Annual Program Registration/Renewal

Individual Registrations/Renewal (youth and adults)

  • New to a Unit
    • Sign up through BeAScout
    • Units have access to a custom link and QR Code leading directly to their unit pin.
  • Returning
    • Log into my.scouting starting the month before your “Anniversary Month” and select the positions you will be continuing with (if you expire on August 31, your Anniversary month would be September. You will be able to renew starting in July).
    • An email reminder to complete this process will come directly from National, BSA
    • New – Auto renewal (option to opt out during annual registration window)
  • Cost
    • Youth - $205
    • Adults - $65
    • Returned to Unit Account - $20 per youth fully paid

Financial Assistance

  • GoScouting.org/financial-assistance
  • This link will be on all BeAScout unit pins for new individuals to be informed
  • Renewing families needing assistance will go directly to GoScouting.org/financial-assistance

Much of what we are doing with registration is new for 2024-2025. Here is a video with some explanations behind the "why" of all the change.

Please see the above tabs for additional information. If you have questions, you may contact your District Executive.

Districts Page

Annual Program Registration/Renewal

See below for Q&A on General Questions, Financial Assistance, Fundraising and Friends of Scouting

YEARLY PROGRAM REGISTRATION/RENEWAL GENERAL QUESTIONS

Q: How will families and individuals complete their program registration and/or renewal?

A: Everyone will complete their yearly program registration/renewal and pay through my.scouting. If you need to find a unit, use the unit locator tool at beascout.scouting.org/

Q: What is the yearly program registration/renewal cost?

A: The cost for the Scouting year will be $205 per youth and $65 per registered adult leader.

Q: What does the program registration/renewal fee pay for?

A: The program registration fee supports keeping the Scouting program strong for local youth and adults. Included in the fee is $20 to be transferred to the unit account for each youth who is paid in full, National BSA registration fees, and insurance coverage. The net revenues from the new program fee will be equal to the historic levels of funding that came from Family Friends of Scouting contributions.

Q: Do all youth members pay the same fee?

A: Yes. All youth members - Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA and Venturing - will have the same fee.

Q: Can Scout Life be paid for online?

A: Yes, when completing a registration for the first time and with every renewal after, you will have the ability to subscribe to Scouts Life.

Q: Can I choose to donate additional funds to support a Scout in need?

A: Yes. Through our GIVE page on the Council website. Any amount can be given, and this donation is tax deductible.

Q: Do all fees need to be paid at once?

A: No, there is an option for youth to register and pay in two installments. You can choose to pay half when completing the registration, and the remainder will be due to following month. Your unit account will still be credited with $20, as long as you are paid in full by October 31.

Q: What if I can't pay all of my yearly program registration/renewal fee?

A: Financial assistance is available at the individual level for those families in need. https://www.goscouting.org/financial-assistance

Q: As a Committee Chair/Cubmaster/ Scoutmaster/ Crew Advisor of a unit, how will I know which families have completed their yearly program registration/renewal?

A: Your roster function in My.Scouting will include everyone's expiration date and warnings if they are within 60 days.

Q: Can unit leaders go into the site for a NEW youth or adult to complete the registration and make a payment?

A: No. Registrations for new youth and adults are at the family level and only they can access their registration. Units have the option to pay for current youth and adults.

Q: If a youth is planning to cross over from a Pack to a Troop, which unit do they register with?

A: They should register with the unit they are currently participating in. There is a quick process for a Arrow of Light Scout to transfer to a Troop.

Q: Do youth or leaders transferring from one unit to another need to go online and complete the program registration process?

A: Yes. To move from one unit to another, you should register as a New Youth/Adult Transfer with the unit you are moving to. There is no additional cost to transfer between units.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE QUESTIONS

Q: Who can request financial assistance?

A: Any youth with a financial need who is unable to register and/or renew for Scouting without assistance.

Q: How do I request assistance?

A: Visit https://www.goscouting.org/financial-assistance

Q: I filled out the Financial Assistance Request form, do I really need to go through the program registration process?

A: Yes! The program registration is needed in order to process your request and get you registered and/or renewed for Scouting.

Q: How much can I request?

A: Assistance requests can be up to 50% of the total cost, based on your need. This is like the practice we use with support to attend camp (Campership process).

Q: Does the financial assistance cover unit dues?

A: No, the financial assistance only covers the Northern Star Scouting yearly program registration fee. We ask all units to communicate their budget and fundraising plans to new families, but to not collect unit fees until later in the fall.

Q: What if I can’t pay 50% of the fee?

A: You can still join! Give a brief description of your circumstances in the online financial assistance request form and complete your registration. Someone will contact you if more information is needed. We will never turn away a youth due to an inability to pay.

