There are Two Types of Scouting Fees Due from Youth:

1. BSA Fee.  A 12-month BSA National Registration Fee (“BSA Fee”).
   • As of April of 2024, the BSA Fee for youth is $85 per year.

   • Youth and adult leader fees are for 12 months from registration; the 12-month period for those registered before August of 2023 is the calendar year.

2. Pack Fee.  Local Pack Program Fees (“Pack Fee”).
   • The amount of a Pack Fee will vary depending on the activities and budget of your local Pack and typically range from $40 to $85 annually, and more depending on the level of adventure activities and support that the Pack provides for a fun program.
   • These are paid directly to the Pack as outlined by your Pack leaders.

New Youth in 2024 pay the BSA Fee and Pack Fee separately.

1. BSA Fee ($85 as of April 2024) for 12 months to the BSA (online app) or AAC (paper app).  (As of April 2024, there is no longer a “New Member Joining Fee”.)
2. The Pack Fee is paid to the Pack separately on the Pack’s Timetable.

Returning Youth from 2023 might pay the BSA Fee and the Pack Fee in two ways:

1. Self-Pay BSA Fee – Pack Fee Paid Separately to Pack. Some Units will collect the Pack Fee directly on the Pack’s timetable – but will direct families to “self-pay” the BSA Fee for the next 12 months when due, directly to the BSA after email invoice from the BSA.
2. Combined Fee Collected by the Pack – Pack Pays BSA Fees.  Some Units will collect a “Combined Fee” in the fall – the Pack Fee plus the BSA Fee for “next year” – so that returning Pack families pay only the Pack, not the BSA.
   • Those Packs can collect a Combined Fee (Pack Fee plus BSA Fee for the next 12 months), from Pack Fundraising and/or payments from families.
   • They would bundle payments and remit to the AAC at Charter Renewal (or earlier, when BSA Fees are due for those due prior to Charter Renewal).

Question: What About Adult Leaders? Do they pay BSA Fees?  How?

Answer:  Yes, Adult Leaders must pay BSA Fee ($65 as of April 2024) for 12 months to the BSA, but registration is free if the adult is also registered in a Troop.  Packs deal with Adult Leader BSA Fees in different ways:

• Many Packs “cover” the Adult Leader’s BSA Fee, either by reimbursement out of the Pack budget (Pack Fees) or (for Adult Leaders returning from last year) by Pack payment to the BSA.
• In some Packs, each Adult Leader covers their own BSA Fee.

Question: What About Fundraising? We used Popcorn to Pay All or Most of our BSA Fees for the next year!

Answer:  While Unit Fundraising can still be applied to cover Pack Fees for all, Unit Fundraising can’t be directly applied to cover BSA Fees for “next year” for New Youth or for returning Youth if the Pack elects the “Self-Pay” route for BSA Fees.

• If Unit Fundraising is high enough to cover all or part of BSA Fees, Units would need to rebate those families who paid BSA Fees directly.

Nothing is more important than the safety and protection of children.

• Over many years, the BSA has developed some of the strongest expert-informed youth protection policies found in any youth-serving organization including mandatory criminal background checks for all leaders, required training in youth protection, mandatory reporting, and two-deep leadership.

We take COVID Concerns Seriously
After 2020, we all have concerns over COVID-19, but we also know that youth still need social interaction and the values, character building and fun of Scouting. So we will Scout On Safely – by sharing updates about how to do in-person activities safely for small groups and as well as for families to do Scouting at home on your schedule. As a leadership organization, we want to do our best to assist against any potential spread of COVID-19 and keep our Scouting family and community healthy. We are following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Georgia State Department of Health, and our health committee, and sharing updates at AtlantaBSA.org/Safety-Health.

Absolutely! Cub Scouts are organized around service organizations, places of worship, schools, and more, all within a comfortable distance to your home. Dens and Packs meet at those locations when in-person activities may be done safely – and connect with each other in those Den and Pack communities safely at all times in other ways. To find a Pack near you, you can visit www.BeAScout.org, enter your zip code, select "Cub Scouts" and get immediate information about Packs near you, or give us a call at 770-989-8820.  Additionally you can click here to fill out a form with some easy information and we'll contact you!

Cub Scouts is a family activity! All Packs are led by Youth Protection Trained volunteers from families just like yours! You will have the opportunity to take a role in helping with your child's experience and we hope you will consider applying to be a volunteer leader.

Every volunteer leader is required to go through a criminal background check and Youth Protection Training process that ensures your child will be in a safe and fun program. The Atlanta Area Council provides many training opportunities for our leaders to enhance the program they deliver and increase the skills they can pass onto our Scouts.

Lots of youth take part in Scouting along with a variety of other activities like sports, music, academic interests, and more. These programs all work together with Scouting to provide your child with a balance of adult role models and experiences! Since many youth want to do both sports and Scouting, some Dens will organize alongside sports programs, sometimes with Cub Scout activities (and snacks!) after some practices, and activity schedules coordinated to allow participation in both sports and Scouting.

Joining Cub Scouts is easy. To find a Pack near you, you can visit www.BeAScout.org, enter your zip code, select "Cub Scouts" and get immediate information about Packs near you. Click here for a list of schools with a Pack.  You can also call us at 770-989-8820 to find out more about or click here to fill out a form and we'll contact you.