Mayflower Council Eagle Scout Service Project Fundraising Guidelines

There are many worthy Eagle Scout Service Projects that can be carried out at minimal cost, if any. Fundraising is allowed to the extent required to cover the expected expense but projects whose sole purpose is to raise funds do not qualify as Eagle Leadership Service Projects. All fundraising or requests for material donations should be done in a restrained manner, similar to simple unit fundraising efforts. The expense of the project is not considered in the determination of the appropriateness of Eagle Scout Service Projects.

While youth members are normally not permitted to solicit funds on behalf of other organizations while representing the BSA, the Mayflower Council grants an exception for youth members raising funds for an Eagle Scout Service Project, with another organization being the project beneficiary; all funds raised above the amount needed for the project must be given to the beneficiary or returned to donors, not kept by the Eagle candidate or the unit.

Before soliciting donations of materials and monetary funds or conducting any fundraising efforts, Eagle Scout candidates must submit the “Eagle Scout Project Fundraising Application” located in the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook to the Scout Service Center two weeks in advance of your fundraising efforts.

Note:

The requirements for planning, developing, and giving leadership must be met through the project itself, not through the fundraising effort. For this reason, approaches such as online fundraising are acceptable and may be handled exclusively by a parent or unit leader. A list of District Eagle Advisors available to provide coaching can been made available to Scoutmasters and Unit Commissioners, please contact your District Advancement Chairman – emails can be found at https://www.mayflowerbsa.org/program/youth/advancement/

Crowdfunding for Eagle Scout Service Projects

1. The Guide to Advancement allows for the use of “crowdfunding” via the internet for Eagle Scout Service Projects but not for general troop fundraising. The Mayflower Council neither recommends nor prohibits the use of crowdfunding or any specific crowdfunding source. Wikipedia provides a comparison of crowdfunding services. If this route is taken, the website’s fine print should be carefully reviewed by someone in a position of responsibility. The unit leaders and parents will need to consider these questions:
   • Are the website’s terms of service in conflict with any BSA policies?
   • What kind of financial cost will the provider charge for this service?
   • Will you be able to keep donations even if you don’t reach your stated monetary goal (required)?
   • Does the site have an auto-shut off upon reaching the funding goal?
   • How long does it take to get your funds after the donating window closes?
   • Are you required to offer some sort of reward to backers? If so, what will the rewards be?
   • What are the site’s requirements if you raise more than you need? For example, certain providers require excess funds be used solely for the project, not just turned over to the project beneficiary.
   • When using a Crowdfunding site to fund an Eagle Project, the project MUST be set up under the Tax ID# of the beneficiary with all funds going to the beneficiary. The beneficiary of the service project is responsible to ensure all IRS guidelines related to contributions/donations are being met such as refunding donor money and contribution statements if applicable. The Eagle candidate may register and promote the site, but an adult must set it up under the beneficiary’s Tax ID#.
2. If using a crowdfunding website, be sure that the details pertaining to the project are clearly presented. In addition, the project beneficiary must be clearly identified and it should not appear or represent that the BSA or any of its scout units are beneficiaries of the funds.
3. It is worth repeating that any funds raised via crowdfunding belong to the beneficiary organization, not the Eagle candidate or the troop.

For more information, see 9.0.2.10 Fundraising Issues at http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/GuideToAdvancement/EagleScoutRank.aspx

How to Prepare Your Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal and Report

The Beginning of the Trail:

It is recommended that the applicant use this instruction document as a personal checklist to ensure that the Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal has been properly prepared prior to its submission to the Eagle Scout Advancement Lead for your District.

• Use the current version of the “Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook” to complete your project.  Any older versions are not accepted. The Workbook is a fillable PDF document. This will bring you to the National BSA website. Follow the directions To Download the PDF.

Important Note

It is strongly recommended that you first save the downloaded form to your computer and then reopen it using Adobe Acrobat Reader.  If you do not follow this procedure, you may have difficulty inputting data to the form and/or saving the form for future exiting.

If you choose to print out a paper copy of the Workbook and fill out the information by hand, you must fill in the information in black or blue ink (no pencil). The Workbook must appear exactly as it does online.

• Read pages 2 through 6 and Proposal Page A before you start and then follow the directions here and throughout the Workbook. Do not submit these pages with the proposal.

Note that there is no minimum size to an Eagle Scout Service Project. Projects will be evaluated primarily on impact; that is, the extent of benefit to the beneficiary and the leadership to be provided by the Life Scout. There must also be evidence of planning and development.

