What happens to money after the Eagle project?

[Jean9]

Hi all,
I know that any money left over after the project is supposed to go back to the people who donated it, but realistically that isn't always possible. What should happen to the money that is left over? My son wants to donate it to the organization he is doing the project for, but other parents are talking about wanting the kids to pass it on to the next Eagle candidate. I don't think that is a good idea. I believe that raising the funds is an important part of the whole project and shouldn't be passed down. We currently have 3 Eagles working on projects and if they have money left over, it could fund the other candidate's project.
What do other folks think??

[smtroop168]

It's not what I think, it's the BSA rules on this:

The Scout must make it clear to all donors or event participants that the money is being raised on behalf of the project beneficiary, which will retain leftover funds. Should any donors want documentation of a gift, this must be provided through the project beneficiary, not the Boy Scouts of America.

[FrankJ]

There is not a single right answer to this. Actually there is. Matt posted it. But a lot depends on how the money was raised.

The official answer is that it should go back to the people contributing it. As you said not is not always possible. In that I would try do follow the intent of the contributors. If it was largely given by people supporting the project because of the beneficiary then it should go to befitting org, perhaps earmarked for the project upkeep. If the troop participated in the fund raising then maybe going back into an eagle fund is the best idea. If it largely family contributing to XX's eagle project then XX should say what charitable use it should go to.

While small amounts do not really matter, but if you are using your charter org's tax ID to make the contributions tax deductible you might want to get their accountant's opinion.

[smtroop168]

My answer is right out of the new GTA and let me add:

Once collected, money raised must be turned over for deposit to an account of the beneficiary or the candidate’s unit, until needed for the project. If the unit receives the funds, it must release them to the beneficiary once expenses have been paid.


There is also a new fundraising form in the Eagle Workbook that will be required and approved by the council.

[Jean9]

I am a little confused. We put the money into a separate bank account in my son's name. He is keeping exact track of the money. You made it sound like he needed to either put it through the troop account or make the account in the name of the organization that he is helping. Did I read that right?
Thank you all for posting the guidelines. I figured that was what was supposed to happen to the money. To me it doesn't make sense for the Eagle candidate to work very hard for the money only to have any excess passed on to someone who didn't work for it. Didn't sound like BSA ideals to me.

[smtroop168]

I am a little confused. We put the money into a separate bank account in my son's name. He is keeping exact track of the money. You made it sound like he needed to either put it through the troop account or make the account in the name of the organization that he is helping. Did I read that right?
Thank you all for posting the guidelines. I figured that was what was supposed to happen to the money. To me it doesn't make sense for the Eagle candidate to work very hard for the money only to have any excess passed on to someone who didn't work for it. Didn't sound like BSA ideals to me.

You did and these are the new rules that will be effective soon. If he's already started, then he should proceed as he is. The reason for the change is that there have been, let's just say, "accountability" issues with scouts holding the money.

[FrankJ]

Do realize soon can anytime in the next 5 years or so.

[Nuts4Scouts]

You did and these are the new rules that will be effective soon. If he's already started, then he should proceed as he is. The reason for the change is that there have been, let's just say, "accountability" issues with scouts holding the money.

Please, until the "new" rules actually come out, stop quoting them as if they were currently in effect.

We can only work with, and follow, the rules that are in effect, and published, right now.

We can not follow rules that might come out at some unknown future date.

Jean, tell your son to follow the rules as printed in the Eagle Service Project Workbook he is currently using. If he has questions he should talk to his district Eagle Adviser. If your council does not use Eagle Advisers, tell him to contact his District Advancement Chairman.

Personally, if it was my project, I would see what I could do to expand the project a bit so that the extra funds would be used as intended by the donors - on the project to benefit a specific organization.

On another note, opening a bank account in your son's name, and depositing project funds, as though it was his money, might be a bit tricky legally.

[smtroop168]

You did and these are the new rules that will be effective soon. If he's already started, then he should proceed as he is. The reason for the change is that there have been, let's just say, "accountability" issues with scouts holding the money.

Please, until the "new" rules actually come out, stop quoting them as if they were currently in effect.

We can only work with, and follow, the rules that are in effect, and published, right now.

We can not follow rules that might come out at some unknown future date.

Fair enough. I'll stop trying to give folks heads up information that might be of help.

[wagionvigil]

You did and these are the new rules that will be effective soon. If he's already started, then he should proceed as he is. The reason for the change is that there have been, let's just say, "accountability" issues with scouts holding the money.

Please, until the "new" rules actually come out, stop quoting them as if they were currently in effect.

We can only work with, and follow, the rules that are in effect, and published, right now.

We can not follow rules that might come out at some unknown future date.

Fair enough. I'll stop trying to give folks heads up information that might be of help.

