Other account to budget

We have a scout account setup in "other." It appears that we are not going to use it or some of it this year. Can it be transferred to the budget? I would like to close it out at the end of the year.

mycousinbob wrote:We have a scout account setup in "other." It appears that we are not going to use it or some of it this year. Can it be transferred to the budget?

No, it cannot. With priesthood leader approval, it may be held and used for a later annual campout (although Scouting in the Church ends this year), or you will need to return the funds to those individuals who contributed them. If you are not able to determine who contributed the funds, then you should send them to Church headquarters according to instructions at The Help Center.

With the end of scouting in the church next year, I am sure there would be a YM outing. Can the funds be used for that even though they were collected for a scout activity? Can I just change the designation of the funds from Scout Camp 2019 to YM Camp 2020? Most of the donors are members so they would probably be ok with it being used for the YM. The problem is that it is over $1500 and our unit only has 4 YM. Maybe the Bishop will get some direction from the Stake on this matter.

mycousinbob wrote:We have a scout account setup in "other." It appears that we are not going to use it or some of it this year. Can it be transferred to the budget? I would like to close it out at the end of the year.

Handbook 1 14.7.2.2 is pretty clear that this should not occur.


The "Other" category should only be used for collecting funds for a specific purpose, and then spent on that one specific purpose.

Check out the Other Category page here in the Tech Wiki. It is pretty comprehensive with information on the "Other" category.

mycousinbob wrote:Can I just change the designation of the funds from Scout Camp 2019 to YM Camp 2020?

I am neither your bishop nor your stake president. But I imagine they will want the funds to benefit the members for whom they were intended and, if I were you, I would follow their counsel and instruction.

I understand the "Other" account. I guess my question is: What is everyone going to do with the funds in the Other account designated as scouting when there is no more scouting? Technically the funds should be cleared out at the end of the year. However it can be rolled over into the next year but is to be used for scouting. In 2020 there will be no more scouting.

I haven't kept up with the youth program. Is there some kind of replacement for the annual scout camp? My personal, non-authoritative view is that some kind of annual YM camp would be close enough (with local leadership approval).

Otherwise, it seems the only other alternative is to send the funds to Church Headquarters. Putting it in the budget would be a big no-no as that runs counter to budgeting principles.

Of course, it would be up to your local leaders to make the decision but personally I wouldn't have any problem with using it for a similar annual camp under the new program. Personally I'm hoping to have our camp accounts zero'd this year so I won't have to worry about it.

I believe it's allowed to put the funds towards Equipment and Supplies. (Handbook 2: 13.2.9) Assuming the annual YM activity will be substantially similar to the annual scouting activity, that would seem a viable suggestion.