• Decide on whether to have a “project coach”, recognizing that the BSA strongly recommends you do. If you decide to have a project coach, the person must be registered with the BSA (in any adult position) and be current in BSA Youth Protection training, and may come from the unit, District or Council level. For more information on project coaches see page 6 of the Workbook.
  A project coach is just that – a coach. The coach’s role is to evaluate a plan and discuss strengths and weaknesses with the scout, the coach does not have the authority to dictate changes or withhold approval. If your Troop does not have an approved coach, email your District Eagle Scout Advancement Lead (email addresses are provided below).

The following Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal pages must be filled in and submitted to Mayflower Council for approval prior to initiation of the work on the Project.

• Proposal Cover: Insert your name and a name for the Project.
• Proposal Page B – Contact Information: Fill in all the lines. For Your Council Service Center use: Mayflower Council, 83 Cedar Street, Milford, MA  01757. Phone: 1-508-872- 6551. For the “Council or District Project Approval Representative”, use the Council address and put the name and email address of the District Eagle Scout Advancement Lead for your District:

District Email
Cranberry Harbors:  cranberryharborsadvancement@mayflowerbsa.org
Headwaters:  headwatersadvancement@mayflowerbsa.org
Metacomet:  metacometadvancement@mayflowerbsa.org
Post Road:  postroadadvancement@mayflowerbsa.org
Sachem:  sachemadvancement@mayflowerbsa.org

• Proposal Pages C through E – Proposal: Read all instructions, fill in all sections and answer all questions. Include additional information (e.g. maps, diagrams, sketches, photos, etc.) if you believe it will help reviewers visualize the project.
• Proposal Page E – Tour/Activity Plan: Tour and Activity Plans are no longer required for Eagle Scout Service Projects.
• Proposal Page E – Signatures: Signatures are required of the Scout (see Candidate’s Promise on Proposal Page E), your Unit leader, your Unit Committee Chair or designee, and the representative of the beneficiary. When the beneficiary representative signs the Proposal, he/she must check the box confirming that you gave them the last two pages of the Workbook entitled: Navigating the Eagle Scout Service Project – Information for Project Beneficiaries.
• After signatures have been secured, except for the Council or District Approval, scan the Project Proposal pages (Cover and Pages B through E) to create a new PDF file and email this to your District Advancement email listed above under contact information. A member of the District Advancement team will contact you to schedule a time to meet to discuss the Project Proposal. After the District Advancement Lead signs the Proposal, You can begin the Project.

If the Project Proposal is not approved, you will receive information stating the reasons for that decision and suggestions for revisions that will render the Proposal acceptable.

• Fundraising Application: It is recommended that you file a Fundraising Application with your Eagle Project Workbook, even if money or material contributions come only from yourself, your parents or relatives, your scouting unit or its chartered organization, parents or members in your scouting unit, or the project beneficiary. Please make sure you have discussed the fundraising process with your unit leader and especially the beneficiary since you may be raising money in the name of the beneficiary. More information about Eagle Service Projects and fundraising can be found here.

Continuing on the Trail:

• Final Plan Cover and Pages A through E: Prepare a Final Plan for the project. This section is very important for planning and organizing the Project. Though not subject to anyone’s approval, the more effort you put into addressing the items listed in this section, the easier the Project will be to implement. Remember, you will be asking others to volunteer to assist you in carrying out the Project – they will expect you to be prepared. It is recommended that you share the Final Plan with your project coach or Unit leader so they can give advice to help you organize the Project.
• Project Report Pages Cover through Page C: This section is your final report on the Project. Provide written responses to all questions after the Project is completed.
  Keep detailed records of the Project, from start to finish. Record what you did and when, every time you work on the Project, including your planning. All hours expended working on the Project should be included in the Table provided on Project Report Page B.  Complete all sections of the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook prior to the date of your 18th birthday.
• Project Report Page C – Signatures: Sign the Candidate’s Promise on Project Report Page C and secure the signatures of your Unit leader and representative of the beneficiary. Note: All signatures must be dated prior to the date of the Scout’s 18th birthday.
• Complete an Eagle Scout Rank Application Form per the instructions provided in the document entitled “How to Complete and Submit Your Eagle Scout Application Form”. This document is available online at the Mayflower Council website (www.mayflowerbsa.org).

Additional Information on the Eagle Scout Rank can be found in Section 9 of the “Guide to Advancement”. This is available online at www.scouting.org.

Mayflower Council, Boy Scouts of America – Advancement Committee – November 26, 2018

How to Complete and Submit Your Eagle Scout Rank Application Form

Completing the Trail:

It is recommended that the applicant use this instruction document as a personal checklist to ensure that the Eagle Scout Rank Application Form has been properly prepared prior to its submission to Mayflower Council. If an application is missing or contains any inaccurate information, it cannot be processed – Mayflower Council cannot make changes to a filed application. Following and reviewing these instructions carefully with your Unit leader and committee chair prior to their signing the application can avoid processing delays.

