Chartered Organizations and the Boy Scouts of America
Overview of Chartered Organizations
- Civic, faith-based, and educational organizations operate Scouting units to deliver the programs to their youth members, as well as the community at large.
- Over 100,000 Scouting units are owned and operated by chartered organizations. Of these:
- 70.3 percent of all units are chartered to faith-based organizations.
- 22.0 percent of all units are chartered to civic organizations.
- 7.6 percent of all units are chartered to educational organizations.
- Responsibilities of chartered organizations include:
- Providing adequate meeting facilities.
- Providing quality leadership for the Scouting unit.
- Appointing a chartered organization representative to coordinate all Scouting unit operations within the organization.
Faith-Based Chartered Organizations
The 25 faith-based organizations with the largest Scouting youth membership
(Source: 2012 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2012, membership data):
Name of Organization |
Total Units |
Total Youth |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints* |
37,856 |
430,557 |
United Methodist Church* |
10,868 |
363,876 |
Catholic Church * |
8,397 |
273,648 |
Presbyterian Church * |
3,597 |
125,523 |
Lutheran Church * |
3,827 |
116,417 |
Baptist Churches |
3,981 |
108,353 |
Episcopal Church * |
1,179 |
41,407 |
United Church of Christ, Congregational Church |
1,191 |
38,225 |
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) |
1,165 |
33,941 |
Community Churches |
1,054 |
32,311 |
Church of Christ* |
546 |
15,430 |
Evangelical/independent churches |
294 |
7,899 |
Church of God |
237 |
5,241 |
Church of the Nazarene |
156 |
4,181 |
Reformed Church in America |
127 |
4,077 |
Jewish synagogues and centers* |
156 |
3,738 |
Church of the Brethren |
101 |
2,759 |
African Methodist Episcopal* |
149 |
2,416 |
The Salvation Army |
130 |
2,233 |
Islam, Muslim, Masjid* |
78 |
2,222 |
Assemblies of God* |
91 |
2,193 |
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church |
95 |
1,970 |
Community of Christ |
61 |
1,899 |
Pentecostal Churches |
107 |
1,830 |
Other churches |
879 |
23,910 |
*Individual fact sheet available
Civic Chartered Organizations
The 20 civic organizations or groups with the largest Scouting youth membership
(Source: 2012 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2012, membership data):
Name of Organization |
Total Units |
Total Youth |
Groups of citizens |
3,115 |
100,751 |
American Legion and Auxiliary |
2,553 |
68,154 |
Business/industry |
2,807 |
66,454 |
Lions International |
2,271 |
64,563 |
Rotary International |
1,333 |
42,922 |
VFW, Auxiliary, Cootie |
1,084 |
31,199 |
Fire departments |
1,176 |
30,819 |
Kiwanis International |
889 |
28,547 |
Elks lodges (BPOE) |
778 |
21,967 |
Community centers |
925 |
21,258 |
Boys' and Girls' Clubs |
569 |
19,177 |
Nonprofit agencies |
603 |
16,662 |
Playgrounds, recreation centers |
444 |
11,610 |
Athletic booster clubs |
389 |
11,416 |
Chambers of commerce, business associations |
358 |
10,553 |
Homeowners' associations |
268 |
9,519 |
Optimist International |
246 |
8,804 |
YWCA, YMCA |
312 |
8,738 |
Masons — Eastern Star |
296 |
8,664 |
Other community organizations |
1,656 |
45,891 |
Educational Chartered Organizations
Source: 2012 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2012, membership data:
Name of Organization |
Total Units |
Total Youth |
Parent-teacher groups other than PTAs |
3,443 |
144,219 |
Private schools |
2,802 |
103,254 |
Parent Teacher Associations/ Parent Teacher Organizations |
1,561 |
65,567 |
Veterans of Foreign Wars