Boyd R. Critz, III explains funding of scouting. He emphasizes that his motives are POSITIVE; that is, he supports BSA, and hopes that scouting will reform its discriminatory requirements.
Most Councils are funded from several sources. United Ways contribute a major piece, varying from about 35% down. Councils also raise funds directly through solicited gifts from individual supporters. This can also raise about 30-50% of total funding, more if the United Way piece is lower and less if it is higher. Finally, fees, literature and badge sales, sales of things such as "Scouting popcorn," etc. make up the difference. "Membership" fees for the youth and adult leaders are NOT a part of these budgets, though. These plus all subscription fees to Boy's Life Magazine go to the National Council, BSA, Inc. Only a review of each specific Council's budget data will provide sufficient information to discuss that Council intelligently.
Councils are corporations, not owned by the BSA, Inc. but chartered by it to promote Scouting in a particular area. Each is a not-for-profit under the laws of the State where incorporated. Most States have several Councils operating within their borders.
I am not personally familiar with the total budget of the Boy Scouts of America, Inc. to state much. I used to be more so - when I was a voting member (part of the position responsibilities of being a Council Commissioner). However, there are donated funds, fees, sales of supplies and equipment, sales of uniforms, income from operations of the "working" cattle ranch portion of Philmont Scout Ranch, etc. I do not believe that there are any United Way funds going to this endeavor.
There are NO *direct* federal or other tax funds going into the budgets of either the Councils or the Boy Scouts of America, Inc . However . . . . see below.
There are far more Cub Scout packs chartered to public- school-related organizations than any other type of Scouting unit. These organizations include PTAs, PTOs, PTCs, "Concerned Parents of _____" groups which obtain school facilities for unit use, etc. Additionally, in a minority of cases, the actual "school" or the "School Board" or the "School District" is listed as the Chartered Organization .
The BSA likes to note that over 50% of all of its Chartered Organizations are churches (or other religious bodies). I do not quarrel with that. However, as to Cub Scout Packs (with over half of the total youth membership), I suspect the greater moiety are in the public schools. With Boy Scout Troops (about 25% of total youth membership), no doubt far more than half are run by religious bodies and their related organizations. Most of those in public schools use the buildings rent-free.
In Exploring, we see a far different picture. Over 1/3 of all Explorers are in Police and/or Fire Career Posts . You can, no doubt, see the most likely Chartered Organizations. Many times, it is the tax- supported police or fire department ; often, it is an "auxiliary"; almost always, the operations involve use of tax-supported equipment and even "comp" time of the personnel .
One must also recognize the large number of all three types of units chartered to the US Military (and military post auxiliaries) with leadership being considered a duty assignment (highly sought after, I am told). Also, many Explorer Posts which are chartered to US Marshalls' Offices, to offices of the Department of Justice, etc .
A clear understanding of what being a "Chartered Organization" entails is fundamental to this discussion. The Boy Scouts of America, Inc. holds that the Chartered Organization itself is the one which "owns and operates" a Scouting program to fulfill its own (the Chartered Organization's) goals for youth. This is not a quote, but is so close to unit organization and leadership training materials to be incapable of meaningful distinction.
What does this mean when the tax-supported body IS the Chartered Organization? In those cases, it simply means that the BSA's "policies" force the tax-supported body to discriminate in the provision of services . It is not mere "sponsorship," where "Scouting is allowed to meet," but the actual discrimination by the Chartered Organization itself -- often in direct violation of local laws and certainly of its governing principles ....
It can hardly be different where, as with a PT[x], the actual Chartered Organization is a functioning alter ego of the principal! In any event, any PT[x] worth a thing would not exclude a child from one of ITS programs, run under ITS auspices as a part of its responsibilities to the involved school.
As stated above, not mere "sponsorship" is involved. It is the actual owning and operating of the unit by the Chartered Organization. Yes, open access is appropriate. However, the decisions in that regard have never considered the implications of actually being the Chartered Organization. Most would have no objection to the buildings being freely available TO ALL GROUPS. Simply, however, some groups - including Scouting - are more favored than most. Perhaps this is due, in part, to Scouting's reputation for openness!
"Unused space" does not consider the additional heat and light bill. In some cases, the need to keep a custodian "on board" until the meeting is over. [Today, budget pressures are forcing many changes, with units being asked to change meeting times to correspond with hours that custodians are present in any case.] Storage closets in the schools. Display cases in some, taking up wall room. Teacher time, distributing recruiting flyers and (directly stated or implied, both) promoting Scouting as a good thing to join.
Other "subsidies" include equipment use for police and fire posts, "ride along" programs, "comp" time of personnel, set-aside space in buildings on military reservations, etc. Consider also: No one now alive knows of any *real* use for Ft. A.P. Hill in a military context. Its sole known present purpose is for the quadrennial BSA Jamborees. Then, of course, the ceremonial time of the President of the United States. And, at least in times past, preferential treatment for appointment of Eagle Scouts to the military academies.
One person of my acquaintance knows of a public park area which was set aside solely for Scouting; I know of a "Scout Building" erected with private funds but on public park land and available for nothing else; etc.
... the Learning for Life subsidiary of the BSA .... "charters" programs to operate "in school" and during school time, using school personnel as such. For a school to operate these programs, it must agree - for each "unit" - to provide one administrator and one teacher, in their jobs as such. EACH MUST MEET THE LEADERSHIP STANDARDS OF THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, INC. Ignored is the fact that it is flatly illegal in some States, including Illinois, for any public school administrator to even ask about religious affiliation or sexual orientation . It is a misdemeanor, punishable as a crime. It is even such for anyone to "indirectly" do so. Thus, for the administrator to ask a potential leader to sign up . . . to "subscribe to the Declaration of Religious Principle," . . . . <sigh> Yet, the largest "test Council" and one of the most successful LFL programs today is that of the Chicago Area Council, operating such in the Chicago public school system.