fbpx
Select Page

Charter Renewal

Your step-by-step tutorial for renewing your charter.

Recharter Process

The Boy Scouts of America now offers an online charter renewal process for units. Recently, this process was moved to improve systems and increase speed and efficiency in processes. Located at https://advancements.scouting.org, the new Internet Recharter system provides a more simplistic approach to the rechartering process and can be completed from start to finish without a single piece of paper changing hands.

IMPORTANT CHARTER SUBMISSION DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 20, 2023

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR 2023:

Units must complete their charters by November 20 to allow time for the Council Registrar to review and approve the charter documents by December 31.

If the unit is not able to provide payment when the charter is submitted, payments may be made to the Council Service Center by check or credit card up to December 21st at noon

Units will not be permitted to meet; participate in any community, district, or council activities; and youth will not be able to apply for advancement or awards until the unit is properly chartered with the appropriate number of adults.

Step 1: Download the user guide and watch the overview.
  1. Access is limited to your Key 3 or Key 3 delegates.
  2. Review the User Guide.
  3. Watch the Overview.
Step 2: Ensure everyone is registered before starting the online charter renewal
Step 2 is very important. It ensures that all persons are listed when you begin online renewal, which will make the process MUCH simpler and easier!
  1. Obtain a current roster. The unit roster can be printed from my.scouting, or can be obtained from your district commissioner or district executive.
  2. Review the roster for any missing youth or adults. Youth or adults that are no longer active with your unit will still show on your roster until the recharter process is complete.
  3. Collect membership applications for any missing youth or adults.
    • This can be done with paper applications or through the online membership application process at beascout.org.
    • Collect the right fees – if they have joined since August 1st, they will show up on your recharter process as pre-paid. There is no need to collect any additional money from these people. All others need to pay in full for 2024.
    • Questions? Contact your district commissioner or district executive.
  4. Turn in all applications.
  5. Wait a day or two for online applications to process, and a few days for paper applications to be manually processed.
  6. Obtain a fresh roster to ensure new persons are registered before proceeding to Step 3.
Step 3: Begin the online charter renewal process

 

  1. Access the Online Charter Renewal System: https://advancements.scouting.org/login
  2. Access the system by using your my.scouting or Scoutbook username and password (Do NOT use create an account. This will create a duplicate account. If you have problems logging in, please contact the Council).
  3. You can pay online or through the Council office via check.  If you choose to pay online, you will be paying National directly and the Council has no ability to make any adjustments after that. 
Key dates for the charter renewal process

October:  Online system activated October 3, 2023

 

Important notes for the charter renewal process

Youth Protection Training is required. Current and new adults will not be registered without first completing Youth Protection training. Youth protection certificates are valid for two years and are required for all registered leaders. If someone’s Youth Protection expires within the first 3 months of 2024, it is highly recommended that they renew before January 1st to avoid any complications during the charter process.

Adult applications are required for ALL new adults or youth participants ages 18 and up.  An adult application with the additional disclosure background check authorization form and Youth Protection Training Certificate are required in order to be registered. This standard is to ensure that all persons legally considered to be adults are able to meet adult membership requirements.

 

Helpful resources from the National Council:

Frequently Asked Questions – a list of common questions about the online charter process and system.

Membership Application Forms – source to download youth and adult membership applications, Annual Charter Agreement and New Unit Application also used to change Executive Officer and/or Organization.

Journey To Excellence Forms – source to download Journey to Excellence scorecards and other materials related to the Journey to Excellence program

Key Contacts

Please contact your district executive with questions.  Find your district and contacts by clicking the button below:

FAQs for Suspended Units (Charters) 

Why is our charter suspended?
  1. The Council has not received recharter documents or payments to cover member fees and insurance.
  2. the unit has not completed the charter renewal process such as ensuring adult members have passed Youth Protection Training 
What does "suspension" mean for a Scout unit?

Rechartering means that our membership and safety protocols (like Youth Protection Training) are being followed by members and leaders in your Scout unit.  If you receive notification that your unit has been suspended, you are ineligible to participate in Scouting because you are no longer covered by council insurance and we cannot ensure the unit is following Scouting’s organizational standards. As such, suspension means youth and adult members may not meet except when preparing charter renewal documents, cannot participate in outdoor or community service activities, are not eligible to work on advancement requirements including Boards of Review, and may not send youth or adults to Order of the Arrow meetings or activities.

What do we do if we are a suspended unit?

Please contact your commissioner and/or field team staff members (look up your district and contact info here) to assist you in completing the charter renewal process. We are sincere in our desire to retain your unit and its members as an active part of Cascade Pacific Council. We are committed to providing continued support for you to complete the charter renewal process as soon as possible.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Our charter partner has said they will not sign the charter agreement for 2024. What are our options?

If your current charter partner declines to sign the charter agreement for 2024, please consider the following options:

  1. Contact your unit commissioner or district commissioner.  They will will work in conjuction with you and your District Executive.
  2. Complete all steps of the charter renewal process other than the signature of the charter organization representative on the Annual Charter Agreement. These steps include Youth Protection Training for all registered adults valid through December 31, 2023; all adults and youth listed on the unit roster are correct; and fees have been collected and/or are available in the unit bank account.  In other words, the unit charter is ready as soon as the charter partner agreement is signed.
  3. The District Commissioner and District Executive will work with you to find an alternative charter partner.  Churches, schools, and community service clubs are all options to consider.
  4. If you have not connected with a likely new charter organization by no later than November 30, 2023, please ask to be referred to your Service Area Director or Kathleen Jordan for other options.

 

Is starting a "Friend of the Unit" organization an option?

No, this is not an option open to units anymore.  There are some existing units who are currently chartered by a “Friends of the Unit” organization.  These units currently chartered this way may continue for the 2024 year.

Is it an option for a unit to become a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization?

No, this option is prohibited by the BSA National Board of Directors.  For more information on National BSA financial policy, please click on this link.

 

Forms & Downloads

Translate »