to new council membership fee calculation and payment methods
Visit of BSA Chief Scout Executive to TAC headquarters in October 2019
Executive Board meetings in Wiesbaden, Germany (Barbarossa District); Gilwell
Park, United Kingdom (Mayflower District); Milan, Italy (Mediterranean District);
Amsterdam, Netherlands (Charlemagne District)
Active launch of Safe Scouting committee
Active launch of Conservation committee; first Leave No Trace Trainers course
Active launch of TAC Scouting Alumni and Friends committee
Active launch of Budget committee
Reshaping of International committee
DEVELOPMENT
First Eric Cooley Memorial Campership awards made for financial support of
TAC summer campers
Normandy fundraising dinner raised $26,000 with Flags Over Normandy
Full Friends of Scouting fundraising package delivered for every TAC unit
Online donation platform improvement and expansion—with links for each
district, TAC board, Camperships, and Flags over Normandy
Reshaping of Scout-a-thon unit fundraising program to enable units to keep
100% of net profits, earn free prizes for youth, and completely online.
20Questions & Answers
about Transatlantic Council (TAC)
and Friends of Scouting (FOS)
What is TAC (Transatlantic Council)?
Boy Scouts of America is divided into 261 local councils. All but two of them are
in the USA. Transatlantic Council (TAC) is the organizing structure for over 200
BSA units in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. TAC is made up of
six districts, and each district contains around 20-50 packs, troops and crews.
What does TAC do?
TAC delivers top-quality BSA experiences, with unique geographic opportunities,
to open the outdoors, teach skills, encourage service, develop leaders, and instill
values to youth across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. It
serves every US military installation in Europe, along with dozens of
international schools, diplomatic centers, and major American corporate
communities. It provides a continuous path to the rank of Eagle Scout for youth
on the move. TAC has even been appointed a Custodian of Omaha Beach by the
French government.
What is Friends of Scouting (FOS)?
Friends of Scouting (FOS) is the local fundraising appeal that every BSA council
runs, every year, to help fund its own annual operating budget.
21What does TAC do with the funds raised in FOS?
➢ Programs and activities for your Scout (Participant charges for events are
set at break-even for direct costs only. Indirect costs are not covered by
participants)
➢ Employment investments for TAC professional staff and their travel costs
to visit with local units and support district and council events
➢ Employment investments for TAC administrative staff
➢ Council office expenses and the Program Supply Center mail-order
operations
➢ Insurance coverage to protect volunteers, chartered organizations, and
staff—both accident and liability
➢ Communications costs—cell phone, internet access, website development
Why doesn’t the money come from the Boy Scouts of America (BSA)?
No money comes from the National BSA council. Like all councils, TAC must be
self-sustaining. Unless TAC is self-sufficient, there is no TAC. Every BSA council
has an annual Friends of Scouting appeal.
Do all FOS contributions to TAC stay with TAC?
Yes! All FOS and other financial contributions to TAC always stay with TAC, to
support TAC’s core mission. None of that money goes to the National BSA
council. Contributions to TAC support TAC’s own Scouts, and TAC’s own
operating costs and liabilities – not the costs and liabilities of the National BSA.
TAC is its own separately-incorporated 501(c)3 charitable organization, distinct
from the National BSA.
22Don’t I already pay for this at registration?
Only a small part. Part of what you pay at registration is a BSA national fee, part
is to cover your own unit’s costs, and part is an “Overseas Council Fee” to TAC.
But, to support each Scout, TAC spends on average around $240 – which is far
more than it receives at registration.
How often does TAC ask for money?
➢ The Friends of Scouting appeal takes place each December, January and
February--covering a key portion of that year’s operating budget
➢ Camp and event fees are set at break-even for direct costs only
➢ TAC sometimes solicits major gifts of $5,000 and up from a small number
of generous contributors, inside and outside the council, to support its
long-term growth and stability
Why can’t TAC just spend less?
Over the past decade, TAC’s budget and staff have each been cut several times.
