Recruitment Resources

STEP 1: Prepare

To successfully recruit new families, a well-planned and robust pack program is crucial. Use the links here to complete your Pack’s annual “Ideal Year of Scouting” plan. Once your program is planned you can create a recruitment plan. Use the Idea Books below to work through your Fall recruitment plans.

Membership Plans

A great result starts with a well-thought out plan. Use this guide (with your unit leadership) to set the course for welcoming new families and preparing the future of your unit.
Fall Recruitment Guide

Online Registration How-To

Make it easy for families to find and apply to your unit online.
A video tutorial on how to use the Invitation Manager and Application Manager utilities effectively.
Using URLs & QR codes
BeAScout Leads & Applications
Unit Guidebook for Online Registration
Scouting.org Online Registration Resource page

Fee Breakdown

Update your Unit information with new BSA registration fees. Register new families with these fees and collect remaining unit fees between now and the end of the calendar year.
NOTE: The annual national registration fee is nonrefundable.
2024-2025 Everything to do with Registration Fees
Pack Operating Budget Template

BeAScout Pin Updates

Make your unit visible online with a Be A Scout pin on the map. Any search for “joining Scouting” will lead to this. Check out the video tutorial and update your pin today. Check out this video from BSA
Setting Up Your BeAScout Unit Pin

New Member Coordinators

Identify a few current families to serve as a the new member welcome team during your recruiting drive. Learn about the . . .
New Member Coordinator Role

Webinars & Training

Scouters locally and around the country have great ideas to share with you!
2024 Sign Up Night Training
National Recruiting Webinar Library

Fun stuff we do

We do a lot of camping; seriously, a lot of camping! Check out what's still on the schedule.
Cub Scout Camping
And, there's more during the year with events like Pinewood Derby and Raingutter Regattas.

STEP 2: Invite

Successful recruitment happens when families have been invited to join Scouting. The most common response to “Why haven’t you joined Scouting” is “We’ve never been invited”. Many families see our posters, yard signs, and fliers but it does not equate to an invitation. Yes, they are important, but a personal invite is the most successful recruitment tool.

Flyers, Posters, & Signs

Distribute flyers, posters and signs at schools, churches, community events, and public places. Contact your District Executive. These templates fit our GGAC 2024 Cub Scout Flyers that are already in stock. By providing the information highlighted in yellow to your District Executive, they will print Flyers for you to distribute to your Elementary Schools.
GGAC Cub Scout Flyer
GGAC Cub Scout Flyer template

Find hi-res collateral and current imagery at the BSA Brand Center for download:
National Cub Scout Recruitment Brand Center
National Scouts BSA Recruitment Brand Center

Peer to Peer

We know that current Scouts are the most effective recruiters! Friends can hand out cards at school and other after-school functions.
Cub Scout Cards
Scouts BSA Cards
Parents . . . send emails to friends. Share your unit fun and join opportunities on social media.

Text to Join

GGAC has enrolled in a text to join service making it even easier for a family to join Cub Scouts! Try it for yourself so that you can help new families use this great service.
Text to Join Instructions

Program Guide

Our Program Guide highlights all of our Scouting Programs, our Council Camps, and the importance of our Youth Protection Trainings. This guide would be useful to provide to those who need more information about Scouting in order to make the decision to join.

STEP 3: Promote

It is important to promote your recruitment events early and often. This requires that your recruitment events are scheduled with enough time to get the word out. Promotion of any recruitment should start 30 days before the event.

School

Tips for using Peachjar
Peachjar is a program used by many schools for sharing local community events and activities.

Online & Social Media

Social Media Images:
Geofencing Tips
Social Media Playbook

In Person

Hand out Flyers
Have a booth at Community, Church or School events.

STEP 4: Enroll

Welcome interested families and get their info right away with a sign up sheet.
Download
Contact your District Executive for a sign up roster, and registration packets.

Application Forms Downloads

BSA Youth Application
BSA Adult Application

STEP 5: Engage

It is important to engage new families quickly and consistently from the time they sign up. New families want to hear from you, and are excited to start their Scouting adventure. Make sure they get connected with their den and receive personal invites to meetings and activities. Use these resources to consistently engage with new families.

Resources for New Families

Cub Onboarding Flyer -Editable & Fillable

Scoutbook – Parent Set Up tutorial

Family Talent Survey – Cub Scouts

STEP 6 Deliver

Now it’s time to Deliver the Promise. It is important that all the fun and adventure that new families were promised happens. Follow your annual program plan and calendar and ensure families are having fun. If you do this Scouts will continue in the program year after year and parents will lean in and volunteer. Membership recruitment is not an extra thing that should be done it is an essential to ensure growth and depth in your Scout unit.

Resources

Check out our resource pages for activities, training, and guides to help you deliver an outstanding program.
Video Library

Additional GGAC Resources

Documents

Forms, Flyers, PowerPoint, Signs, etc.

Video Library

Video tutorials and recorded Webinars

Alameda Trading Post

1714 Everett Street
Alameda, CA 94501
(925) 674-6130
M-F: 9:00am-5:00pm

Fairfield Trading Post

1955 West Texas St. Suite 1
Fairfield, CA 94533 | (925) 674-6166
Tu & We 1:00pm-6:00pm | First Sat of mth: 9:00-1:00
Closed for Thanksgiving Nov 20 -25

Pleasant Hill Scout Shop

500 Contra Costa Blvd, Suite K2
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
(925) 674-8500
M-F: 10:00-1:30 & 2:30–5:00 | Sa: 10:30-3:00

Pleasanton Trading Post

6601 Owens Drive, Suite 100
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(925) 674-6100
M/W/F: 9:00 – 5:00 | Tu/Th: 9:00 – 6:00

GGAC Service Center

6601 Owens Drive, Suite 100
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(925) 674-6100
M-F: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Outdoor Program Office