BSA Popcorn Commission Checks

This is our second year participating in the LDS\BSA approved popcorn fundraiser. Last year the BSA Council cut us the check and wrote it out to our troop # and the clerk just stamped it and deposited it. Shortly thereafter we received a communication from SLC Finance not to receive checks written out to the troop and to have anyone writing money for the troop to re-write the check out to the church or ward.

I explained this to the local BSA council office and they said they were not allowed to write checks to anything other than the unit and the until would have to endorse over the check to the ward.

Is anyone else having this same problem?

Rictersmith wrote:This is our second year participating in the LDS\BSA approved popcorn fundraiser.

I'm not convinced there is such a thing as an LDS-approved popcorn fundraiser. If that "approval" is based on the documents I've seen, it's very shaky logic, based on assumptions that are grounded in old letters and interpretations of Church policies that have been superseded at least twice. Any fundraiser has to comply with the current policy on fundraising, which is in Handbook 2, section 13.6.8, which prohibits sales of commercial items. But that's a separate topic....

Rictersmith wrote:I explained this to the local BSA council office and they said they were not allowed to write checks to anything other than the unit and the unit would have to endorse over the check to the ward.

I completely understand and agree with the Church's policy, and of course we need to comply. I also have sympathy for the local BSA council's position. It's certainly not difficult for the scoutmaster to endorse the check over to the ward. That seems to be a simple solution. I suppose the only question is if the scoutmaster has the legal right to do so, but if he is registered as the leader of that BSA entity, and the BSA council is sending his troop a check, and that council recognizes him as the leader of that BSA entity, and suggested that he endorse the check to the ward, then I don't see how anyone could complain about his endorsement.

aebrown wrote: I completely understand and agree with the Church's policy, and of course we need to comply. I also have sympathy for the local BSA council's position. It's certainly not difficult for the scoutmaster to endorse the check over to the ward. That seems to be a simple solution. I suppose the only question is if the scoutmaster has the legal right to do so, but if he is registered as the leader of that BSA entity, and the BSA council is sending his troop a check, and that council recognizes him as the leader of that BSA entity, and suggested that he endorse the check to the ward, then I don't see how anyone could complain about his endorsement.

Close, but no. The Scoutmaster has no say or authority when it comes to administrative/support affairs in a Scout troop. His role is to help the Scouts create the troop's program. The proper signature would be the registered Committee Chair, whose name is on the charter. If you have one, the Treasurer could probably also sign it. Failing that, your other option would be the Chartered Organization Representative (probably a member of the Bishopric).

allenjpl wrote:Close, but no. The Scoutmaster has no say or authority when it comes to administrative/support affairs in a Scout troop. His role is to help the Scouts create the troop's program. The proper signature would be either the registered Committee Chair, whose name is on the charter. If you have one, the Treasurer could probably also sign it. Failing that, your other option would be the Chartered Organization Representative (probably a member of the Bishopric).

Thanks for the clarification -- those are helpful details that I was clearly fuzzy on.

aebrown wrote:I'm not convinced there is such a thing as an LDS-approved popcorn fundraiser. If that "approval" is based on the documents I've seen, it's very shaky logic, based on assumptions that are grounded in old letters and interpretations of Church policies that have been superseded at least twice. Any fundraiser has to comply with the current policy on fundraising, which is in Handbook 2, section 13.6.8, which prohibits sales of commercial items. But that's a separate topic....

I did not know that there was a newer book out: http://lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/scouting-handbook-2011.pdf?lang=eng

The one I have on hand is from 1997. The instructions I had recieved was that there are two approved fundraisers: (1) Friends of Scouting which goes to the council and (2) The official BSA Popcorn Fundraising which goes to the council and unit.

Looks like I will have to escalate the question of popcorn going forward.