To make Scouting more accessible for families, we are offering a monthly payment plan to cover the annual registration fee.

Here’s how it works:

• Monthly Payment: $14 per month

• Duration: 9 months

• Total Cost: $126 — this covers the full annual registration fee for Scouting

Payments will be set up to auto-draft each month, making it simple and convenient to stay on track.

This plan allows your Scout to participate in all the fun and adventure of Scouting while spreading out the cost over time.

Membership Subscriptions FAQ

As of 7/11/2025

What are Membership Subscriptions?

Simply put, families will pay a monthly subscription fee like Netflix or Apple Music to be registered members of Scouting America. This would be in lieu of paying for all the registration up front. The subscription fee would be recurring each month on a credit card or electronic transfer.

Membership subscriptions would allow us to get more kids in Scouting and keep them in Scouting. Benefits include affordable fees, streamlined recharter process, elevated program and financial stability for programming.

Families could make joining decisions based on monthly budgets which is how most of our families operate.

Subscriptions have proven to be beneficial for other organizations to help customers maintain membership status. It could be a great way for our units to focus on Scouting while building our membership which would strengthen our overall program and is what we all want.

What would Membership Subscriptions look like?

A new Scout would pay $14 at the time of sign up and then pay $14 a month until they are no longer a member. This recurring fee would charge their credit card so there is nothing to follow up on for the family.

Membership Subscriptions FAQ

Q:           Will there be a pay up front option for families that don’t use credit cards?

A:Yes. Families or units can pay the full amount up front to avoid a recurring monthly charge.

Q:           What will units do about collecting dues?

A:Units will be able to adjust unit dues accordingly and still collect them in the manner they are accustomed to.

Q:           Does this plan have an easy start/stop?

A:Registering for subscriptions is simple for a family to get started. A Scouting family will fill out the subscription fee form once and payments will continue until the family stops payments or transitions to an annual payment. A family will have to contact the Scout office to stop payments. If a family stops payment, they will be dropped off the roster at recharter.

Q:           What happens when a Scout quits and who do they contact?

A:When a Scout becomes inactive and wants to stop Scouting, they should contact the local Scout office to stop their monthly subscription.

Q:           Does this take away from Scouts paying their own way?

A:No. Scouts will still have opportunities to earn their way by selling popcorn and camp cards. These funds could be used for camps, activities, registration or uniforms. If a family wants a Scout to earn their way through the entire Scouting adventure, they can use the pay up front method and use funds raised to pay for registration.

Q:           How do units collect dues for unit expenses?

A:Units can collect dues in the same manner they are currently.

Q:           How will Scouts pay for advancement with this program?

A:Scouts can sell popcorn, camp cards or participate in other unit fundraisers to earn enough to pay for advancement.

Q:           Wouldn’t this make it harder for units to collect dues for activities and advancements? What will be done to assist with this?

A:           No. Through proper communication, units should be able to collect dues like they have in the past. New families will not see a difference in the process as they are used to paying for registration up front outside of unit funding. Families currently involved in Scouting will understand that the two expenditures are different and payed to two separate entities.

Q:           Will there be a lag in registration to cushion faulty payments?

A:No. The Palmetto Council will continue to pay for all registration up front. This takes the burden off families to pay for the entire year at once. Families will be able to enjoy the program at a more affordable pace.

Q:           How will this plan benefit my family?

A:Several ways, this plan makes Scouting more affordable for families up front. They will feel better about trying something new for only $14 a month. This will increase our membership base creating more adult leaders, better program and more fun for Scouts. Families are used to the subscription model through companies such as Apple and Netflix. It makes sense to them to pay monthly.

Q:What payment methods are accepted for membership subscriptions?

A: The Palmetto Council will accept credit card and debit card payments.