Is donation to scout camp tax deductible?

[Gary_Miller]

I would like to understand if it is the cost per attendee that is issue for our Ward (which for Girls camp is 100% driven by Stake) or maybe it is because our Ward is small but has fair amount of youth.

Looking at your BSA Council camp fees and the price your stake charges for girls camp. I would have to say that your problem is both cost and a small ward with a fair amount of youth. The cost of your scout camps is about twice the cost of our camps here in Idaho. And the cost of your girls camp is, well lets just say its crazy for a camp that is put on by the stake, and three times the cost of the girls camp put on by my ward. Of course we do have to consider the high costs of just living in California.

As for the budget allowance for your ward there is a provision in the allowance that allows for the stake president to give a ward more or less money than what is sent down for church HQ. Due to the make up of the ward membership a ward with more youth may need more money than a ward that has a lot of senior members. However, it up to the stake president to see the need and redistribute the funds accordingly. Not knowing the make up of the wards in your stake it hard to know if this is even and option. My experience though is stake presidents are reluctant to distribute the funds this why they tend to want to do it on an equal percentage basis, but the provision is there to do otherwise.

[mlh78]

It would be helpful to understand some background. How many YM/YW on average attend scout camp and YW camp each year and what is cost per youth for each? Out stake charges $250 for Girls Camp and Scout Camp is from $275-$375 per youth depending on year.

Our Ward is in this situation where Girls Camp and Scout Camp would almost equal the entire yearly Ward budget. I would like to understand if it is the cost per attendee that is issue for our Ward (which for Girls camp is 100% driven by Stake) or maybe it is because our Ward is small but has fair amount of youth.

Scout camp seems high. We are in Texas and it is $200-$220 per boy. YW camp seems extraordinarily high. Ours stake YW camp works out to about $75 a head. I've noticed that YW camp seems to suffer more than other events with the "bigger and better than last year" affliction. In our stake, the stake pays the entire cost for scouts, high adventure (wards can supplement with budget funds), youth conference, Trek (every 4th year), and YW camp. That way each youth's experiences are similar to those in the other wards, creating harmony.

[aebrown]

Scout camp seems high. We are in Texas and it is $200-$220 per boy. YW camp seems extraordinarily high. Ours stake YW camp works out to about $75 a head.

I know that camps are not the only item on the budget, but if you're spending almost 3 times as much on scout camp as YW camp, you might want to review HB 1, 14.7.2, which teaches us that YW and YW budgets should be equitable. Of course that shouldn't mean that we artificially inflate the cost of YW camps just because scout camps are expensive, but it's a policy we should keep in mind.

[mlh78]

Scout camp seems high. We are in Texas and it is $200-$220 per boy. YW camp seems extraordinarily high. Ours stake YW camp works out to about $75 a head.

I know that camps are not the only item on the budget, but if you're spending almost 3 times as much on scout camp as YW camp, you might want to review HB 1, 14.7.2, which teaches us that YW and YW budgets should be equitable. Of course that shouldn't mean that we artificially inflate the cost of YW camps just because scout camps are expensive, but it's a policy we should keep in mind.

We have considered that. The presidency believes that the YW camp experience is comparable to the scout camp experience (we think the important point is the relative experience, not the relative cost). Unfortunately, the cost of Scout Camp is somewhat out of our control. A better comparison would be the cost per head for high adventure vis a vis YW camp, where there is much more equity from strictly a financial perspective.

[russellhltn]

Of course when the question of costs comes up, I wonder what the experience is. Is this a commercial camp (with cabins), or going camping in a local wilderness park with tents? How many days? How far away? What kind of activities?

[mlh78]

Of course when the question of costs comes up, I wonder what the experience is. Is this a commercial camp (with cabins), or going camping in a local wilderness park with tents? How many days? How far away? What kind of activities?

For our camp, it is Tuesday afternoon through Saturday afternoon at a state park (we have liked this the last few years). Most stay in cabins, but a large group elect to use tents. It is about an hour away from the center of our stake. Just read the 2013 history, and it looks like they have the girl's on activities/service projects just about the entire time. Sounds pretty elaborate from my point of view, but nothing high cost.

[Gary_Miller]

I know that camps are not the only item on the budget, but if you're spending almost 3 times as much on scout camp as YW camp, you might want to review HB 1, 14.7.2, which teaches us that YW and YW budgets should be equitable.

Not have access to HB 1 any more I have no why to verify this. How ever I'm pretty confident that it talks more about the equality in activities not equality in spending.

[eblood66]

I know that camps are not the only item on the budget, but if you're spending almost 3 times as much on scout camp as YW camp, you might want to review HB 1, 14.7.2, which teaches us that YW and YW budgets should be equitable.

Not have access to HB 1 any more I have no why to verify this. How ever I'm pretty confident that it talks more about the equality in activities not equality in spending.

It mentions both activities and budget allocations.

[mlh78]

I know that camps are not the only item on the budget, but if you're spending almost 3 times as much on scout camp as YW camp, you might want to review HB 1, 14.7.2, which teaches us that YW and YW budgets should be equitable.

Not have access to HB 1 any more I have no why to verify this. How ever I'm pretty confident that it talks more about the equality in activities not equality in spending.

It mentions both activities and budget allocations.

And it is important to note that the handbook speaks in terms of equitable, not equal.

[TinMan]

I know that camps are not the only item on the budget, but if you're spending almost 3 times as much on scout camp as YW camp, you might want to review HB 1, 14.7.2, which teaches us that YW and YW budgets should be equitable. Of course that shouldn't mean that we artificially inflate the cost of YW camps just because scout camps are expensive, but it's a policy we should keep in mind.

I know that is the ideal, Aaron, but the reality is very different. We took out "Scouting Awards" and made a separate budget category last year to help the numbers look a little more equitable . Our Awards budget alone is almost equal to the YW budget (Granted, it does include the Cubs as well.) Add into that the cost of buying a pinewood derby car for each boy, or a boat for the rain gutter regatta, it adds up quickly. We recently spent $70.00 to buy shot gun shells for the boys to get their shotgun shooting merit badge. Our last Court of honor we had 3 eagle scouts. With the merit badges and other awards for the troop, the night cost us $120, just in awards. That is over 10% of the entire Young Women's budget.

Scouts will always have a larger budget than the girls, even throwing in Activity Day's budget. Scouting is just plain expensive. When a new Scoutmaster has to spend in the neighborhood of $100 for a shirt, pants and a belt along with the numbers and patches required, it really makes you scratch your head. That would almost buy a suit for one of my priests.

Should a scoutmaster be required to buy his own uniform or should that be a budget item?