Chartered Organizations
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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.
- Approximately 120,000 Scouting units are owned and operated by chartered organizations. Of these:
- 66.9 percent of all units are chartered to faith-based organizations
- 24.4 percent of all units are chartered to civic organizations
- 8.7 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 24 faith-based organizations with the largest Scouting youth membership
Source: 2009 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2009, membership data
Name of Organization |
Total Units |
Total Youth |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
37,682 |
405,676 |
United Methodist Church |
11,391 |
369,733 |
Catholic Church |
9,022 |
286,779 |
Presbyterian Church |
3,767 |
125,638 |
Lutheran Church |
4,120 |
120,913 |
Baptist Churches |
4,342 |
107,060 |
Episcopal Church |
1,263 |
41,739 |
United Church of Christ, Congregational Church |
1,296 |
39,154 |
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) |
1,261 |
34,229 |
Community Churches |
1,107 |
30,774 |
Other churches |
975 |
23,837 |
Church of Christ |
573 |
15,356 |
Evangelical/independent churches |
303 |
7,081 |
Church of God |
117 |
5,945 |
Jewish synagogues and centers |
190 |
4,228 |
Church of the Nazarene |
166 |
4,098 |
Reformed Church in America |
134 |
4,064 |
The Salvation Army |
185 |
3,436 |
African Methodist Episcopal |
201 |
2,970 |
Church of the Brethern |
117 |
2,948 |
Assemblies of God |
93 |
2,374 |
Pentecostal Churches |
142 |
2,168 |
Islam, Muslim, Masjid |
89 |
1,767 |
Community of Christ |
61 |
1,720 |
Buddhist Churches of America |
61 |
1,615 |
Civic Chartered Organizations
The 20 civic organizations or groups with the largest Scouting youth membership
Source: 2009 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2009, membership data
Name of Organization |
Total Units |
Total Youth |
Groups of citizens |
4,356 |
123,864 |
Business/industry |
3,286 |
71,404 |
American Legion and Auxiliary |
2,710 |
71,016 |
Lions International |
2,522 |
70,384 |
Other community organizations |
2,121 |
54,503 |
Rotary International |
1,461 |
44,888 |
Fire departments |
1,352 |
33,982 |
Kiwanis International |
1,023 |
32,240 |
VFW, Auxiliary, Cootie |
1,116 |
31,497 |
Community centers, Settlement houses |
1,282 |
28,452 |
Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs |
775 |
27,697 |
Elks lodges (BPOE) |
833 |
22,910 |
Nonprofit agencies |
579 |
15,744 |
Athletic booster clubs |
610 |
14,605 |
Chambers of commerce, business associations |
535 |
14,006 |
Playgrounds, recreation centers |
542 |
13,985 |
Homeowners’ associations |
360 |
11,130 |
YWCA, YMCA |
430 |
10,374 |
Optimist International |
283 |
9,450 |
Conservation Clubs/Izaak Walton League |
357 |
8,251 |
Educational Chartered Organizations
Source: 2009 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2009, membership data
Name of Organization |
Total Units |
Total Youth |
Parent-teacher groups other than PTAs |
4,415 |
170,581 |
Private schools |
3,160 |
99,831 |
Parent Teacher Associations/ Parent Teacher Organizations |
1,920 |
74,678 |