Support in recent years from the US Department of Defense has been cut by
more than half. During that time, TAC’s geographic coverage has expanded
greatly, and it is now one of the fastest growing councils in the BSA in
membership outreach.
TAC now has only eight staff – among the smallest team of any BSA council – to
serve over 5,000 youth in 50 countries. There is nowhere left to cut. In fact, TAC
should really be investing more than it currently does.
TAC is a model of good fiscal governance. It carries no debt and owns no
property. A vast majority of its investments go to support program.
23What would my Scout lose if TAC did not exist?
All district and all council programs, facilities, support and networks would
disappear. Your unit would stand alone, using the national programs. There is no
unit support structure from the National BSA Council. You would lose the
following:
Camps and events, run by the district and council for your Scouts:
➢ Normandy Camporees on Omaha Beach in France every 3 years, famed
throughout the BSA
➢ Unique BSA summer camps in the Swiss Alps (Camp Alpine) and on the
Adriatic Sea in Croatia (Camp Avantura BSA)
➢ Camp equipment like tents, cooking equipment, rental of camp vehicles,
canoes, equipment replacement and repair, and general upkeep of
council camps
➢ Spring and Fall Camporees (district)
➢ Merit Badge Universities (district)
➢ Klondike Derbies (council)
➢ Cub Scout day camps and family camps
➢ Order of the Arrow programs
➢ BSA National Scout Jamboree and World Scout Jamboree contingents
Five council professionals and three administrative staff to support your unit:
➢ Full-time experienced BSA professionals, living in Europe and travelling all
around the council, giving direct support to your unit leaders
➢ Administrative staff dedicated to servicing only TAC units, not the entire
BSA
➢ Program Supply Center in Europe for uniforms, handbooks, badges and
awards
➢ Support for your Eagle Scout candidates
24➢ Guidance in the detailed operating methods of Scouting
➢ Among the few professionals in the BSA who understand and can deal
with the challenges of supporting a BSA program outside the USA
Hundreds of volunteers, organized by the council, who support your unit:
➢ Executive Board Members supporting programs, finances, legal and
regulatory services, fundraising, membership outreach, and connections
with BSA National programs and services
➢ Commissioner service structure, supporting local registration,
advancement, program building, charter renewal, and administration
➢ Roundtables of unit leaders in the district, coming together face to face or
online to share ideas and support
➢ Merit badge counselors, helping your unit offer more merit badges than
its own leaders can provide
➢ Support for your Eagle Scout candidates
Leadership training for your Scouts and their leaders:
➢ National Youth Leader Training program
➢ Adult leader position-specific training
➢ Adult leader advanced “Wood Badge” training
Do the senior volunteers lead the way?
Yes! Volunteers on the TAC Executive Board collectively pledged over $73,000
for each of the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Friend of Scouting appeals. One out of
two TAC Board members gave $1,000 or more. This financial support is in
addition to the great amounts of time and skills that they contribute. They
understand what is at stake and hope that every family in the council will follow
their lead.
25How much should I contribute?
Your gift has tremendous impact. Please consider these suggested giving levels:
How can I pay?
It couldn’t be easier!
➢ Online by credit card on the TAC website
➢ Online with a pledge (to be paid later) on the TAC website
➢ Check (payable to Transatlantic Council, BSA)
➢ Bank transfer (details upon request)
All gifts are charged in US dollars. You don’t need a US dollar account, if you pay
by credit card or online.
Some companies, possibly including yours, will match their employees’
charitable contributions. Be sure to check. If they match, you’ll increase your
impact.
Some companies also make charitable contributions based on the number of
hours one volunteers for a nonprofit. So be sure to check on that giving
opportunity as well.
26All gifts to TAC are tax deductible in the US. UK leadership-level gifts of $1,000
or more can also be made tax deductible in the UK (details upon request).
What are the recognition gifts, and how will they be distributed?
Upon confirmation of your Friends of Scouting gift or pledge, TAC will ship the
recognition item to you.
27You can also read
