District and Council Membership Tools

A District Membership Function – comprised of both District level Volunteers and District Professionals – must be about more than putting on "School Sign Up Nights".  That’s because starting in 2024 District Professionals will no longer “run” School Sign-Up Nights.  School Sign-Up Nights will now be run by local Pack Volunteers, with coaching, training and support from District Professionals and District Membership volunteers. 

A functioning Membership Committee can work with Units and District Executives to grow membership thoughtfully and sustainably, in a variety of ways, like gathering information on prospective chartered organizations, helping organize new units or reorganizing dropped units and units not meeting, and helping units recruit new members in ways that will be successful for the unit given its resources.  Membership personnel can establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with major community organizations and strategic alliances, both those with and without Scouting units.  This function overlaps with – and benefits from – other functions like training, activities, commissioners, communication/PR that can support the membership effort.

This page will collect resources to help Districts support their units, including:

• The Council 2024-25 AAC Membership Plan, major elements of which are:
  • Recruiting Tactics: Sharing the Guide to Cub Scout Family Recruiting is More Important than Goals
  • Team Tactics: Professional and Volunteer Constant Collaboration Serving Units
  • Recruiting Seasons:  Year-Round with Seasonal Focus (Spring/Summer and Fall and Winter)
  • Other Council Recruiting Support (like Training, Materials, ImPACKt, ScoutReach, Marketing)
  • School Playbook: Coaching By Field Staff + District Volunteers for August School Sign-Up Nights
  • Postscript: Why Cub Scout Recruiting is New and Different in 2024
• AAC District Membership Chair and Teams Job Descriptions, starting with the District Membership Chair Position Description, which describes the overall possible Membership Team function, but links to possible smaller jobs on the team, described below and in the attached.  Those functions include:
  • Essential Functions (in most Districts):
    • Recruiting Coordinators (Counsel Units on their Overall Recruiting Program)
    • School Sign Up Night Supporter (Coach and Train Unit Volunteers)
    • Membership Mouthpiece (Communication with Unit Volunteers)
    • New Unit Chair / ImPACKt Chair
    • New Unit Organizers / Pack Guides
  • Beneficial Functions (if you have the help ready, willing and able to help on these efforts):
    • District “Test Drive” Event Organizers
    • Fun Event Advisors (Help Unit Events)
    • Scouts BSA Recruiting Guru
    • Venturing Recruiting Advisor
    • Charter Organization Relationships
    • School Relationships
    • Scoutreach Finance Finders
    • Spring Recruiting Advisor
    • Flyer Fillers
    • Demographic Data Dog
    • BeAScout “Bug”
    • Abilities Ambassadors
    • Arrow of Light to Scouts BSA Transition
    • Exit Interview Surveyors
  • This document is attached in pdf below, and also in Word so you can tailor it to your District and how you will slice and dice Membership Support roles.

Starting New Units / ImPACKt!

One part of the Membership Growth approach of the Atlanta Area Council is the ImPACKt! program to start new Packs.  More at www.atlantabsa.org/impackt. 

More Materials

More support for Districts will be added during the course of the year.  Some recent Membership Meeting Agendas are included in the Downloads below.

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Click to jump to other Recruiting Resource pages: Recruiting Resources (Home), Step One: Make a Calendar of Fun Activities, Step Two: Promote your Unit! (and BeAScout / Online Apps), Step Three: Recruiting Leaders, Step Four: School and Community Presence, Step Five: Sign-Up Events, Parent Orientation, and Scouts BSA Troop Recruiting