• Eagle Scout Application (for youth who completed requirements before July 1, 2022) or Eagle Scout Application (for youth who completed requirements ON OR AFTER July 1, 2022): Download and use the current Eagle Scout Rank Application form.  The application form is a fillable PDF.

Important Note:  It is strongly recommended that you first save the downloaded form to your computer and then
reopen it using Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not follow this procedure, you may have difficulty inputting data to the form and/or saving the form for future editing.  If you choose to print out a paper copy of the Application and fill out the information by hand, you must fill in the information in black or blue ink (no pencil).

• Name and Personal Information: Print your full name, as you would like it to appear on your
  Eagle Certificate (no more than 30 characters, including punctuation and spaces). If filling out by
  hand, do this at the top of Page 2 as well. Provide your complete address and Unit designation
  information, including zip code.
• Date became a Scouts BSA (Venturer): This is the date you became registered as a Scouts BSA
  (Venturer) by the BSA National Service Center. Obtain this date from Mayflower Council by
  sending your name, unit, and town in an email to: JoiningDate@mayflowerbsa.org.
• Dates of First Class and Star Boards of Review: Get these dates from your Unit Advancement
  Administrator. This individual has access to your official records through Internet Advancement.
  There must be at least four (4) months separation between the date of the First Class Scout
  Board of Review and the date of the Star Scout Board of Review and at least six (6) months
  separation between the date of the Star Scout Board of Review and the date of the Life Scout
  Board of Review.
• Date of Birth: All Eagle Scout rank requirements, other than the Eagle Scout Rank Board of
  Review, must be completed before your 18th birthday.
• Requirement 1 – Active for Six Months: There must be at least six (6) months separation between the date of your Life Scout Board of Review and the date you apply for the Eagle Scout rank.
• Requirement 2 – References: Follow the guidance provided in the document entitled: Eagle Scout Letters of Reference Procedures.  Provide each reference’s complete name, full mailing address (including zip code) and telephone number (including area code). Do not alter or delete any of the Reference categories listed under Requirement 2. If you do not have a specific religious reference, the issues of “Reverence” and “Duty to God” must be addressed in the letter provided by your parent(s)/guardian(s).
• Requirement 3 – Merit Badges: List only 13 Eagle-required badges and eight (8) others. Dates are very important here. The list must include four (4) Eagle-required merit badges, together with two (2) other merit badges, with dates that precede the date you achieved the Star Scout rank and three (3) additional Eagle-required merit badges, together with two (2) additional other merit badges with dates that precede the date you achieved the Life Scout rank. Request that your Unit’s advancement administrator confirm all dates via Internet Advancement prior to filing the Eagle Scout Rank Application form with Mayflower Council. On merit badge numbers 7, 8, and 10, cross out the badges not being claimed as “Eagle required”. If a crossed out badge was earned, it can be re-entered as one of numbers 14 through 21. For example, if you have earned Emergency Preparedness but not Lifesaving, you should cross out the word “Lifesaving” in box 7. If you have earned both these merit badges and wish to claim Emergency Preparedness as your Eagle-required merit badge, you should cross out the word “Lifesaving” in box 7 and insert it into one of the boxes 14 through 21.  For each merit badge, enter the number of the Unit you were in when that merit badge was earned.
• Requirement 4 – Position of Responsibility: Re-enter the date of the Life Scout Board of Review and then identify only those positions of responsibility held after that date and before your 18th birthday. Do not put “Present” as a date. If you held the position until the day before your 18th birthday, use that date as the termination date of the position. The only leadership positions creditable under Requirement 4 are those listed on the application form.
• Requirement 5 – Service Project: Provide the name of your Eagle Scout Service Project and the grand total of hours spent on it. The total hours should match what is recorded on “Project Report Page B” in the “Eagle Scout Service Project Report” section of the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook.  Provide the date the service project was completed (i.e., the date the final signature was secured on your Eagle Scout Service Project Report).
• Requirement 6 – Unit Leader Conference: Provide the date of your Unit leader conference. This date must be before your 18th birthday.
• Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose / Listing of Leadership Outside Scouting: Prepare your statement of ambitions and life purpose. This statement should address the question: what do you want to do with your life at this point in your life? Provide a list of positions held outside of Scouting and the activities you’ve been involved in. This will provide the Board of Review with some insight into what else you have been doing.
• Certification By Applicant: Sign and date the application form and provide your telephone number.
• Unit Leader Signature: Obtain the signature of your Unit leader and provide that leader’s telephone number and date of signature. If a parent of the candidate is the Unit leader or committee chair, the application form must still be signed by them, certifying that all the information provided therein is correct.
• Unit Committee Chair Signature: Obtain the signature of the Unit committee chair and provide that leader’s telephone number and date of signature.

