Chartered Organizations
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 115,000 Scouting units are owned and operated by chartered organizations. Of these:
- 68.4 percent of all units are chartered to faith-based organizations
- 26.5 percent of all units are chartered to civic organizations
- 8.2 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: 2010 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2010, membership data
Name of Organization |
Total Units |
Total Youth |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
37,928 |
412,720 |
United Methodist Church |
11,287 |
371,499 |
Catholic Church |
8,795 |
286,773 |
Presbyterian Church |
3,714 |
126,969 |
Lutheran Church |
4,030 |
121,969 |
Baptist Churches |
4,282 |
108,435 |
Episcopal Church |
1,243 |
41,361 |
United Church of Christ, Congregational Church |
1,266 |
39,234 |
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) |
1,231 |
34,452 |
Community Churches |
1,081 |
30,340 |
Other churches |
962 |
24,665 |
Church of Christ |
566 |
16,100 |
Evangelical/independent churches |
298 |
7,420 |
Church of God |
260 |
6,034 |
Reformed Church in America |
133 |
4,175 |
Church of the Nazarene |
169 |
4,129 |
Jewish synagogues and centers |
166 |
4,098 |
Church of the Brethern |
109 |
2,751 |
The Salvation Army |
158 |
2,601 |
African Methodist Episcopal |
163 |
2,532 |
Assemblies of God |
96 |
2,427 |
Islam, Muslim, Masjid |
79 |
1,976 |
Pentecostal Churches |
125 |
1,854 |
Community of Christ |
63 |
1,743 |
Buddhist Churches of America |
63 |
1,616 |
Civic Chartered Organizations
The 20 civic organizations or groups with the largest Scouting youth membership
Source: 2010 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2010, membership data
Name of Organization |
Total Units |
Total Youth |
Groups of citizens |
3,782 |
110,248 |
Business/industry |
3,129 |
69,867 |
American Legion and Auxiliary |
2,659 |
69,490 |
Lions International |
2,445 |
68,732 |
Other community organizations |
1,931 |
51,187 |
Rotary International |
1,399 |
42,795 |
Fire departments |
1,303 |
33,426 |
VFW, Auxiliary, Cootie |
1,118 |
31,583 |
Kiwanis International |
986 |
31,153 |
Community centers, Settlement houses |
1,104 |
23,3090 |
Elks lodges (BPOE) |
817 |
23,023 |
Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs |
695 |
22,929 |
Nonprofit agencies |
544 |
14,345 |
Chambers of commerce, business associations |
510 |
13,424 |
Playgrounds, recreation centers |
479 |
11,951 |
Athletic booster clubs |
516 |
11,430 |
Homeowners’ associations |
310 |
10,111 |
YWCA, YMCA |
401 |
9,720 |
Optimist International |
274 |
9,509 |
Conservation Clubs/Izaak Walton League |
335 |
7,956 |
Educational Chartered Organizations
Source: 2010 Boy Scouts of America Local Council Index, using December 31, 2010, membership data
Name of Organization |
Total Units |
Total Youth |
Parent-teacher groups other than PTAs |
4,039 |
160,007 |
Private schools |
2,975 |
97,869 |
Parent Teacher Associations/ Parent Teacher Organizations |
1,775 |
72,321 |