Organizations that Operate Scouting Units

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Overview of Chartered Organizations

  • Civic, faith-based, and educational organizations operate Scouting units to deliver the programs to their youth members, as well as the community at large.
  • Approximately 120,000 Scouting units are owned and operated by chartered
    organizations. Of these:
    • 65.9 percent of all units are chartered to faith-based organizations
    • 25.3 percent of all units are chartered to civic organizations
    • 8.8 percent of all units are chartered to educational organizations
    • Responsibilities of chartered organizations include:
      • Providing adequate meeting facilities
      • Providing quality leadership for the Scouting unit
      • Appointing a chartered organization representative to coordinate all Scouting unit operations within the organization

      Educational Chartered Organizations

      Source: 2008 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2008, membership data

      Name of Organization

      Total Units

      Total Youth

      Parent-teacher groups other than PTAs

      4,789

      181,249

      Private schools

      3,099

      94,862

      Parent Teacher Associations/ Parent Teacher Organizations

      2,025

      76,881

      Civic Chartered Organizations

      The 20 civic organizations or groups with the largest Scouting youth membership

      Source: 2008 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2008,
      membership data

      Name of Organization

      Total Units

      Total Youth

      Groups of citizens

      4,688

      132,255

      Business/industry

      3,452

      75,905

      Lions International

      2,628

      72,017

      American Legion and Auxiliary

      2,744

      71,596

      Other community organizations

      2,270

      60,277

      Rotary International

      1,483

      45,528

      Fire departments

      1,386

      34,325

      Kiwanis International

      1,102

      34,283

      VFW, Auxiliary, Cootie

      1,161

      32,566

      Community centers

      1,458

      32,427

      Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs

      816

      27,334

      Elks lodges (BPOE)

      846

      23,208

      Nonprofit agencies

      643

      16,172

      Playgrounds, recreation centers

      584

      15,213

      Athletic booster clubs

      588

      14,675

      Chambers of commerce, business associations

      487

      13,496

      Homeowners’ associations

      401

      12,262

      YWCA, YMCA

      456

      10,738

      Optimist International

      274

      9,509

      Loyal Order of Moose

      320

      8,412

      Faith-Based Chartered Organizations

      The 24 faith-based organizations with the largest Scouting youth membership

      Source: 2008 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2008,
      membership data

      Name of Organization

      Total Units

      Total Youth

      The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

      37,146

      402,127

      United Methodist Church

      11,499

      367,238

      Catholic Church

      9,265

      291,443

      Presbyterian Church

      3,801

      124,861

      Lutheran Church

      4,176

      120,912

      Baptist Churches

      4,351

      105,303

      Episcopal Church

      1,259

      41,841

      United Church of Christ, Congregational Church

      1,311

      40,076

      Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

      1,283

      34,401

      Community Churches

      1,099

      30,445

      Other churches

      1,000

      25,356

      Church of Christ

      580

      15,225

      Evangelical/independent churches

      314

      7,453

      Church of God

      267

      5,880

      The Salvation Army

      225

      4,856

      Jewish synagogues and centers

      204

      4,330

      Church of the Nazarene

      160

      4,197

      Reformed Church in America

      129

      3,908

      Church of the Brethren

      130

      3,291

      African Methodist Episcopal

      207

      3,107

      Assemblies of God

      77

      2,117

      Pentecostal Churches

      137

      1,954

      Islam, Muslim, Masjid

      100

      1,910

      Buddhist Churches of America

      55

      1,481