Important
- A new Cub Scout starting in fall will pay BSA fees and Pack dues. If a family is struggling to pay for dues they can request a delay in payment and fundraise their dues with popcorn sales.
- Scouts BSA is a nonprofit organization and all volunteer. All moneys collected flow back to the scouts as awards and program costs.
- Dues pay for awards and many activities.
- Fundraising is elective and designated for a specific purpose, e.g. paying for dues, or summer camp for Scouts heading to the Troop (Middle/High school program). There is no requirement to participate in fundraising.
Summary
Costs for scouting can be broken down into three categories: dues (must be paid up front for the year and reimbursable through Popcorn sales), uniform (can be obtained within the first few months of joining) and activities (all are optional). We work hard to provide both no and low cost events. Specific activity costs can be found in our Pack Store. Some activities with no cost are found only in our Facebook group (e.g. Lock-Ins, Pinewood Derby). Note that our campouts include meals, snacks, and desserts.
Dues
Pack 285 charges membership dues per school year, August – July. Dues pay for patches, pins, awards, swag, Lock-Ins, Pinewood Derbies, special events, and adult volunteer background checks. Dues also pay for BSA membership, group insurance for meeting and camping activities, BSA campsites, 6 of which are within the Tampa Bay area, software and website services, training, and more.