POSSIBLE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES

Compelling Reasons to Consolidate

(Measurable Benefits for Children, and Strategies for Achieving Them)

1.  Outcome Sought: The new council would provide more programs for more young people.
Possible Strategies to Achieve this Outcome:

• Marketed camping opportunities for youth membership would double
  • Seven camp properties offering a wider variety of program opportunities with more efficiency for both user and operator.
  • Close proximity of five metro camps offer better access with more opportunities for weekend camping. All are within a one-hour drive of city-center. Estimated 10% increase in weekend camp use.
  • Through expanded opportunities and expanded camp facilities, Cub Scout Resident Camping will increase by 20%. Four resident camps are available for use. Cub Scout Winter Day Camp will increase by at least 50%.
  • Expanded camp-based programs for older Scouts i.e. COPE, High Adventure - expect 100% increase in Scout participation.
  • Lower camping expenses through combined purchasing power of significantly larger camp programs as well as greater attendance.
• Establish a Venturing program emphasis with specific staff and program support. Expand Venturing membership by 2,500 youth to 5,000.
• Expanded opportunities for unserved children realized from complementary programs currently offered in one council, but not the other.
  • Expand Juvenile Diversion program increasing membership by 100% or more.
  • Expand Challenger Special Needs Scouting program by 25% or more.
  • Hire additional special needs and juvenile diversion staff
  • Synergies created by a Twin Cities-wide Exploring program would result in 20% growth in Exploring participation.
• Consideration of a Youth Leadership Center in the core city, with indoor and outdoor components, training facilities, school-partnership resources, and more.
  • Ability to create formal partnership with Minneapolis and St Paul Public Schools in providing curriculum, facilities, and programs for students.
  • Expand use of existing camp property for Environmental Learning Center/school trips.
• Extend Scoutreach initiative to reach underserved populations.
  • Expand Scoutreach programs to new immigrant populations to include Latino, E. European and African communities.
  • Expand after-school Scoutreach programs by 50% or more.
  • Net result would be an increase of 1,500 Scoutreach youth members

2. Outcome Sought: The new council would be fiscally more efficient and effective.
Possible Strategies to Achieve this Outcome:

• It is estimated that there would be $800,000 in annual cost savings reducing administration and fundraising cost ratio by up to 30%.
• Cost savings would be reinvested in expanded programs and membership. Initial suggestions by Task Force sub committees total:
  • $300K to more programs.
  • $150K to relevance, marketing, and new partnerships.
  • $150K to emerging cultures, Cub Scout recruiting, and specialty markets.
  • $200K to tools and support for volunteers.
• $350,000 in expenses currently funded outside the operating budgets would be incorporated into the new operating budget.
• Best practices - The combined knowledge of Viking and Indianhead Councils create a complementing, not competing environment for fundraising.
• The combined financial strength would allow the council to place emphasis on funding sources with long-term growth potential, allowing for even more investment in strategic needs and less dependance on flat or shrinking income sources.
• Fundraising activities would be prioritized, keeping only those activities which generate sufficient funds over expenses.
• A proven endowment strategy metro-wide would identify new gifts and leverage more investment options for long-term revenue growth.

3. Outcome Sought: Relevance to Today's Young People and Innovative Community Partnerships
Possible Strategies to Achieve this Outcome:

• A new, compelling voice (and marketing campaign) that defines our brand.
  • Greater and more efficient delivery of our message to parents and kids, in the absence of adequate school access.
  • Resources would be allocated to an ongoing marketing campaign.
  • A local PSA campaign would be developed.
• Resources and greater authority to pilot new programs within the national BSA.
• Review current Cub Scout curriculum for addressing the interests and needs of 1st-5th grade boys.
• Explore more effective ways to support the efforts of leaders working directly with youth (especially Den Leaders).
• Review/Develop new curriculum for kindergarten-age boys
• Building a new organization would create the opportunity to bring public schools to the table to help add their perspective.
• An opportunity to build new collaborations.
  • Potential collaboration partners include: Urban League, Camp Fire, County and City Parks, YMCA, Charter Schools, and others.
• With 100,000 members, the council would realize increased influence in the community.
• Top corporate leadership (vice president-level or higher in major corporations) represented on the Executive Board would expand by 100% in three years.

4. Outcome Sought: Ability to Demonstrate Scouting's Value to Parents and their Children
Possible Strategies to Achieve this Outcome:

• Connect with emerging cultures by recruiting and employing program specialists representative of the communities being served.
• 20% growth in Cub Scouts over five years through more effective recruiting, new curriculum, increased number of trained leaders and impact of increased Cub Scout camping.
  • Develop and fund a comprehensive 24-month marketing/recruitment plan to increase parent awareness of Scouting and create more recruitment opportunities.
  • Greater support to all membership growth strategies by employing a "Recruiting Director" to lead comprehensive recruiting strategy across all programs.
• We would enter Scouting's second century as one of the most effective councils in America and a model for youth development in our community.
  • The Local Council Index of Growth would be used to measure the new council's effectiveness and ranking nationally compared to other councils.
  • An annual survey would be conducted locally to measure impact on youth, parents, leaders, and the community at-large.
  • Quality Council Award would be an annual target.

5. Outcome Sought: Expanded Service to Volunteers
Possible Strategies to Achieve this Outcome:

• Expanded technology tools in support of volunteers.
  • Develop list-serve tools to enable communication with leaders and allow them to communicate with each other.
  • Provide on-line program helps.
  • Establish an on-line publications process for the council newsletter.
  • Provide video conferencing to support rural districts and enable distance learning.
  • Online reservation system for all camping programs.
  • Enhanced web sites
  • Additional staff focusing entirely on technology needs.
  • Development of electronic tools/forms used by volunteers to maximize volunteer/staff time.
• Satellite offices in the far east and west regions.
• An increased number of staff focused on program delivery.
  • Employ five additional neighborhood guides/Scoutreach Program Assistants
  • Restore previously eliminated positions and expand field staff.
  • Add two additional program positions focused on Venturing and Council Activities.
• Develop improved methods for delivery of leadership training.
  • Increasing the number of training courses creates more opportunities for leadership training for adults and youth.
  • Expand web-based training
  • Expansion of supplemental training courses
    • JLC
    • University of Scouting
    • Wood Badge
    • Junior Leader Training (can be incorporated into Urban Center)
    • Trainer Development
    • Program Planning for unit leaders
  • Dedicated position for Training and Advancement (already exists in one council).
• Improved record-keeping through integrated systems.
  • Development of a Twin Cities-wide CRM program
• More facilities and programs available as resources to volunteer leaders.
• Two service centers to serve volunteer needs.
• Expanded council activities
  • International programs
  • High Adventure program
  • Coordinated "Good Turn for America" plan, resulting in increased scope of community service and greater visibility for Scouting.
• Conduct an adult leader program planning conference in the first year of the new council.

SUMMARY POINTS:

1. $800,000 in increased revenues and cost savings, invested in myriad strategic initiatives to grow membership and fiscal health.

2. This is a "growth strategy" that also restores programs and services that have been cut in the past 3 years.

3. There is anecdotal, if not mathematical, evidence that this unique consolidation would provide "1 + 1 equals 3" synergy for kids on both sides of the river. 
 

Last Modified 5/19/2005