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Civic & service club

Scouting & Law Enforcement Agencies

What hosting a Scouting unit means for your club — what you provide, what your local council provides, and how to begin.

Chartering a Scouting unit is a lasting service project — one a club or post can point to for decades.
Why host a unit

A program that fits alongside what you already do

Chartering a Scouting unit means your club becomes the unit's home. You are not asked to run the program or train the leaders — your local council does that. What you provide is a place to meet, a point of contact, and a welcome to the families who come.

In return, young people in your community get adventure, friendship, leadership and service — and your club becomes the place where that happens.

Your club provides

  • A place to meet
  • A member to act as your champion
  • A service project your members can rally behind

Your council provides

  • The full program, training and materials
  • Youth-protection standards and insurance framework
  • Recruiting and sign-up support
  • A local contact who helps you start
Getting started

Five steps from interest to first meeting

1
Talk with your local council
They will walk you through what chartering involves and answer questions specific to your club.
2
Name a point of contact
One person who acts as the link between your club and the unit.
3
Agree on a meeting place and time
Most units meet weekly. A hall, classroom or meeting room is enough.
4
Invite your families
Use the Co-Branding Studio to make a flyer with your name beside Scouting America's.
5
Hold your first meeting
Your council helps with recruiting, registration and leader training.
The toolkit

Download and share

Print-ready documents you can hand to a committee, put in a newsletter, or keep for reference.
También en español
The same documents in Spanish, written in the formal usted register.
Informe para socios (PDF) Lista de verificación Puntos clave Texto para boletín
Frequently asked questions

Quick answers

Can our organization charter a Scouting unit?
Yes. Civic and service organizations are eligible chartered organizations — together they charter roughly 38% of Scouting youth.
Do we need a national agreement first?
No. Every unit charters locally through an annual agreement with your local council. National endorsements encourage sponsorship but never replace the local charter.
What are we actually committing to?
A place to meet, a Chartered Organization Representative to serve as liaison, and a welcoming home for families. Your council provides the program, training, and youth-protection standards.
Can we use the Scouting America logo on our materials?
Yes — use the Co-Branding Studio on this site. It places the Scouting America mark correctly beside your own logo and produces a print-ready file, so you do not need to source or position the artwork yourself.
Useful links

Where to find out more

Ready to make something?

Build a flyer with your organization's name and logo beside Scouting America's — in English, Español, 中文 or Deutsch.

Open the Co-Branding Studio
Scouting America · Charter Partner Resource Center
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