Chartered Organizations and the Boy Scouts of America

Purpose

That the purpose of this corporation shall be to promote, through organization and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in Scoutcraft, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues, using the methods which are now in common use by Boy Scouts.
Sec. 3, federal charter, Boy Scouts of America
June 15, 1916, by the United States Congress

Charters

Two kinds of charters are issued by the Boy Scouts of America: one to community organizations and the other to BSA local councils. The first enables community groups to use the Scouting program under their own leadership as a service to their children, youth, and families. The other empowers local councils to help chartered organizations effectively use the Scouting program and to expand the use of the program to other community groups.

How Community Organizations Use the Scouting

Program Schools, community and religious organizations, and groups, with the help of the BSA, organize Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, Varsity Scout teams, Venturer crews, and Learning for Life groups for children and youth. They manage these units and control the program of activities to support the goals and objectives of the chartered organizations. When community organizations establish a new unit, they must take these two important actions to ensure a quality Scouting program:
  1. Selecting leadership. The head of the chartered organization appoints a chartered organization representative to provide leadership in the selection of a committee of adults that will provide overall supervision for the unit's program. The committee selects the adult unit leaders who will work with the youth. The chartered organization representative is also a voting member of the local council and may serve as a member of the district committee.
  2. Providing a meeting place and promoting a good program. The chartered organization arranges for adequate meeting facilities for the unit and promotes through its committee the full use of the program, including outdoor experiences, advancement, recognitions, and, in particular, Scouting's values.

How the BSA Supports the Community Organization

To support approximately 124,000 Scouting units owned and operated by chartered organizations, more than 300 BSA councils provide professional counseling and administration, commissioner service, training for leaders, camping and outdoor facilities, program materials and literature, planning tools, and other program aids. Councils also maintain records on units and their membership, provide rank certificates and merit badge cards, and maintain service centers where badges, insignia, literature, and other helps can be obtained.

In addition, council representatives conduct annual charter review conferences with chartered organization personnel to evaluate how effectively the Scouting program is being delivered and how it might be improved.

A Sampling of Community Organizations Serving Children, Youth, and Families With the Program of the Boy Scouts of America
 

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
  • Alcoa
  • AT&T
  • American Airlines Inc.
  • Amoco Corporation
  • Burlington Northern Inc.
  • Corning Inc.
  • Dow Chemical Co.
  • Eastman Kodak Co.
  • Ford Motor Co.
  • General Electric Co.
  • General Motors Corp.
  • Goodyear
  • Hewlett-Packard Co.
  • Honeywell Inc.
  • IBM
  • J.C. Penney Company Inc.
  • McDonnell-Douglas Corp.
  • Pittsburgh Plate Glass
  • Rockwell International Corp.
  • Tandy Corp.
  • Upjohn Co.
  • USX Corporation
  • Western Electric
  • Westinghouse
COMMUNITY
  • Alpha Phi Alpha
  • American Bar Association
  • American Legion, The
  • American National Red Cross
  • AMVETS (American Veterans of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam)
  • Boys and Girls Clubs of America
  • Civil Air Patrol
  • Civitan International
  • Community Centers
  • Conservation Clubs
  • DAV (Disabled American Veterans)
  • Eagles, Fraternal Order of (F.O.E.)
  • Economic Opportunity Council
  • Elks, Benevolent and Protective Order of (B.P.O.E.)
  • Engineering Societies
  • Farm Bureau Federation, American
  • Fire Chiefs, International Association of (I.A.F.C.)
  • Fire Departments
  • 4-H
  • Government—federal, state, county, city, and townships
  • Grange
  • Hospitals, medical and professional
  • Housing Projects
  • Indian Affairs, American Association on
  • Indian Tribal Councils
  • Izaak Walton League of America
  • Jaycees, United States
  • Job Corps Centers
  • Kiwanis International
  • Knights of Pythias, Fraternal Order of
  • Lions Clubs International
  • Masonic Order of the Eastern Star, Universal
  • Military Order of the World Wars
  • Military Reserves
  • Moose International Inc.
  • National Exchange Club
  • National Future Farmers of America Organization
  • National Guard, Army and Air
  • Neighborhood Associations
  • Odd Fellows, Independent Order of
  • Optimist International
  • Parents Without Partners
  • Police Departments
  • Power Squadrons
  • Rotary International
  • Roundtable International
  • Ruritan National
  • Sertoma International
  • Sons of the American Revolution
  • Steuben Society of America
  • U.S. Air Force
  • U.S. Army
  • U.S. Coast Guard
  • U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
  • U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce
  • U.S. Marine Corps
  • U.S. Navy
  • VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States)
  • Women's Clubs
  • YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association)
  • YMHA (Young Men's Hebrew Association)
  • YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association)
 EDUCATION
  • Independent Schools, National Association of
  • Private Schools
  • Public Schools
LABOR
  • AFL-CIO affiliates (American Federation of Labor and Congress of IndustrialOrganizations)
  • Education Association, National
  • Fire Fighters, International Association of
  • Letter Carriers of the U.S.A., National Association of
  • Postal Workers Union, American
  • Teachers, American Federation of
RELIGIOUS
  • African Methodist Episcopal Church
  • African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
  • Anglican Church
  • Armenian Apostolic Church of North America
  • Assemblies of God Church
  • Baha'i Faith
  • Baptist Churches
    • American Baptist Association
    • American Baptist Churches in the USA
    • General Association of General Baptists
    • Primitive Baptist
  • Baptist Conventions
    • American Baptist Churches in the USA
    • National Association of Free Will Baptists
    • National Baptist Convention of America
    • National Baptist Convention USA Inc.
    • Original Free Will Baptists
    • Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc.
    • Southern Baptist Convention
  • B'nai B'rith
  • Buddhist Churches of America
  • Byzantine Rite Catholic Church
  • Catholic Church, Roman
  • Catholic Organizations
    • Catholic Parent Organization, National Forum of
    • Catholic War Veterans of the U.S.A.
    • Holy Name Society, National Association of the (Roman Catholic)
    • Knights of Columbus
    • National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, Inc.
    • Serra International
  • Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
  • Christian and Missionary Alliance Church
  • Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
  • Church of Christ
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)
  • Church of God
  • Community of Christ
  • Congregational Church
  • Cumberland Presbyterian Church
  • Episcopal Church
  • Evangelical Churches
  • Federation of Islamic Associations in the 
    • U.S. and Canada
  • First Church of Christ, Scientist
  • Greek Orthodox
  • Islam, Muslim, Masjid
  • Jewish Synagogues and Centers
    • Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A.
  • Lutheran Churches
    • Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
    • Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
  • Mennonite Church
  • Methodist Church, United
  • Moravian Church in North America
  • Nazarene, Church of the
  • Orthodox Churches
  • Pentecostal Churches
  • Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
  • Reformed Church in America
  • Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
  • Salvation Army, The
  • Seventh Day Adventists
  • United Church of Christ
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