The completed Eagle Scout Rank Application form does not have to be received by Mayflower Council prior to your 18th birthday, but you must have completed all the requirements 1 through 6. You are certifying this by your signature and the signatures by your Unit leadership. Delay in submitting your Application to Mayflower Council could impact your ability to have your Eagle Scout Rank Board of Review within the time allowed by BSA.

Final Steps: Submit an Eagle Scout Application to Mayflower Council.

• Scan the Completed Form: Scan both sides of the completed Eagle Scout Rank Application Form
  and Contact Page (B). Save it as a PDF file.
• Electronically Submit the Completed Form: Submit the PDF File of the completed Eagle Scout
  Rank Application Form and Contact Page (B) to the Mayflower Council email address:
  eaglescoutapplicationsubmission@mayflowerbsa.org. You will receive an email confirmation of its receipt from Mayflower Council. The Council office will send the District Advancement team your Application after the Council office has verified dates and information on your Application.  Please allow 2 weeks for verification process.
•  Provide Eagle Project Data:  “To Submit Project Data” and enter the requested information concerning the Eagle Scout Service Project. NOTE: This information is optional but it is used by National to show the amount of work Scouting is giving back to the community.
• Eagle Scout Rank Application Binder for the Board of Review: It is strongly suggested that all the
  Eagle Rank information be assembled into a three-ring binder to keep it orderly and neat.  Assemble the following materials in the order listed below:
  • Eagle Scout Rank Application – the original signed copy that was scanned to the Mayflower Council.
  • Statement of Ambitions – This is the statement of ambitions and life purpose you prepared, as specified under CERTIFICATION BY APPLICANT, page 2 of the Eagle Scout Rank Application form.
  • Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook – containing all signatures and including all sections:
    • Contact Information – Proposal page B;
    • Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal – pages C through E, as signed by the District Advancement Chair, and a copy of any email or other written correspondence exchanged between the District Advancement Chair and the applicant during the proposal review and approval process;
    • Fundraising Application (if applicable) – page A;
    • Eagle Scout Service Project Final Plan – cover and pages A through E; and
    • Eagle Scout Service Project Report – cover and pages A through C.
  • The Workbook should include everything that is applicable to the project and include any
    photographs, diagrams, maps, data, etc. that you believe will assist the District Board of Review
    panel in understanding/visualizing the project. Make sure you, the project beneficiary, and the
    Unit leader have signed the Project Report, as required on Project Report page C.
    Scheduling your Eagle Scout Rank Board of Review: A member of the District Advancement
    team will contact you and/or your Unit Leadership to schedule your Eagle Scout Rank Board of
    Review.
• Submit the Completed Eagle Scout Rank Application Binder: You will be directed to deliver the
  Eagle Scout Rank Application Binder to either a member of the District Advancement Team in advance of the scheduled date for your Board of Review or to your Unit Advancement Administrator for presentation to your Board of Review panel when you arrive for your Board. Letters of Recommendation: Refer to Eagle Scout Reference Letter Procedures . The Unit’s advancement administrator, or other designated contact person, will retain the letters UNOPENED for delivery to the Eagle Scout Rank Board of Review. The scout should not be in
  possession of the reference letters.
• What to Expect After the Eagle Board of Review
  The Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook is returned to the Scout at the end of the Board of Review.   The Eagle Certificate will be mailed directly to the Scout, once it arrives from the National Council
  office.

Mayflower Council, Boy Scouts of America – Advancement Committee – November 26, 2018

Come celebrate Mayflower Council’s Class of 2019 Eagles Scouts!

This event is an opportunity to recognize all of our 2019 Eagle Scout’s achievement along with other fellow Eagles. Parents, family & friends are welcome to attend.

Update as of May 21, 2020

The NESA committee has decided to cancel the in-person Annual Eagle Dinner scheduled for June 18th. This dinner will now become a virtual recognition event. We invite all members of the 2019 Eagle Class along with their families to join in as we celebrate together in this new remote environment. This event will be at the same date and time as the original, Thursday, June 18th at 7PM. You will not need to register for this virtual event.

Log in information will be posted on the Mayflower Council website and the Mayflower Council Eagles Nest Facebook Page prior to the day of the event. We will be celebrating our five newest recipients of the National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award (NOESA) along with the Adams Service Project of the Year winner, the VFW Scout of the Year award and of course recognition of our 331 Eagle Scouts from the class of 2019.

An electronic version of the program book will be available on our website. If you have purchased advertisements, they will be displayed in the program book.

If you have any questions, please contact the council office or the NESA committee at nesa@mayflowerbsa.org.
Thank you,
Andy Gibson
NESA Chair