By ORDER OF THE OPERATING COMMITTEE SM TROOP168 IS TO CONTINUE GIVING INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.

[wjturner]

Please, until the "new" rules actually come out, stop quoting them as if they were currently in effect.

We can only work with, and follow, the rules that are in effect, and published, right now.

We can not follow rules that might come out at some unknown future date.

Fair enough. I'll stop trying to give folks heads up information that might be of help.

By ORDER OF THE OPERATING COMMITTEE SM TROOP168 IS TO CONTINUE GIVING INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.

Could everyone, perhaps, try to make it clear in the initial posting about future rules that they are not actually in effect yet? To be fair, smtroop168 did say it was from the new GTA, but if someone has not been following his posts very closely, they may not realize he's talking about something that has not actually been published yet.

[Bill Pitcher]

I agree with sm168's advice on what's coming, and he DID say, and HAS said, that the new advancement guide will make things clearer when it comes out this Fall. Thanks for the "heads up!"

What to do with the $ collected for an Eagle Project? I say NEVER give it back to the donors because they may think along the lines . . . I gave to the last kid and he didn't want it. So, no more giving to Eagle Projects. I've always told Eagle candidates to enhance the project and use the $$$ up or give it to the benifiting organization for up-keep and maintenance. Put the $$$ in a troop account and have the troop treasurer dole it out as needed.

[FrankJ]

So just to be clear, the current advancement policy books says:

Any funds raised for an Eagle Scout project that
are not used for the purchase of project materials
must be returned to the donor.

So if you are not doing this currently (I expect that most projects do not return excess funds for a variety of good reasons) You are not following current policy from that particular handbook.

[smtroop168]

So just to be clear, the current advancement policy books says:

Any funds raised for an Eagle Scout project that
are not used for the purchase of project materials
must be returned to the donor.

So if you are not doing this currently (I expect that most projects do not return excess funds for a variety of good reasons) You are not following current policy from that particular handbook.

Yep and one of the reasons for the change. Hard to figure out which one of the spaghetti dinner ticket buyers to give the $10 back to at the end of the day so give it to the sponsor.

[ronin718]

Yep, absolutely!!! How do you decide which person/group to give money back to? My son had over a dozen contributors to his project, some more generous than others. When materials were donated, a portion of the funds became excess. Once we determined all costs, we wrote a check to the sponsoring organization and stated that the funds were intended for the upkeep of the project. Since this was a school group that was the beneficiary, the extra funds were greatly appreciated. School systems don't tend to allocate funding for small groups/clubs in their annual budgets, so many EPs done for schools don't tend to receive maintenance.

[smtroop168]

Another reason is that the leftover $$ was kept by the scout. We had a case here where the Mom kept the left over $$. Of course she also did the EP for her son.

[Bill Pitcher]

So just to be clear, the current advancement policy books says:

Any funds raised for an Eagle Scout project that
are not used for the purchase of project materials
must be returned to the donor.

So if you are not doing this currently (I expect that most projects do not return excess funds for a variety of good reasons) You are not following current policy from that particular handbook.

That's right. I had a Scout hold car wash and a pancake breakfast. Who do you give the $$$ back to? Some people paid the $5 asking price for the car wash and some gave $10 or even $20 when they saw it was for an Eagle Pjt. So, who get's what??? Give the leftover to the benifiting organization. That leaves good feelings ALL AROUND.

[FrankJ]

I am just the messenger. The policy comes straight out of the current advancement policy handbook. I expect non compliance is pretty close to 100%. This is not the first time well meaning people put out policy that can not be followed in the real world. If the new policy is a one size fits all, then there well be different non realities & compliance will be at a similar level.

[smtroop168]

I am just the messenger. The policy comes straight out of the current advancement policy handbook. I expect non compliance is pretty close to 100%. This is not the first time well meaning people put out policy that can not be followed in the real world. If the new policy is a one size fits all, then there well be different non realities & compliance will be at a similar level.

Frank..unfortunately you're right. People who ignore or violate the procedures today will be the same ones who do so WHEN the GTA comes out. What National and all us fromthe volunteer review team tried to do is improve the language on advancement policies and dispell the folklore that is out there particularly on MBs, BORs, EP, Extensions etc. Some of the new policies, particularly on EPs, are borne from some of the cases where the folklore exceeded reality and adversely has impacted the scouts ability to advance or in some cases where issues such as in this case where who keeps the EP money turned into an ugly embarassment to all.

[kwildman]

Unfortunately, a lot of this is a problem with non-compliance from the top down. National can come out with as many rules as they want but they don't have any enforcement. I am looking forward to the new GTA and hopefully this will make not only clarify the advancement policies to the leaders but will also be a resource for scouts and parents. Unit leaders that do not follow the rules need to be removed plain and simple.