FUNDRAISING TO SUPPORT COSTS QUESTIONS

Q: Are units allowed to charge or collect unit dues?

A: We do not encourage units charging additional unit dues. We encourage units to set their budget and include fundraising opportunities for youth to earn their way. If a unit chooses to charge unit dues those dues will need to be collected directly at a unit level.

Q: Can popcorn sales or unit fundraisers be used to cover costs for registration and other Scouting costs?
A: It is up to your unit. We encourage all our Scouts to “earn their own way” through selling popcorn. Popcorn sale commissions can be used to pay unit dues, camping fees and anything else Scouting related, and the unit can develop practices for reimbursing families for such costs.

Q: Is the popcorn sale all about money?
A: No! Scouts learn valuable skills such as budgeting, communication, salesmanship, working with others, goal setting and more.

Please see the above tabs for additional information. If you have questions, you may contact your District Executive.

Districts Page

Unit Renewal Information

  • Northern Star long termed all unit renewals to expire on February 28, 2025, instead of August 31, 2024. Units will not need to pay the $100 renewal fee in 2024.
  • Starting on January 1, 2025, a unit can go through the renewal process.
  • A key 3 member of the unit logs into my.scouting, approves the unit renewal, and pays the $100 Charter Fee.

Pack, Troop, Crew, and Ship Forms

Chartered Organization Approval Form

Chartered Partner Agreement

Exploring Forms

Exploring Memorandum of Understanding

Please see the above tabs for additional information. If you have questions, you may contact your District Executive.

Districts Page

New to Exploring? Learn more!

Explore Now

Annual Exploring Registration/Renewal

  • *New This Year: All adults will register using the same form. There are no longer different requirements for new and current adult leaders.
  • *New This Year: Effective August 1st all registrations will be for a 12 month period. New youth and adults who are registered in August 2023 will expire 7/31/2024.
  • The 2023-2024 annual youth registration fee is $70 and covers the costs of delivering Exploring locally, the national membership fee, and insurance. The 2023-2024 annual adult leader registration fee is $50.
    • This fee reflects the real cost of Exploring, which has allowed us to eliminate the Family Friends of Scouting unit solicitations.
    • Families have quick and confidential access to scholarship assistance. No one will be turned away for inability to pay.
  • All currently registered members and volunteers with an email address in our system will be sent an email with a link to this registration page to securely register for the year and pay their fees online. Member/leader families without email addresses will be sent letters with the renewal information.
  • REQUIRED - Youth Protection Training must be taken every two years for all registered adults and youth 18 and older.

Post Renewal Information

Unit Charter Renewal begins with confirming your Post roster. All youth and adults can begin registering online with your Post starting July 5, 2023. Posts may choose to pay for current adult leaders as part of the Unit Renewal registration.

Post Leaders will receive a weekly email reminder to check their Unit Membership Charter Report through the Scouting Event website. The Unit Membership Charter Report can be accessed at any time and will show all youth and adults who have renewed with your Post for the 2023-2024 Scouting year.

Post leaders will be able to begin Unit Charter Renewal starting July 5, 2023. This site also has walkthrough documents and tips for success. Use the buttons found on the Get Started tab of this page to access the registration site for your Post.

Unit Charter fees are also paid on-line. When a unit has the required youth and adults needed to complete their renewal, they must turn in signed copies of the Chartered Organization Approval Form and the Memorandum of Understanding to Brian Swerine. Posts are encouraged to turn their paperwork in at their Exploring Curbside Kick-off sites. All Unit Charter Renewals are due to the Northern Star Leadership Center by August 15.

Northern Star 2024 Registration and Renewal Packs, Troops, Crews

Individual Registrations/Renewal (youth and adults)

  • New
    • Sign up through BeAScout
    • Units have access to a custom QR Code leading directly to their unit pin.
  • Returning
    • Log into my.scouting starting the month before your “Anniversary Month” and select the positions you will be continuing with (if you expire on August 31, your Anniversary month would be September. You will be able to renew starting in July).
    • An email reminder to complete this process will come directly from National, BSA
    • New – Auto renewal (option to opt out during annual registration window)
  • Cost
    • Youth - $205
    • Adults - $65
    • Returned to Unit Account - $20 per youth fully paid

Financial Assistance

  • GoScouting.org/financial-assistance
  • This link will be on all BeAScout unit pins for new individuals to be informed
  • Renewing families needing assistance will go directly to GoScouting.org/financial-assistance

Unit Renewal

  • Northern Star long termed all unit renewals to expire on February 28, 2025, instead of August 31, 2024. Units will not need to pay the $100 renewal fee in 2024.
  • Starting on January 1, 2025, a unit can go through the renewal process.
  • A key 3 member of the unit logs into my.scouting, approves the unit renewal, and pays the $100 Charter Fee.

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